October 14, 2014 Tuesday  Drive to Grand Canyon and Sunset at the Canyon

We left Virgin, Utah this am to travel to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.  Our trip took us by Lake Powell, one of the main water recreation lakes in Northern Arizona.  Missie got a good shot of it even though we were several miles from the lake itself.

Homesite overlooking Lake Powell

Lake Powell

We knew we would be a bit isolated once we got to the Grand Canyon so we stopped in Paige, AZ and Lib and Missie shopped in a Wal-Mart.  We talked to Jackie Drewett, our friend from Pensacola Beach, who used to live in Tuba City, AZ which is very near Paige.  She gave us some landmarks so we could evaluate the height of the water in the lake.  We think the water level is good...not great..but not nearly as bad as it has been in the past few years.  All of the West has received some rains from the hurricanes in the Pacific this year.

We entered the Grand Canyon area from the east side and followed a road about 35 miles along the rim.  The main observation point here is called Desert View.  A tower was built here in 1934.  

A View of the Grand Canyon from the Southeast side of the Canyon

The river here is the Little Colorado River where the Grand Canyon starts.  This is where Jackie Drewett used to hike; sometimes all by herself.   She has dinosaur fossils to prove it.

I will admit that the Grand Canyon was not one of the parks that perked my interest. Since we lived in Arizona for three years in the 70's everyone who visited us from the south wanted to go to see it. So I was so-so interested in seeing it again.  But, it surprised me.  It was a thrill to see the canyon again.  Must be something about being in your 20's versus your late 60's.   You see things a little differently.  The expanse of the Grand Canyon and its enormity makes you realize that the things you think matter in life, like Bama winning or not having gas when you are in the movies, are not important at all.  I am very glad we went back. And Missie was enthralled with it and that made it all the better for us.  Like Michelle, she enriched our trip experience.

The Desert View Tower

An artist at Desert View

We drove to Grand Canyon Village, hoping to get there before dark.  We found our RV site just at dusk so the day worked out just perfectly.  Missie wanted to get a sunset shot of the canyon so we unhooked Fiona from Cream Puff, left Maggie contented with her dinner bowl, and took off.   Miss got some spectacular shots.

Sunset at Grand Canyon; Looking to the East

I forgot to mention that when we first entered the RV Park we saw some Elk.  Missie got this photo of an Elk just outside her window.  The park was lively with laughter; many of the other campers were internationals; many Germans, French and a few Brits.  The Chinese don't seem to be interested in camping. They seemed to dominate the large tour buses coming in on the hour from nearby Williams, AZ.  

A She Elk greeted us as we arrived at the RV Park

October 15, 2014 Wednesday  Tour of Grand Canyon and the Bright Angel Lodge

Missie was interested in being at the canyon at sunrise.  Wait a minute!  That means I have to get up at "Zero Early Thirty" (that is military time for "Its too damn early to get up!).  But we knew Missie was right.  How many times do you get a chance to watch the sun come up over the Grand Canyon?  Not many.  So we set the alarm for "Zero Early Thirty."  Missie got some really great shots.

Old Sol coming up in the East

And the hues change every minute as the sun rises

Lib's shot of Missie doing her magic!

Couple kissing at Sunrise on a point below us

Another young couple was near us.  She told me she and her husband were from Manhattan (that is New York City..not Kansas) and had driven two days straight, by swapping out drivers, to get here for the sunset.  I really liked this couple.  They had a scruffy dog named Fiona.  I told her "Thats the name of my truck!"  Now, you would really expect a young lady from Manhattan would be impressed.  But there wasn't much reaction.  Must have not heard me.  A Southern lady would have known how important a man's truck is and would have said "Hooowwww Nicccee!"

We went back to Cream Puff for breakfast and to get cleaned up for the day.  We spent the rest of the day touring the main lookout points of the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.  We took many pics. Things have really changed since we lived here.  First, you can't drive to the east of the Village to the lookout points (except in January and February).  The National Park Service runs buses up and down the rim all day and past sunset for the thousands of tourists that visit the park each day.  Its the only way to handle the huge crowds.  A bus stops at each lookout about every 10 minutes so it is very convenient.  Second, they've built look out points out near the edge of the canyon.

One of the "new" lookout points

Two Canyon Chicks

In the photo above you can clearly see the Colorado River.  We learned that the Grand Canyon was formed much like Zion and Bryce in that it was the rising and falling of the inland sea that deposited all the sediment layers.  Then, as the Colorado Plateau rose, erosion started.  The Colorado River ran through this area and carved out the ground at the rate of about the thickness of a piece of paper each year.  A few million years later, and you have The Grand Canyon!

We ended the tour of the west side of the South Rim at Hermits Rest.  This was a place built by the railroad company that brought the rail line to the canyon in hopes of creating a tourist trade.  That worked for many decades and the railroad still runs daily!

Hermits Rest

Train arriving at the Grand Canyon

They have rails at the lookout points but you can walk along the rim of the canyon where there are no rails.  Many people have fallen to their deaths at the canyon.  Some were intentional but the records show most were males, in teens to 20's in age, who were "goofing off."  Not a good place to goof off; the fall is about one mile.

Walking along the rim

We had a late lunch at The Bright Angel Lodge where Lib and I reminisced.  When we lived in Arizona this was the only building at the Grand Canyon and we would bring our guests here for lunch.  Today it is dwarfed by another Lodge but it is still operating and very busy.

This is the Bright Angel trail to the bottom of the Canyon.  You can walk it, ride a mule, or take a helicopter to the bottom.  I suggested we have lunch instead.

We went back to Cream Puff and Lib and Missie decided to go back to the Canyon for more sunset shots.  I decided to stay and get some "beauty rest."  I've heard if you don't get enough sleep your white hair will turn dark again!

Sunset at The Grand Canyon by Elizabeth Cooper

Sunset at The Grand Canyon by Elizabeth Cooper

While the girls are at the rim taking the beautiful shots you see above, I am back at the RV Park. First, I take a short nap and, upon awakening, my hair is still stark white.  So, sleep works.  Then I take Maggie for a walk.   Look what we ran into just outside Cream Puff's door!

Two Mule Deer Bucks were at our Door

Soon the girls returned.  We had some wine, a nice dinner and went to bed early.  Tomorrow we are off to Sedona, AZ and the Red Rocks of Oak Creek Canyon.

Signing off!