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| Miguel, Lisa, Maria and Ajelen |
We left Phoenix on Sunday afternoon and stopped to see Montezuma Castle National Monument. It was one of those Arizona days when it rains out of a somewhat clear and mostly sunny sky? That is always such a treat for me -- there's something spectacular about it. It helped cool us off a little as well.
After seeing the cliff dwellings there, we continued on to Flagstaff and had supper at the Galaxy Diner before going on the last few miles to Williams where we stayed the next 4 nights at The Lodge on Route 66. The Lodge was a very nice place to have for a "base," I thought. The rooms were not overly expensive, but were appointed with high-quality furnishings, very nice linens, and they were very, very clean (in my rustic male opinion).
We all retired to our individual lodgings, with agreement to meet for the continental breakfast early the next morning. It was raining steadily for a couple of hours, so I sat outside and watched and listened to the rain. I love rain. Then I watched TV for a little while before dropping off to sleep; I do not have TV at home so it is somewhat of a unique experience when I do get to watch it!
Day One: After a quick breakfast, we drove north toward the Canyon. We stopped for a look-around at Valle -- mostly to take some photos at the Flintstone's "Bedrock City." The others agreed on my "plan" for the day -- first -- a drive along the East Rim to Desert View, stopping at all the overlooks along the way -- or most of them anyway.
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| A Raven in a Tree |
We had an afternoon snack at the Desert View Canteen (snack bar) and then drove back toward the Village. At the Yavapai Geology Museum (an often overlooked treasure which sits right on the rim and has views of the Canyon through expansive windows) we separated for a short time -- my friends all walked along the rim trail toward the El Tovar, and I took the car down to that area and parked it.
I was supposed to meet them halfway along the trail -- but after hunting for parking which I finally found ½ mile beyond Bright Angel near the Maswik Lodge, and a stop or two for water and for the purchase of a hat (the sun was burning my poor head), I only got about 100 yards down the trail when my fast-walking friends came tooling around a bend! And I was caught sitting and enjoying the view from a nice bench...
They had seen some condors while hiking along the rim, and that was my hope for the walk, as I have seen them flying and roosting along that path before.
We explored the South Rim village all the way down to the Bright Angel Trailhead, with stops at Lookout Studio and The Kolb Brothers' Studio. Aye and Miguel were on a quest for Kokopellis (all during their visit to Arizona) so they set off to Hopi House, while Lisa, Maria and I slowly meandered along behind them.
For the sunset, we drove back along the East Rim to Grandview Point. Miguel set up facing west and Lisa and I did the same looking east toward Desert View and the Palisades. We all got some great shots.
We drove back to Williams for the night, and Lisa and I being the only ones who wished to go out for supper, we found a nice family-style restaurant downtown. I think it was called the Pine Country Restaurant, but I am not sure. We had first started to eat at Rod's Steakhouse, but neither one of us really wanted a heavy meal and the prices at Rod's were a bit on the high side. On a really hungry day, I'd have done it anyway, but they were just high enough that I resented it a little bit -- I think the prices in Williams are inflated just a bit too much for the summer visitors. So we left without ordering. Just so you know, both of these places are great places to eat -- I've eaten at Rod's before and had no complaints -- it was simply that I wasn't in the mood for a big and expensive steak dinner this particular time.
Day 2: On the plan for the second day, was a Grand Canyon scenic flight for Maria, Aye and Miguel, while Lisa and I remained ground-bound on an IMAX theater ticket buying errand. After our friends took their aerial tour, we all saw the IMAX film "Grand Canyon - The Hidden Secrets" in Tusayan. That film is always worth a look. Then, it was back to the park after a picnic lunch at the USFS Ten-X campground.
One word of caution for any who might be considering a Grand Canyon aerial tour... never never never discuss the possibilities, cures or horrors of air sickness immediately before embarking on any kind of flight; I was an active pilot for more than 25 years and I can tell you from countless experiences that discussing air sickness is perhaps the surest way of getting airsickness – even with experienced aircrew -- the malady is only partly physical -- there is a predominantly mental aspect to it. I'm just saying... the subject should be totally taboo. ;)
On the afternoon of our second day, we caught the West Rim shuttle buses and saw that side of the South Rim -- all the way out to Hermit's Rest. On the way back we stopped at Powell Point, and then walked west along the rim trail to the next overlook (Maricopa Point, I think). We tried to time it about right for sunset -- but we were about an hour "off" so Miguel, Maria and I set up there at Maricopa Point and waited, while Aye and Lisa took a walk to the next point west and back -- about 2 miles or so.
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| Gracias por el agua! |
Earlier in the afternoon, we stopped at one point where a squirrel was working the crowd... I do not feed the animals as it is not only illegal, but it is also unhealthy for them and often results in their deaths -- but water is a different matter. I poured a little bit of water into a depression in the rock the little fella was sitting on and he seemed to appreciate the gesture. Lisa tried to do the same, but the squirrel was quick to catch on and as soon as she'd tip the bottle to pour the water, he'd ram his head down into the neck of the bottle to get it "at the source." Others then participated in the squirrel watering... He provided us with some good laughs -- although I was uneasy that some other people were getting their hands a little too close to his teeth. A bite would mean rabies shots in most cases.
One thing I regret that we missed both days was the daily 8 p.m. ranger talk at Shrine of the Ages. I've always found them to be a great way to wrap up a day at the Canyon (and an essential element of the American National Park "experience") but we were too late both days to get there early enough. We also missed the Grand Canyon Pioneer Cemetery -- it would have been an interesting way to talk about some of the people who are buried there -- Ralph Cameron, Emory Kolb and others. These are people whose lives (and work) at the Canyon shaped what it has become for those of us who experience it now.
On the way back to Williams we stopped along the highway for a look at the stars, and the moon rise. This night's dinner for Lisa and I was at Pancho McGillicuddy's (?) for Mexican food. I cannot remember what I had now, but it was good. Be careful at this place though -- I am a native Arizonan and no stranger to spicy food -- but I once had a dish so hot at this place that I couldn't eat it -- it was a "diablo" something or other -- and that should give you a clue about its nature!
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| At Meteor Crater |
Day Three: The third day started with a drive east along I-40 to the Barringer Meteor Crater. We viewed the crater, looked through the museum, and then headed back to Flagstaff to purchase our picnic lunch, which we ate at the Halfway picnic area in Oak Creek Canyon. Then it was down the road to town for shopping at Tlaquepaque as well as "uptown" Sedona for shopping. Aye looked for Kokopelli, and I bought a "red dirt" t-shirt for Miguel. We both had the same idea as he had given me a Route 66 t-shirt earlier. After Sedona, we walked around Jerome for an hour or so, then went back down the hill to Cornville for dinner at the Manzanita Restaurant.
This meal was supposed to be MY treat -- but it was difficult for me to pay for anything on this trip. My friends would jump in and pay for anything and everything at every opportunity. After dinner, I was surprised with a chocolate mousse birthday dessert, complete with a candle. This was a great surprise -- I don't usually care for the attention, but the restaurant was nearly empty so it was mostly my small group and I do celebrate my birthday for the entire MONTH of August... so I appreciated the warm gesture of my companions! (Thanks!) I made the mistake of telling Lisa we would be celebrating my birthday when we were planning the trip! I had stuffed sole and it was a little too fishy for me... but I didn't leave much of it on the plate, everyone else's dinner looked great -- and the desserts were mmmm.
We drove back up through Oak Creek Canyon to Flagstaff and then Williams, and agreed to meet early the next morning to say our goodbyes. I would be driving Maria and Lisa back to Phoenix for their flight to Indianapolis, while Aye and Miguel continued north to Antelope Canyon and some of the sights in southern Utah before leaving for the mid-west from Las Vegas.
I had so much fun I didn't want it to end... all this week I have been thinking, I need to get out on the road!
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