Uncle Jimmy & Wickenberg, AZ

One of the hottest days of travel and we ended with a nice dinner with a long-lost (not really "lost") relative and a cool pool.

Uncle Jimmy is my Grampa's youngest brother who moved away when my dad was 9 or 10 (I think I have the story right), and it has been 50 years since my dad has seen Uncle Jimmy. He's a cowboy who lives life just serious enough and doesn't seem like the type to complain. He's so easy-going, it was as if we've always known him!
We met him at a remote (I'm telling you, remote!) cafe/bar that was dark and dusty and didn't even run an air conditioner...in the desert!!!
Uncle Jimmy greeted us and told us how nice and cool it was going to be in the restaurant.
I guess it wasn't so bad, and the food was surprisingly good!

Owen loved the cactus out front and wanted to touch it.
It reminded him of CARS! :-)

We had the place to ourselves!

The visit was short but sweet, and now we know who to call when we want to get a pony!
Navigating those mountains is going to be the biggest obstacle.
Just wait til you see what we drove through the day after this!

I think I captured the sunset in many of the places we visited.
I think we miss the sunset here because of trees and neighbors houses...
maybe someday I will have a home where I get to see the sunset everyday.

We drove a bit further to cut down on driving time the next day and ended up here: a nice vacation destination that had a spot for us. They even unlocked the pool when we arrived after dark and let us cool off. Owen loved the "glow in the dark" pool. I wish I would have thought to capture that in a photo. :-)
Once again...it was the cactus...

"It's just like in CARS, mom!"

Before heading out, I dunked the kids a few times because it was going to be another hot one!
More to come...
A taste?
THE GRAND CANYON!