Off the Highway Eats
As we began our journey back East, travelling across the desert, up through Sedona, circling to the Grand Canyon, then on to Santa Fe, I was again reminded of why we began our trip with the mandate of avoiding the major fast-food chains. Each and every time we by-passed the path of least resistance (i.e. drive-thru McD’s or stop-in Subways), we ended up with local offerings that were better, and frankly, more interesting.
A local fresh Mex place in Sedona, Arizona was not only decent, but provided us with left-overs for the next day’s drive. We had also gotten pretty good at finding healthier options at the various hotel breakfast tables; sometimes mixing their toasted bagels with our own natural nut butters, their cold milk with our organic multi-grain cereals.
A relatively quick stop-in at the Grand Canyon provided awe inspiring views and an old-school lunch at the historic Bright Angel Lodge right on the rim.
Our next stop was Santa Fe, NM, a charming city that dates back to 1607 and is home to artists, hipsters, Native Americans, cowboys and well-healed retirees alike. After spending a prayerful and contemplative morning at and around the amazing Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, we walked through the quiet streets of this gorgeous town.
Jewelry sellers, restaurants, hotels, art galleries, quiet parks and attractive homes provided much to see and experience. With little time before we needed to check-out of our hotel, we sadly couldn’t stick around for lunch. Next time!
Our next stop was Colorado Springs, a resting point before a 14 hour trek across Kansas and Missouri to St. Louis. In the shadow of Pike’s Peak, the Marriott we stayed at provided a luxurious respite plus decent room service.
One of my favorite lunch moments happened at a rest stop in Kansas. As a warm breeze filtered in from across the nearby corn fields, we wheeled the cooler over to a shaded picnic table and enjoyed a leisurely summer lunch proffered from the Santa Fe Whole Foods. There was something elemental about it; and reminded me of similar road-side lunches my own mother made for us in the midst of our long drives to Maine so many years ago. She would pull out a blue metal hamper that was stuffed with cold-cut sandwiches, celery sticks and Oreo cookies. Those lunches were as delicious then as our ad-hoc picnic was in Kansas, by the side of the road. Maybe some things aren’t meant to change.
To learn more about our thirty day adventure across America, check out our other publications WHERE DO WE FIT IN? and 30 CUPS ACROSS.
