Good Morning Grand Canyon

We are crazy! We got up at 4:30am to see the sunrise in the Canyon! With wind and a 35 degree temperature it was a real committment for me!

Good Night Grand Canyon

We just can't get enough of this place! We went back to the park this evening to watch the sunset behind the cliffs. An elk walked across the road in front of our car on the way home!

Grand Canyon – Day Three - “Bike Day”

We are amazed at the number of foreign visitors in the park. It seems like English is the exception rather than the rule! There are many rented campers and tour buses from all around the country. Glad they are spending their money in the US!

My butt was bothering me last night, after a day of hiking, but Advil, ice and rest have me feeling well this morning.

We took our bikes today to tour the western end of the park. It is the only area where bikes are allowed on the rim trail – for about 3 miles – and then you can ride on the road. I’m usually not comfortable riding on the roads but no cars are allowed on this route, only the shuttle buses, and they run about every 15-20 minutes so we had the road to ourselves most of the time. The shuttle bus has a bike rack so we rode it to the farthest western point – Hermits Rest – and rode back to the car. It was about 12 miles but with frequent scenic overlooks it didn’t seem that long – unless we were going up a hill! It was awesome and so much fun – but we were “pooped” at the end! We stopped at the Bright Angel Lodge for a cold beer and salsa & chips and then came home for a nap!

Spurs

It is not easy keeping up with the Spurs when you are out in the wilderness! They played the late game last night on TNT. It didn't start until after 8pm and I had to turn the generator off at 10pm. Missed the best part of the game - the last quarter - but the Suns were out playing them anyway! Hope they figure out what to do with Steve Nash on Wednesday night!

Grand Canyon - Day Two

We hiked about 5 miles along the rim trail today. It was gorgeous weather and scenery! I can't begin to describe it and the pictures I take can't do it justice.
We have seen wildlife - a bobcat ran across the road in front of our car as we entered the park; we saw a mule deer on the trail; and elk "napping" near the visitor center. We stopped and sat on a bench along the trail just to enjoy the view. We were drinking water and snacking on some nuts when I felt something in my lap and it was a squirrel! Scared the hell out of me! Guess he smelled the nuts!
We are amazed at the people who walk/climb out to the very edge of the canyon! We need to ask a ranger how many people fall off each year! One lady was standing on the very edge of a rock outcrop, totally distracted, with her back to the cliff, talking on her cell phone! One young couple were out on the edge and she was jumping up and down as her boyfriend took a video! And last but not least - a man was playing "tag" with his little girl - about Samantha's age, on the inside side of the trail, when she suddenly ran across the trail and toward the rim he said "Don't go to far!" but made no move to go get her! The park can't protect people from their own stupidity!
Roger is intrigued by the Bright Angel Trail that leads down to the canyon floor and the Phantom Ranch. He would love to hike down it - he just hasn't figured out how he can get back up it! You can see it wind its way down the cliffs and across the mesa. Looking at it is enough for me!

Grand Canyon

We are at the majestic Grand Canyon! We were at the north rim about 24 years ago but have never been to the south rim. We are staying at a lovely national forest campground, just south of the entrance to the park, in Tusayan, AZ. Would you believe $5.00/night! Quiet and peaceful and you can hear the wind blowing through the pine trees. We were the first campers of the season – the campground just opened May 1.

It was cold (in the 40’s and windy with snow flurries) today so we saw the IMAX film about the canyon and then took the scenic Desert View Drive to the far eastern end. There is a high tower there – you can climb the inside stairs and get great – warm! – views of the canyon. We stopped at several look out points along the way and were awed at all of them. No words to describe its beauty!

Sunset Crater Volcano and Walnut Canyon

It was cold – in the 40’s – but sunny and not very windy so we went exploring today. Sunset Crater Volcano exploded around 1064 A.D. and the destruction is still very evident. Can you imagine how frightened the Indians must have been? They probably figured they had really upset the gods! The ground around the area looked like a mammoth plow had churned black earth but it was hard rock.
Walnut Canyon National Monument is a unique area with numerous cliff dwellings on both side of the canyon. Archeologists think they may have lived on the sunny side in the winter and the shady side in the summer. They farmed up on the mesa and their water source was a river at the bottom of the canyon – lots of climbing up and down! We took the Island Trail that looped around the canyon – 240 steps up & down – who would have thought I’d be able to do it after my fall! The trail allows you to see and enter the dwellings – fun to imagine life as it was back then!