Grand Canyon AZ

Anyway, just a little honesty about family. After breakfast, we packed a picnic lunch and headed to the Grand Canyon. Usually, I am really good at researching how to attack the places we go. I did research the Grand Canyon but I could not get a good grasp of how to see it all. I know why. Honestly, it is amazing but there isn’t much to the park unless you want to do some major hikes and we weren’t too interested in climbing rocks. Usually, we are ambitious but I think we are all tired from all the activities. Our cabin is less than an hour from the south rim. When we got near, we had to sit in a long line which separates into 4 or 5 lanes to pay the 35 dollar fee. Unless you end up in the first lane which doesn’t spread out into other lanes. We sat in the lane while cars (plural) passed us by the dozens. Paul was getting more and more frustrated as he realized he chose the “sucker” lane. If you go, stay to the right as the lanes divide even if the sign says commercial vehicles stay to the right. It took us a while to get through.

Once we got in, we drove toward the main area where everyone Was. It was crowded but not overwhelming. I have to imagine it is ridiculous in the summer. You have the choice to drive it yourself or take a shuttle. We are not much for being trapped in a tour. We walked to the viewing area called Mathers Point. We were startled by the scene before us. A rocky landscape in shades of reds and browns and greens that cause your body to gasp and hold tight to your loose items of clothing and photographing devices for fear of a stiff breeze sending them over into this vast hole in the ground. It was really hard for your brain to register exactly what you were looking at. Depth perception was not computing. You did know that this little chain link fence was your only safety net from a hardy bump from an unaware tourist or a stiff breeze blowing you over. Of course, you could see the idiots who think its a good idea to climb way out over the edge to get that selfie (while we record to make sure we get the action real time as he plummets to his death). We saw a small memorial stone over the fence on a ledge where some 18 year old lost his life. He or she had to have jumped to the rock where the memorial was and falling to their death.

So, we walked along the fence for about a half a mile...looking at...well, the same whole in the ground. We were a little disappointed in the reality of what our expectations were of the Grand Canyon. I pictured the Brady Bunch going to the Grand Canyon and yes I tried to do the donkey thing down the canyon to an old ghost town. Hmph. Yes, they have a tour like that but it is a 5 1/2 hour ride down (10 1/2 miles). WTDonkey! Our hour and a half horse ride in Yellowstone was an “a**” breaker. I cannot imagine on a donkey. Who is the dumb “a**” here? Then you spend the night and go back up in the morning. My family would have killed me dead. No Brady Bunch family adventure. Matthew and Elizabeth said they pictured a big crack in the ground so maybe they were pleasantly surprised by the enormous hole. Ben...he just asked, “Where are we again?” He is usually a day late and a dollar short.

We hopped back in the car to find a picnic spot.We had lunch with caribou wandering around us. We just saw a picnic table and stopped. Paul went to find a garbage can to throw away our garbage while we loaded the van again. He hopped in the van, pulled forward a bit and said, “See that archway right there? We just had lunch in a cemetery.” What?! Ew. That is weird. Strange place for a cemetery. What were the caribou eating in there? Ew.Read more