Day 11: The Grand Canyon

Sorry for the blogging delay, but no wi-fi in the 1950s wigwam (hey, the cable box channels were changed by hand) or in the Yavapai Lodge at the Grand Canyon. So now I am in some Days Inn parking lot somewhere in the middle of nowhere between Arizona and Utah!! We ventured into Winslow, Arizona after leaving our wigwam. We ventured all the way to Winslow, because there was no breakfast to be had anywhere in Holbrook! You wouldn’t think an entire town center could be based around one small lyric from an Eagle’s song, but apparently “Standin’ on a corner in Winslow, Arizona” is the thing to do there. And you stand on the corner with a life-size bronze cast of Don Henley. Steve was having none of it! We finally found the long-sought Falcon Café and enjoyed some delicious (if rather slowly delivered breakfast). Steve’s homemade chorizo in scrambled eggs was particularly good. Today was a relatively short journey, a bit under 200 miles, and we arrived at the Grand Canyon around noon. Upon entering the park (yay, the pass worked again) we realized just how many people visit the Grand Canyon in the summer—thousands!! At Mather Point, the first vista, there was nowhere to park, and rather than wait for a space, we decided to drive on further into the village inside the Canyon, have some lunch, and check into our Lodge. All went smoothly and we decided to follow the park’s suggestion and take the free shuttle buses from viewpoint to viewpoint. After hitting the Visitor’s center we followed the green line out to Yaki point and walked back along the rim trail a few miles to the village. The rim trail is paved and our walk was a quiet one; we hardly saw anyone. We then headed west on the shuttle to see Hopi and Mojave Points, where you could view the Colorado River. The Canyon itself was absolutely stunning and definitely something everyone should see at least once in his or her lifetime. It’s hard to really fathom the depths as you look down. I am not sure I would bring small kids here, as it is really easy to get close to some sheer edge drops. There are more (right now) non-Americans than Americans here, and it’s neat to hear all of the different languages being spoken and to see various cultures ideas of “hiking wear.”

If I came here again, I would either sign up for the white water rafting trip down the Colorado River, or prepare for a hike into the Canyon. It was really surprising to me how pleasant the weather was here today—in the mid-80s, but not humid—and really cool after sundown. I have to say (and this feels a little sacrilegious) that this was not my favorite of the National Parks we visited. I really loved the Painted Desert and the Great Smoky Mountains. Don’t get me wrong, it’s amazing, and I am looking forward to the East Rim views tomorrow as we head to Bryce Canyon in Utah, where we will be camping. Off to bed; I can’t believe the trip is coming to a close so quickly. Driving cross-country has been great and I would totally do it again.

All Pics: Some of my favorite shots from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon!