Tony and Marion Hammond are shown at the Grand Canyon during their recent trip to the western United States. Every couple who retires within months of each other should have a great trip and experience as Tony and Marion Hammond did on a recent trip out west.

On April 19, the Hammonds flew from Atlanta to Phoenix, Ariz., where they rented a vehicle and drove through Tonto National Forest, where they saw the Salt River Canyon and Theodore Roosevelt Lake en route to Pinetop, Ariz.

While in Arizona, they visited the Petrified Forest and part of the Painted Desert en route to Holbrook, Ariz., visiting meteor craters and Walnut Canyon National Park en route to Sedona, Ariz. Marion said Sedona was one of the prettiest towns they saw and the mountains around the town were beautiful; however, the town is really a tourist attraction. After leaving Sedona, they went to Flagstaff, stopping at Spirit Mountain Ranch, which is the home of the white buffalo (very rare).

At the Grand Canyon, they stayed at Yavapi Lodge on the South Rim for two nights - spending their 39th wedding anniversary at the Grand Canyon. They took a bus tour of the South Rim and Marion said, "Words can't describe the Grand Canyon and pictures don't do it justice."

They also toured the Air Museum Planes of Fame where they saw two rare stalwarts - the P-26 Peashooter and the Seversky AT-12 Guardsman. The P-26 Peashooter was the top United States Army Air Corps pursuit fighter in the 1930s. There were lots of other antique planes, Marion said.

On their way to Page, they stopped at the Watchtower at Desert View. It was built in 1932 by the Fred Harvey Co. and the Santa Fe Railroad, primarily to bring about a better understanding of the American Indian and his way of life in the past as well as the present. There was a lot of Hopi Indian art displayed here. They also visited the other side of the Painted Desert where they saw all colors of stone.

Further, they went through Glen Canyon Dam which impounds the Colorado River water to form Lake Powell. Lake Powell is one of the most popular and scenic lakes in the world, providing water to over 20 million people.

They traveled on to Kanah, Utah, and stayed at Bryce Canyon Lodge. Bryce Canyon is a large canyon - not as large as the Grand Canyon - but very different, very cold, with snow on the mountains, in the valleys, and on cabin tops.

From there, they traveled on to Las Vegas, Nevada, and the Hoover Dam (named for Herbert Hoover), which is located in Black Canyon, near Las Vegas. Hoover Sam's reservoir, Lake Mead, is America's largest man-made reservoir. In Vegas, they stayed at the MGM Grand (which Marian said is huge), walked the main street, and saw a great show at Treasure Island. They drove into the state of California, just to say they had been there, and back to Las Vegas before returning home.