Here I am again,
I was going to finish the entire trip in this email but decided the Grand Canyon deserved it’s own story. It was lovely. We had perfect weather and great views. So very hard to pick out which photos to share because none of them do the place justice. So glad we got to see it finally.
We had reservations at Mather Campground, which is near the main village, for two nights. We took the shuttle to the Visitors Center and walked to the rim and alongside the canyon for a half mile or so. It was later in the day so the light was good. We talked to a guy who was a real hiker and he told us about all the trails that go everywhere in the canyon including one that is over twenty miles and goes to the North Rim. We could barely make out the lodge in the north and it was hard to imagine that you could actually walk there. Not in our plans. lol.
The next day we took the extremely organized and convenient shuttle bus to the Hermit Road area to the west. This road is about fifteen miles long and has many beautiful lookout points and no cars allowed. The shuttle stops at the various views and you hop off and on again. We packed a lunch and ate at the stone building at the end of the road. It was an interesting structure with the biggest fireplace I’ve ever seen. Trails leave from here to hike further along the canyon. Again, not for us this trip. My sciatica is way better but no long hikes like we used to do. Hopefully when we get home we’ll be able to start hiking again.
We shuttled back to the village and had a beer and watched the caribou hang out. They are everywhere in the park and quite the nuisance. They’re not afraid of us but can be mean so it’s best not to get to close. We bought some wood for a campfire and enjoyed the evening doing our favorite thing, sitting around a fire.
Next morning we left early so we could get a campsite at Desert View, which is about twenty miles to the east, and is first come first served. We arrived early and got a nice spot. It’s not very far to walk to the rim of the canyon from here and it’s another stellar spot. There’s a big tower there that is a visitor center and we also were able to have lunch at a little restaurant where you could watch the people....always fun. Desert View was really nice and I’d highly recommend it to any campers....just get there early.
We had one more campfire and martinis....life is good. One more email and then we fly home on Tuesday. We’re ready and so is the kitty.
Gayle, Mike and Aja
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