Day 8 on which...

Sunday, May 06, 2018
Tonopah, Arizona, United States
...we get up in great spirits, at least I do, look out the window and see nothing but Arizona desert all around
...we drive to the highway entrance and notice a small bar advertising „real Mexican cuisine“ so we get in for breakfast
...we realize right away it’s a place where time stopped – we are greeted by a brisk 60-year old waitress in a pink apron, we order typical American breakfasts: eggs with chili, pancakes with bacon and maple syrup and such. And we watch life pass slowly by in this nowhere place in the middle of Arizona desert...
...we order tea and nearly choke with laughter when the waitress informs us that it is old and may not taste good. Apparently not your typical cowboy drink!
...we are annoyed by how easy it is to honk the horn in this car when turning the wheel vigorously. It’s so easy to touch that horn. Causes a lot of annoyance and confusion..
...we keep driving towards Phoenix and observe a funny billboard ad for a classical music radio station: „Bach on!“ it says.
...we notice and come to appreciate the Arizona state flag!
. ..we realize every city or town in this part of the country must have a neighborhood called „Glendale“. I see those everywhere!
...we visit the Saguaro national park, do one of the trails just before sunset and it is still devilishily hot. I get confused and we walk over 1,5 miles instead of under a mile and we’re all fairly exhausted from the heat. But we see plenty of giant cacti, petroglyphs, some lizards and even a rabbit. It’s a cool day!
...we see what Americans call „dust devils“ – mini tornados formed by wind hijacking particles of sand in the desert and forming a whirlwind or a vortex with it. Very typical here.
...I am still amused by the fact that at a gas pump they authorized your card payment when you enter your zipcode rather than your pincode. Sometimes a random one will work for my Belgian card, sometimes it won’t.
...we keep driving and we arrive in a small roadside town called Camp Verde, where we end up finding a very pleasant Days Inn with one of the best breakfasts so far included. A good night’s sleep!
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