Farewell, Big Ditch

One more afternoon spent at the Grand Canyon, and many more sites to see. We thought it was strangely empty at Mather Point and the Visitor Center yesterday, but we realized why today. All of the crowds are around the lodges and the head of the Bright Angel Trail, which can take you all the way across the Park to the North Rim - in about 2 days hike. Our friends George and Denise did that a few years back - or, did they?

We passed on that strenuous exercise and opted for the touristy stuff, walking on the Rim Trail and seeing a few new vistas (but to be frank, they all kinda look the same after a couple days). We also walked around the historic El Tovar Hotel, which opened in 1905, just up the hill from the Grand Canyon Railroad. It's quite a view from the 3rd floor rooms, since they are maybe 50 feet from the edge of the abyss.

We did find this view, on the Trail of Time (don't ask unless your REALLY love geology, gneiss, and that sort of schist) to be pretty sweet. The bright foreground gives a nice perspective on the vastness of it all.

Instead of being adventerous by hiking down into the Canyon, Allegra and Blythe decided to live on the edge, as it were. Legs thought we had something of a death wish, posing all the way out there. "Ok, move back just a little bit more...."



And with that, we say "Farewell, Big Ditch!" Someday we may come back and get down to the Colorado River, but until then many new places await. We are off to Durango, Colorado tomorrow, passing through the Hopi, Navajo, and Mountain Ute Reservations. We'll talk to you again then!

A Bird's Eye View

We took a flight around the Grand Canyon this morning, and it was spectacular! A little bumpy in the twin prop plane, but when you're maybe 500 feet above the ground, you can expect that.

Allegra got to sit in First Class, of course, and was able to carry on a conversation with the pilots thru the cockpit door. Blythe was able to brush up on her Japanese, thanks to the multi-lingual narration on the plane.  

While they aren't allowed to fly you below the canyon rim (like in the old days), the view from 500 feet is incredible. Photos from cell phones hardly do it justice, but Blythe captured a couple beautiful views. Below you can see where the Little Colorado meets the Colorado River - the Little Colorado is turquoise because of mineral springs that feed it as it flows from northern Arizona.

The view of the North Rim is also gorgeous - the climate is very different, so many more trees over there!

We're going back for a ground-level view of the Canyon later, so we'll post some more tonight!