Lower 48 Road Trip: Arizona and California

“Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne…” -Psalm 89:14

Hello Overcomers! Spring is officially here! I hope you are enjoying the extra daylight and the warmer temperatures. Spring is a good time to start a new project. Is there a project or task you’d like to start or complete this season? For me, the finish line for this road trip blog project is in sight! After this post, I only have one more blog to write and I’m done! Yay! When I complete this project, I am planning to take a break from writing for a little while to refresh and recharge. It’s important to rest when we need it. Even God rested on the seventh day of creation (Genesis 2:2). On the road trip, we didn’t have many opportunities to rest because we had to keep going to maximize our time in each place and to stay on track. When we finally got home in November of 2023, thankfully, we were finally able to rest from all of our travels. It was a strange sensation to be home though. My body still physically felt like I was moving for about a week after coming home because I was so used to the almost daily movement of the van for over three months. It was such an interesting experience. Have you ever been on a long trip before? I’ve been on many trips, but this one was the longest I had ever been away from home. No matter how wonderful a trip is, it always feels good to come home. Do you agree? Home is always so comforting for a weary soul.

Arizona and California are two states we have been to before, but as we traveled through them this time, we began to realize that our big, beautiful road trip was quickly coming to a close. We were definitely ready to come home at this point, but God’s grace kept us going to the end. We soaked up the moments in these states as much as we could, knowing the trip was almost over. Please enjoy reading about our travels in these two grand states below!

Arizona: I heard the Lord say this about the people of Arizona: “They are my ‘pride and joy.’ I will bring righteousness and justice. They are the foundation of my throne.” We first popped over into Arizona on our way to Four Corners. The highway bends into a small part of the northeastern corner of the state, and of course the Four Corners Monument includes Arizona. Then we went up into Utah for a few days before heading back down into Arizona near Mexican Water, east of Monument Valley. Since I needed to work on my blog and podcast, we stopped in Kayenta in the Navajo Nation and parked in a grocery store parking lot. Moments later, we were in for an interesting surprise.

I took out my laptop and was starting to focus on my work when there was a sudden, loud knock on our van window. Startled, we looked up to see two older Navajo men looking in at us. We opened the window to see what they wanted. One of the men had a Navajo name and the other had an English name. They began asking us questions about our van and where we are from. Then they told us an elaborate story, saying one of them was working at a nearby pumpkin patch and they needed gas to carpool home to a nearby town. They asked us for gas money, and when Gabe offered to meet them at a nearby gas station to fill up their tank, they questioned us and insisted we just give them cash. It became clear they were lying about the gas situation. Since I really needed to get my work done, Gabe decided to get out of the van and finish talking with them so I could focus. As Gabe continued the conversation outside, they eventually admitted they were lying and said they were actually hungry. They asked Gabe if he could buy them food instead, so he walked with them over to the Subway next to the grocery store for dinner. It seemed as if neither of them had ever been to Subway before because they really struggled with figuring out how to order. After Gabe paid for their food, they went outside and he shared the gospel with them. The man with the English name said he follows Jesus, but the man with the Navajo name said he held “traditional” Navajo beliefs. Gabe told them to stop lying and be honest with people. Then they both asked Gabe to pray for them, so he prayed a blessing over them. They were so thankful. When Gabe got back into the van, my work was finished and he told me about the whole incident. Even though it could have been a potentially dangerous situation, God used it for good. We were so grateful God used us to bless them! Leaving Kayenta, we drove down past Flagstaff and made our way up to the Williams KOA, where we stayed for the night.

Our friend Robbie drove all the way up from Tucson with his friendly dog and met us at our KOA the next morning. We became good friends with Rob when he lived in the Portland area and worked with Gabe. We went to church together and he was also one of our Alpha leaders when Gabe and I led the ministry at our church. Rob was with us from the beginning of our time leading Alpha and helped us through each course we led. We enjoyed raising him up and watching him grow as a leader. He felt called to move back closer to his family in Tucson, but we often talked about meeting up at the Grand Canyon someday and hiking down to the gorgeous waterfall at the bottom (called Havasu Falls). Unfortunately, the hike to the waterfall is really intense and you need to have a permit to access it, so that plan was out of the question for this trip, however we made our idea of meeting at the Grand Canyon a reality! After Robbie arrived, we each drove up to the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. Gabe had already been to the Grand Canyon as a child, but it was my very first time seeing it. My, oh, my, it sure is grand!

First, we walked over to Mather Point to take in the incredible views of the canyon. The Lord blessed us with a beautiful sunny day with fluffy white clouds. This particular viewpoint is really popular, so it was pretty crowded even though we were there on a Thursday afternoon in late October. Even with so many people around, we still enjoyed the beauty and took some incredible pictures! The vast breadth of the canyon is hard to fully fathom because you can’t see it entirely from any viewpoint. After we had soaked in the sights, we drove over to the Tavern at Yavapai Lodge for lunch. The Tavern patio has umbrella tables and gas firepits. Even though it was sunny out, it was still pretty chilly, so we happily snagged a table by one of the warm firepits. Lunch was tasty and we enjoyed a great conversation with Robbie. It was encouraging to hear how solid his faith still is and about all of the good things happening in his life. After lunch, we stopped into the Visitor Center gift shop to look around before Rob had to start his long drive home. We said “goodbye” and thanked him for driving so far to see us. Then Gabe and I drove over to explore Grand Canyon Village. We made our way around the village looking at the rustic buildings and houses, then parked near El Tovar Hotel. The view of the canyon from the Rim Trail near this hotel was epic. Many shadows were cast along the canyon walls because the sun was close to setting, but the walls also gave off an increasingly golden glow. We went inside the Hopi House, which is a historical building near the hotel that has been turned into a gift shop. There were many fascinating pieces of native art for sale in the house, so we had fun looking around. We also took a peak inside the main lobby at El Tovar Hotel, which had comfy chairs, animal heads and a large fireplace. After one last glance at the Grand Canyon at sunset, we made our way back to our KOA in Williams for the night.

The next morning, we drove down into the town of Williams to get gas. The famous old Route 66 goes through the town, so we saw many of the historic buildings which contain various restaurants and shops. Of course, almost every business there is advertising its connection to Route 66. It seemed like a fun little town to explore if we had more time. After I snapped a few pictures, we jumped back on I-40 heading west. We enjoyed a beautiful, sunny drive through the desert mountains of Arizona all the way to California.

California: “is the keyhole of the nation. It unlocks the nation.” It’s a “showpiece” to demonstrate the Lord’s glory. We finally arrived in California through Needles and drove across the rugged and mountainous desert to reach the Los Angeles area. We followed the sunset on the horizon until the city lights illuminated the darkness in the distance. Late that night we made it to my Great Aunt Mary and Great Uncle Larry’s house in Anaheim. Aunt Mary is the youngest sister of my Grandpa Quinn. She and Uncle Larry met and got married in Arkansas, but a short time later, they decided to move out to California, where they have lived ever since. Aunt Mary is sweet, kind and gentle. She enjoys tending her garden and loves keeping up with our entire extended family. She is such a blessing! For dinner that night, they served us some yummy local barbeque and Aunt Mary even made her sister’s (my Great Aunt Genny’s) famous and delicious coleslaw to go with it. It was such a treat after a long day of driving. They made us feel right at home.

The next day, Uncle Larry and Aunt Mary drove us around the Yorba Linda area and the California State University campus in Fullerton. They shared their personal history with us and how they’ve been connected to the area over the years they’ve lived there. Aunt Mary worked at Cal State Fullerton in the President’s office and was a cherished employee. It was special to see all the places around the university campus that were meaningful to her. After the tour, we spent some wonderful quality time together visiting at their home that afternoon. Aunt Mary showed me around her lovely backyard garden. The funny shaped lemons, special lawn ornaments, pretty flowers and shy turtle made it memorable. Later that night, we met some new friends for dinner at a nearby restaurant. Even though Heidi has prayed for us and United Hive over the years, this was the first time we had ever met her and her husband Bobby in person. They are wonderful people who really love Jesus and want to see him move in Southern California. We really enjoyed getting to know them! After dinner, Uncle Larry shared his telescope with us and we saw the beautiful full moon up close! I love looking at all the stars and planets in the night sky!

On Sunday morning, after saying “goodbye” to Aunt Mary and Uncle Larry, we went to church with Heidi and Bobby at Dwelling Place in Anaheim. It felt so good to worship the Lord and be saturated in his presence. It filled me with joy and peace… so refreshing! We also happened to run into our friend Devyn at church, which was a fun surprise. We left after church and drove to a supplement store nearby to make a purchase, but they didn’t have what I needed. Trying to figure out where to go to buy the supplement, led Gabe and I into another nasty argument. We were both so tired and stressed from being on the road for three months and we were just so ready to be done. After I spent time praying and cooling down outside the van, I finally decided to get back in and trust everything would work out ok… and it did. However, we found ourselves in some pretty bad L.A. traffic and a very long and silent drive all the way up to La Grange.

We arrived at Gabe’s Aunt Cheri and Uncle Don’s house late that night in the beautiful hills of La Grange. They have a gorgeous home and property overlooking the valley. Aunt Cheri is the sister of Gabe’s mom Shelli. Aunt Cheri and Uncle Don were still camping that night, but graciously let us stay in their cute little guest suite by the pool, which looks like a studio Airbnb at the beach. Shelli was already up at the house and greeted us warmly with hugs and the cookies she baked. It was a sweet way to be welcomed back home to family, especially after the rough day we had. The next morning, we saw Gabe’s Grandma Linda (Shelli and Cheri’s mom) and sat down to a hearty biscuits and gravy brunch that Shelli made for us all. The family recipe from Gabe’s Great Grandma (Nana) uses bacon drippings instead of sausage… and Grandma Linda approved! After the meal, we had a mostly relaxing day together. I soaked up some quality time with Grandma Linda as she shared old pictures with me from her youth. She told stories and we both laughed together. My favorite story she shared was of her and her friends water skiing in the canals. They used to tie a rope onto her car and she would drive alongside the canal while the person skiing held onto the rope. Even her mom (Nana) used to get involved in the game. Unfortunately, they had to stop skiing after one guy didn’t let go of the rope in time and broke his legs! Those were different times back then, but I enjoyed hearing her recount how much fun she had, especially since she faced many sad times in her life as well. It was a special moment!

Later that day, before Aunt Cheri and Uncle Don came home, we had quite the scare! Gazing down at their pool, I saw an enormous tarantula floating on the water upside down, flailing its legs! I hate spiders, so I flipped out… I did not even know tarantulas live that far north in California! It seriously broke my brain to see one outside a cage because I have never seen one in the wild before. I told Gabe he had to kill it, so he bravely conquered it (sorry, I have no mercy on spiders). Grandma Linda mentioned that we shouldn’t tell Aunt Cheri about it because she likes them in her garden. I can’t believe Aunt Cheri likes tarantulas! I was horrified! My skin was crawling after that and from now on, I have to be extra watchful in order to avoid them when we visit La Grange. When Aunt Cheri and Uncle Don finally arrived, we helped them unpack from their camping trip (thankfully, she wasn’t too upset about the spider). That night we had dinner together out on their covered deck and enjoyed visiting and catching up. We’re so thankful for this time together on the trip because it ended up being the last time we saw Grandma Linda before she passed away just over a month later. She is with Jesus now and has been “restored to the joy of her youth.” I will treasure this visit with her always.

We left on the morning of Halloween, after saying “goodbye” to the family. We drove over to Angels Camp to see Gabe’s Grandpa Gary (Shelli and Cheri’s dad) and Grandma Sandy. They have a beautiful home in the hills, where his Grandpa has tended a backyard vineyard and has crafted his own brand of artisan wines for many years. We always enjoy visiting them there. That day, we arrived at lunchtime and Grandma Sandy served us a delicious sausage and vegetable soup with homemade soda bread with raisins. Grandma Sandy is a fantastic gourmet cook and a gracious hostess. We loved catching up and sharing about all of our travels with them. After lunch, Gabe helped Grandpa Gary with some quick chores and heavy lifting in his wine cellar. It’s a joy to see Grandpa Gary in his element… he is passionate about the art of winemaking. He has generously shared varieties of his red blends with the whole family. What a blessing he is to us all!

After our visit in Angels Camp, we drove through the cute town of San Andreas and then made our way through the dramatic mountains of the Eldorado National Forest toward Lake Tahoe. Surprisingly, we saw large patches of snow among the pine trees since it was only late October. The scenic drive took us past serene mountain lakes and jagged rock formations. It was so refreshing! We made it to South Lake Tahoe near sunset. Gabe’s stayed at Lake Tahoe before, but it was my first time there. The lake town is bustling with many resorts, shops and restaurants. The California-Nevada State Line passes through the lake, and since we wanted to see more of Nevada, we decided to stay on that side of the lake. Other than shopping at a grocery store, we didn’t come back into California for the rest of the night. However, the following day, we came back over into South Lake Tahoe to refill our propane tank (it was so cold overnight) and get dinner at Ha Noi Pho. We love pho, and since it was chilly outside, it sounded great. The restaurant is small inside and they were really busy for a weeknight. They sat us at a tall bar facing the windows right next to the door, which was kind of miserable. I recall there being something wrong with my order and the food wasn’t anything to write home about. Oh well! We have amazing pho places in Vancouver! After dinner, we walked around exploring The Shops at Heavenly Village, which is a beautiful alpine-style, outdoor shopping mall. All of the trees in this shopping center were wrapped with warm white lights, which almost made me feel like it was Christmastime. I highly recommend this mall for a fun and charming shopping experience. When we crossed back into Nevada for the night, we did not come back into California until later the next day.

We traveled through some cities in Nevada before we were back in California, driving north on Highway 395. We went through small towns and past Honey Lake, heading west out of Susanville toward Redding. The scenic drive took us into the mountains and wide open spaces of Lassen National Forest. A gorgeous sunset met us straight ahead as we came down into the outskirts of Redding. We stayed that night with our friend Nola and her granddaughter, who have a beautiful home in Redding. Nola hosts us often when we come down to visit Bethel Church. We’ve known Nola for many years, since we used to go to church together when she lived up in Vancouver. She has a very deep and strong relationship with Jesus, and she’s full of wisdom and prophetic revelation. We always enjoy hearing all of her amazing insights and testimonies. Nola was going through a stressful time while we were there, so we encouraged one another during our short visit. We are so thankful for her gracious hospitality and friendship. The next morning, we were off again heading north on I-5. We’ve driven this stretch of highway so many times before, that by this point in the trip, we knew we were on our way home. It was so strange and surreal to think we would be home in just a couple of days. Our long and crazy road trip was quickly coming to an end and our brains could hardly process it. We passed by the stunning beauty of Shasta Lake and Mount Shasta, and the vibrant fall colors were showing themselves more among the trees. As we drove through Weed, I heard the Lord say, “Weed: from black hole to glory hole.” May the Lord open a healing hole in the heavens over Weed. That’s a good word! We continued on past all of the usual landmarks and finally crossed over into Oregon in the gorgeous mountains.

Just as the trip started coming to a close when we reached Arizona and California, this blog project is also nearing its end. I only have one blog left to write to complete the project! Since I’ve been working on it since last July, that’s pretty hard to believe. The project has taken me so much longer than I originally thought it would, but I’m so thankful I took the time to share this adventure with you. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading and following along. Watch for my very last blog for the Lower 48 road trip coming soon!