Heat Wave

Shawn and I climbed into a little yellow car, gave the middle finger wave to the 117 degree hometown and headed to Flagstaff. Look, there he is, hiding outside, yes, outside. It's amazing how a couple of hours racing up I-17 can change everything, as Mr. Mario Andretti let loose once we left Maricopa County (where there are two judges a bit upset with him). Tall pines, dropped temps, a whole new world view, really. These Northern Arizona lefties love their town. There are plastic, aluminum, paper recycling cans all over. Our hotel had two buttons on the toilet, one for number one, one for the other one. What a beautiful thing. I bet they believe in evolution, too. As we ventured out, there was even a little European feel as we dined at amazing Brix on French cheeses and duck confit (kohn-fee, monsieur) followed by a drizzly walk through old town, complete with beautiful churches, street performers and lots of people surrounding the main courtyard eating and drinking on this cool mountain night. We even spotted a sidewalk creperie with a chocolate, banana, strawberry, whipped cream number with our names all over it. Did a little bar hopping for a night cap, a little morning walk around grassy NAU and ran back into Phoenix, covered in hot dust, Camelback Mountain faded in the distance.