Day 55 - 5/21/11 “The [Very] Grand Canyon”

The day started out in the low 30’s, that’s if you went out when the train went by and blew its whistle at 5AM.  We got out a bit later when the temperature was more reasonable.  We packed Precious up and took her to the on-site kennel (ritzy place, this is) and took off for The Grand Canyon. 

Three different landscapes within 30 minutes.

It was about an hour and 15 minutes away and we arrived about 11AM.  The drive up was interesting... as we drove through the changes in altitude (from 6700 feet down to 5600 feet and back up to 6800 feet) there was a definite change in the landscape.  The lower we were the dryer it was.  As we climbed through 6400 feet the forest appeared , indicating more moisture making it to the ground.  As moisture rises, pushed up by the mountains, it cools and falls as rain (or snow).  The lower elevations don’t push the moisture up as high, it doesn’t cool enough, and stays as cloud.  (Today's meteorology lesson from Davis).


We drove around a bit looking for parking (this is a VERY popular place, as you can imagine)

"These boots were made for walkin'!"

  and started down the Bright Angel Trail.  Thanks, Tom, for the reference, it was beautiful!  Words and pictures just do not do the canyon justice.  

This was our first view - it took our breath away!

It is just spectacular!  And it has to be seen to be fully appreciated.  

We begin the journey down.

We hiked 1 and 1/2 mile down the trail, a 1000 foot drop, and then back again.  Whew!!!   

Lots of folks from "way off"; so many

different languages.

This is as far as we'll go.  There is
a bathroom and water refill station
here.

We had had enough!  That took us about 3 and 1/2 hours, and we will be sore in the morning!  

Grand is way too small a word for this.

One of the many rests on the
way up.

Some of the path we took.

Some more of the path we took.

Some more etc.

Some times we were right close to the edge.

                But we have lots of great memories and some great pictures. 

Here's lookin' at you, Davis

We then took in the Mather Overlook and the Bookstore, then back here for a well deserved rest.

Amazing.

That tiny little "white" line caused all this!?!

Nite all! Davis

I took some shots of flowers for the floral lovers.  There’s just something extra beautiful to me about the flowers growing in this climate - dry, cold.  They seem delicate and yet they must be quite hardy to survive.  

Davis was being modest when he said “We had had enough”; he could have gone on longer, but the altitude, etc. got to me and we had to stop for me to breath away the oxygen-burn in my chest about every 10 - 15 minutes on the way back.  And yes, we will be sore in the morning, but it was so worth it!  

These squirrels are not afraid, they come right up to 
you, however, you can be fined if you interact with 
any of the wildlife - and they mean it!

I called this one "The Kiss."

Shalom,  Heather . . .

P.S. 

We had planned to raft the Colorado River, however,

we didn't know about making reservations so far

ahead.  We'll have to make plans (hopefully with Brian

and Margaret) to do this another time.