If there is anything notable about Arizona, it's the heat. Arizona is by far the HOTTEST state we've visited. Anywhere where it's 97°F before 9:00AM is just too hot to be alive. Fact. Really though, we admire those that are able to tolerate/endure the dry desert summer heat. It's truly a superhuman feat. We got up reasonably early and Riks' aunt took us around the neighborhood to take some pictures at a local favorite spot as well to take some signature pictures with cacti - because what else screams "desert" louder than cacti? After our hot (temperature-wise) photoshoot, we followed Riks' aunt to their family-owned bakery, Sugar 'N Spice. If ever you are in Goodyear, AZ, you MUST stop by because they make AMAZING cronuts! And donuts...and croissandwiches...and blended iced Vietnamese coffee...and everything. Bias aside, it really is a great 'lil spot. You can check them out here on Yelp!
After visiting the bakery and ordering our brunch to-go, we got back on the road, this time headed for Nevada. Since Nics had never seen the Grand Canyon before, we thought we might as well stop there on our way to Nevada. Regardless of how grand that canyon is -and it is, in our opinion, pretty grand- we both agree that paying $25 for admittance to the park is a bit steep. But we'd already driven all that way over so of course we paid it. On the bright side, if you plan on visiting the Grand Canyon for more than a day, your paid pass is good for up to 7 days. Unfortunately for us, that was not the case. We spent just over 2 hours admiring the stunning views from different spots around the rim, and had we had the time, we probably could've spent all day there. Honestly though, over time, it begins to look exactly the same from any angle. The Grand Canyon is definitely worth stopping at though if you're driving through Arizona.
About 4 hours later, we finally pulled onto the Las Vegas strip. Yes, we chose to celebrate the final days of our Crusade in Vegas. We got in much later than expected because we spent longer at the Canyon than we'd anticipated, which meant that we literally had about 40 minutes to check in to our hotel, get ready to go out, grab a taxi, and be at the club before the guest list closed. We made it. Thanks to a promoter that Riks got in touch with during our drive, we were able to get guestlisted for Drai's Beach Club. While we're sure you're just DYING to know what happened once we got into the club -haha jk- but what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.
After a super eventful day, we're both super drained. It's time to recharge so we can make the most of a full day in Vegas tomorrow.
[TKC Road Trip Pro-Tip #9: Don't be overly reliant on technology to map your route- i.e. GPS. We've been using a GPS in tandem with an actual atlas so that we can corroborate directions and ensure we are taking the quickest, safest routes.]
We're nearing the end of our Crusade, but keep following along!
Sending love from Sin City!
Nics & Riks
After a super eventful day, we're both super drained. It's time to recharge so we can make the most of a full day in Vegas tomorrow.
[TKC Road Trip Pro-Tip #9: Don't be overly reliant on technology to map your route- i.e. GPS. We've been using a GPS in tandem with an actual atlas so that we can corroborate directions and ensure we are taking the quickest, safest routes.]
We're nearing the end of our Crusade, but keep following along!
Sending love from Sin City!
Nics & Riks