I didn’t want another muffin for breakfast, so I convinced Nick and  Carla that we should look for a different place to eat. We walked along and  happened on a restaurant that had a full breakfast menu. Carla ordered pancakes, and Nick had a waffle.  I wanted something from the menu that I would never have at home.  I chose  banana, blueberry  and walnut French toast, which fulfilled my desire for something different and delicious.

Nicholas is into hiking. I asked the manager of our inn to suggest a hiking trail that was nearby and easy.  Bell Rock Trail  was two miles away, and easy for beginners, he said. Off we went.

I was  prepared with water, my walking sticks, and my wide brimmed hat. We began to walk, admiring the scenery as we went.  The ground was uneven, and there were many  hills.  I typically have no trouble  going uphill, but I find going downhill more difficult. The temperature was above 90 degrees, and the air was very dry. My water bottle was too small to hold the amount of water I needed. Still, I thought I could push myself to complete the trail loop with my family, but we checked the map and saw that we had only gone half way. The temperature continue to rise, and the path continued to get more dusty and more hilly. I was exhausted. Although I was using my walking sticks, I relied on lots of additional help from Nicholas. It was a huge relief when we had walked back to the parking lot.

Back at the inn, Nicholas covered my face and neck in wet cloths. He ran to a nearby  convenience store and came back with Gatorade and snacks. I  consumed them and fell asleep. When I awoke, Nick, Nicholas and Carla  made sure I was okay. They decided to get lunch,  but  I didn’t want to leave my bed. When they returned, we all  enjoyed the inn’s hot tub. After a long soak, I was back to  normal.

When I got ready for dinner, I saw that my gray walking shoes were covered in red dust. Not wanting to be too active,  we walked to the nearest restaurant, which was called Butterfly Burger. Nick ordered onion soup, while the rest of us had burgers of various varieties. Mine was called an Italian Stallion. It contained  burrata, pesto, and sun dried tomatoes. I needed that!

The next day, we would be heading to my cousin’s house in Fountain Hills, a suburb of Phoenix. We were to be there at lunch time.

13, 567 steps