Day 5: Painted Desert and Petrified Forrest
We woke up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed at the ungodly hour of 5:15 am, a time when even roosters are hitting snooze. Somehow, we managed to load ourselves onto the buses by 6 am, looking like a troop of zombies on a field trip.
As soon as we settled into our seats, the gentle rocking of the bus lulled everyone back into a deep slumber. Two hours later, just as dreams of dancing muffins and talking apples were reaching their climax, Captain Dallas announces that the Grumpy's are here to serve us the muffins and applesauce we've been patiently awaiting. We clapped in unison – a "Round of ap(p)l(e)sause" for the chefs!
Beautiful sunset!
Kelsey's good hygiene
Catching ZZZ's on the bus
Wes caught lacking
Laurel and Blair along for the ride
Dallas serenading Mylee
Selfie time!
We pulled into our first pit stop: the legendary Love’s gas station, a beacon of hope on our epic road trip. As we tumbled out of the car, who should appear but Grant, springing up like a jack-in-the-box! He said that Caleb left him behind at the bathroom a couple days ago and we have been on the hunt ever since! We had to stop at the weight station because Caleb ate too much (as always). With Grant back on board and Caleb’s appetite temporarily reined in, we were ready to continue our journey. The road stretched out before us, full of promise and plenty more adventures!
We are celebrating the awesome, incredible, absolutely amazing day that is indeed June 19th because our beloved Mylee and Rachel were born on this day! Yep, you heard us, not 1 but TWO birthdays that we are cherishing today. The big 18 and 16! Rachel bought her first lottery ticket at our first stop (don’t ask, she didn’t do too hot!) She knows what she won’t be attempting to do when we hit Vegas in a few days! Dallas and the rest of sang the “Hooray” birthday song to them and we saw some of their awesome dane moves that we just knew they were eager to break out!
We love Loves!
Our beautiful birthday girl #1! Sweet 16, Mylee!
Alright, buckle up for another wild time warp! Arizona's time change threw us off again—30 minutes to wrestle with those pesky watch buttons! Who knew time could be such a challenge? In the vans, we turned into interview pros, firing questions left and right. Time flew by so fast! Then, the Petrified Forest National Park blew our minds—turns out it's a 250-million-year-old rock show, not your typical leafy affair. Grant even had us kissing petrified wood for luck, with double luck for the brave double-kissers!
For lunch we had the spectacular chicken, bacon, ranch wraps and some carrots on the side. Basically call us bunny rabbits! Next stop: the Painted Desert, a masterpiece of reds, browns, and golds. Picture-perfect views everywhere you turn—major photo ops, folks! Words can't do justice to these natural wonders; our eyes have never seen such beauty!
First look at Petrified Forest
Kiss for good luck!
Matchy matchy!
Coop posing for the cam
Tucker kissing the rock for good luck
Look back at it
Squad goals
Taking in a great view
Dallas and her girls
Group photo
The boys
Dynamic Duo
Always drinking all the water
Get ready for a Walmart adventure in Flagstaff—aka WALLYWORLD! We stormed the aisles, stocking up for our epic Grand Canyon hike. Some of us couldn't resist our own dinners and acai bowls—hello, cravings satisfied!
Back on the road, we geared up for the Grand Canyon National Park, but not before our early-bird dinner of croissant sandwiches and potato/pasta salad. Thanks, time change, for making 4:30 PM feel like dinnertime!
In the vans, we cranked up the tunes and had a blast. Carolina Girl rocked the Star Spangled Banner out of nowhere as we rolled out of Walmart—a perfect anthem for our elevation climb into the Grand Canyon. And who could forget our full-throttle rendition of American Pie? We belted it out like true patriots, channeling all the road trip vibes.
Post shopping recharge
Carolina girl swag with MC
Yummy lunch
Walmart selfieee
Acai bowls for nutrients!
Our version of a mirror selfie
George and his oranges. That's the tea.
When we arrived at the Grand Canyon National Park we looked over the edge to get a little preview of our big hike tomorrow. t's like staring into nature's own VR headset—except it's real! Every single one of us were in awe as we witnessed our first view of this incredibly breathtaking wonder of the world. After setting up camp (because who needs hotels when you've got Mother Nature's VIP suite?), you decide to catch a sunset. We are pretty sure we snapped enough photos to rival a paparazzi squad—every angle, every filter, just to capture that perfect blend of colors as the sun dips below the horizon.
But wait, the best part is yet to come! Tomorrow morning, our 4am wake up call awaits us because it's GRAND CANYON HIKE DAY! So, for now, we are getting our hiking boots (or dirty old sneakers) ready, pack snacks like we're going into hibernation, and hydrate like it's a sport!
Hands up for a glorious day
Trip 1 staff <3
Amazing views from up here!
.5 pic number 100000
Peace out GC.. time for Vegas!
Riseee and shineee
Name a better trio
Brady and Copeland amazed by the views!
They begged for this pic!
GC in the GC (Gaston County in the Grand Canyon)
Okay seriously now, goodnight! See y’ll post hike! :)
