My Birthday Trip To Nevada and Arizona. Day One.

My birthday wish was to be at the Grand Canyon's South Rim at sunset, the day I turned 34. The day before, two of my friends, my father and I flew into Las Vegas on separate flights. I had booked a room for my chums and I but when Dad booked a room with two beds, I chose to stay with him and, in the end, this was the best thing that I could have done as we were rolling on the same schedule and were inclined to see the same the things. 

Determine to fulfill my wish, we hit up one of Vegas' Trader Joe's for road snackage and then headed East, on the morning of March 14th.

Our first stop was Hoover Dam.

Boulder City, Nevada.

Somewhere in Western Arizona.

We detoured so that I could finally get a glimpse of Historic Route 66.

This wagon and jailhouse are from 1860.

Despite everyone along the way telling us we probably wouldn't make it on time, we arrived at the Grand Canyon South Rim a half hour before sunset. My dad looked down at me and said, "We made it. Happy birthday," and those were the most amazing five words I'd heard in a long time.

Posted in: 34th birthday,american southwest,arizona,desert,general store,grand canyone,hoover dam,las vegas,nevada,road trip,route 66