Odyssey 2018 - The Burtons are at it again...: Oct 4

Today was the second time we have made the amazing trek between San Diego and Sedona Arizona. Today's excursion terminated in wacky, wonderful, Jerome, AZ; but, the route here was identical.

While the mileage logged is only slightly north of 400 miles, the terrain drastically changes nearly a dozen times. The last time we traveled the route was from east to west and in the early spring. We encountered snow in the mountains near Prescott and desert sands closer to the Arizona border. This time we did it in reverse. It went something like this:

We awoke early; like 5am, early. We figured that's what it would take to beat the San Diego rush hour traffic. Much to our surprise, we couldn't have waited a minute later; the roads were packed in the morning blackness.

As we left the Downtown area, Garmin Electra directed us to I-15 and on to the Scripp's Poway Parkway. So we began with some metro traffic.

Abruptly, our next turn found us climbing over the mountains on a narrow, winding road called Wynola. Keep in mind that we're avoiding the Interstates and ultimately seeking Highway 78 for a magic carpet ride through the rugged, mountain canyons and the desert wasteland that follows. Wynola Rd., Liz remarked, reminds her of Deals Gap; I agree. Tight, twisty turns are linked end to end up the rugged mountainsides.

Just as you think it can't get any better, Wynola becomes Banner Rd for another series of twists and turns. Next thing you know you have found your way to Highway 78 and you're roller-coastering your way through the jagged canyons of southern California.

Magically, the mountains slide down into desert terrain. Scant scrub and cactus dot the landscape for as far as the eye can see. But wait...off on the distant horizon it appears as though the vegetation must disappear altogether. Can that be possible? Can California be mirroring the Saraha? Sho-nuff! Just keep your seat and watch as you cross a narrow ravine and almost instantly the desert becomes totally free of flora. Huge sand dunes stretch as far as the eye can see. They're complete down to the smallest detail including the little sinewy ripples that characterize sandy, desert terrain. Whoa! Did somebody forget to tell me about this...or did I just forget to recall it was here? BTW...the dunes happen about 140 miles east of San Diego on Hwy 78 near Brawley. This killer highway continues to provide multiple looks at nature until it turns north and dumps you onto I-15 for a short 9 mile ride to US 60 to begin your trek to Arizona.

Hey, folks...forgive me...I'm coming down off a high here. I really do believe if our days were numbered and we could only take a handful of future excursions, this would have to be among the top 5-6. The Arizona part is equally, if not more thrilling than that Cali portion because it's so freakin' diverse. Literally, you go from rugged desert to sandstone rock canyons to Saguaro laden landscapes and finish with not one, but two climbs into the mountains of Prescott and Jerome. Nuff said...I'll just stop there and offer a few snaps of the happy, haunted, hippy-hamlet turned awesome artist colony, Jerome Arizona.