Getting his butt scratched

Thu, 7/2/09

Kaibab Camper Village, Jacob Lake, AZ: Rained during the night and still raining a little this morning,. No signs of clearing off, so we decided to do the laundry today and just kick back. The laundry room in the campground abuts a pretty little pasture belonging to one of the trail ride outfits here. In the pasture were two mares and their foals. While waiting for the laundry we walked over and one of the foals let us pet him. That entertained us for a while. Finished the laundry and then back to our site and put everything away. I finished the book “Over the Edge”—Death in the Canyon,” which Mike is just starting. Hard to put down. Then I went back to my book on Navy Seals in Afghanistan, which I had put aside. The people in the motor home next to us (from Maryland) were leaving today. They’re on a two-week trip from Maryland to the Grand Canyon, Bryce, Zion, Yellowstone, and the Tetons—in two weeks! They’ll barely get a glimpse. Anyway, the motor home wouldn’t start and they had to get a mechanic to put in a new starter. He was able to leave by 4:30 or so. We decided it was a good day to do the pork roast. So we had roast pork, mashed potatoes and a vegetable for dinner. Then we watched “Rio Bravo”, one of the John Wayne movies Mike bought while we were in Monument Valley—supposedly filmed in Monument Valley.

Beautiful pasture next to the campground

Aspens on the North Rim Drive

Wed, 7/1/09

Mather NF Campground, Grand Canyon, South Rim, to Jacob Lake and the North Rim: Left this morning around 10:00. I decided to drive the first leg. Drove back to Desert View and got our last glimpses of the canyon on the east rim road before exiting the park. Drove down off the Coconino Plateau passing the awesome but scary Little Colorado River Gorge. Stopped in Cameron to switch drivers and get something to drink. Now heading up to the North Rim and the temperature is 100. Back through the painted desert, but on Rt. 89 instead of Rt. 160. Much prettier. Crossed the Colorado River on the Navajo Bridge at historic Lee’s Ferry. This is where the river expeditions put in. It’s at river mile 0. The old bridge is still there and you can walk out on it. The river was a beautiful blue-green with steep cliffs on both sides—named Marble Canyon by Powell. Climbing steadily up until we’re on this vast plateau with vermillion cliffs on our right. Eventually left the plateau and climbed into some higher hills forested with old growth pines, junipers and cedars. Finally reached the town of Jacob Lake, well it’s not really a town—just an inn, some cabins, a gas station, and a café. Our campground is only a mile from the inn. It’s a pretty place nestled in a pine forest. We have full hook-ups, but no TV, no Internet, and even the radio in the RV gets no signal. I can only get radio stations on my Super Radio. So glad I bought it. After getting set up we went over to the inn and had an early dinner. A cute little place. Established in the 1920s I believe. Low 70s up here (8000 feet).

Hopi House--South Rim

Tue, 6/30/09

Mather NF Campground, Grand Canyon, South Rim: This morning we hit the grocery store and after coming back and putting everything away we headed to Tusayan and found an Internet café and downloaded e-mail and I updated the blog. That took about an hour and a half and then we went back to our site and sat outside reading for a while. The day was pretty cloudy from time to time but pretty warm—mid 80s. Decided to take the shuttle bus from the campground to the visitor center at Mather Point. These shuttle buses are a great deal. They take you everywhere on the rim and you can get on and off as you please. They run every 15 minutes and they’re free. Can’t beat that. We would have driven over but they have the parking lot closed due to construction. The bus worked just great. After checking out the visitor center we took the bus back and relaxed at our campsite. Had salads for dinner. Tomorrow we leave for the North Rim. We’re staying at Jacob Lake.

Fireplace inside Hermit's Rest

One of four Condors soaring in the thermals

Mule train on the Bright Angel Trail

Looks like a supply train

You can actually hear the rapids from this spot on the South Rim

Hermit's Rest

Another building by architect Mary Colter

Mon, 6/29/09

Mather NF Campground, Grand Canyon, South Rim: This morning we drove back over to Bright Angel Lodge to park and catch the shuttle out to Hermit’s Rest. This part of the South Rim is not accessible by car—you have to take the shuttle. They make 9 stops before ending at Hermit’s Rest. While waiting for the shuttle we saw three Condors soaring above a side canyon. These birds are huge--having something like a 9 foot wing span. We were lucky to see them. Our first stop was just on the other side of this side canyon. Got some amazing views of Bright Angel Trail and saw a mule train making its way up the trail. This trail is the easiest of the inner canyon trails. The worst part (for me) would be the initial series of switch-backs getting off the cliff. But the trail is wide and you could hug the cliff wall. Doesn’t sound like fun though. We stopped at most of the overlooks heading out but saved some for the return trip. You could get off and on wherever—they ran every 15 minutes or so. And you could walk the rim trail which went all the way to Hermit’s Rest. It’s called Hermit’s Rest because a Canadian prospector by the name of Boucher lived just over the rim by falling spring for 20 years. The building there at Hermit’s Rest was also designed by architect Mary Colter. Back on the shuttle stopping one more time with an amazing view of the Colorado. In fact, we spotted a boat trip down there. Seven boats. The river looked muddier than usual—probably because of the rain a couple of days ago. Back to where we got on the shuttle and then we walked over to Bright Angel Lodge and had a late lunch in the Arizona Room. We both had brisket with apple cider barbeque sauce. After lunch we walked back to historic Kolb Studio on the rim trail. This studio/home of Emory Kolb—photographer/river runner—was built right on the brink. It is now a library/book store and has great views of the Bright Angel Creek area and Indian Garden. It’s now about 3:30 and 89 degrees on the rim and looking down (way down) the Bright Angel Trail were some hikers trudging up the trail. It had to be well over 100 degrees down there with very little shade. That’s how hikers get in trouble. Hope they had lots of water. Walked back to our parking spot and drove back to our camp site. Very pleasant outside under the awning. Sat outside reading/relaxing for a while.

Colorado River as seen from South Rim

Sun, 6/28/09

Mather NF Campground, Grand Canyon, South Rim: This morning after taking our showers we filled the fresh water tank. While we were home this spring, Mike bought a small transfer pump that we use to pump water from our six gallon containers into the tank. It works really well and eliminates the need to lift this very heavy container. I don’t know what six gallons of water weighs, but it’s a lot. We drove out of the park back to Tusayan and had lunch at the café there. Then we went over to see the National Geographic IMAX movie on the Grand Canyon. It was really great. They had a replica of the wooden boats that the Powell crew used when they ran the river in 1869. The one-armed Powel was a Civil War veteran who had his arm amputated during the war. I think they did it in 79 days. Back then though the water was warm in the summer. Now, since the building of the Glen Canyon dam, the water in the river is around 45. Very cold! After the movie we drove back to our camp site and sat around relaxing and reading. Saw a moose. In the evening we turned on NPR and listened to “Prairie Home Companion”, broadcasting from Tanglewood in Massachusetts. Very entertaining two-hour show. Mike built a fire later and we sat around enjoying that. A beautiful, sunny day again today. It hit 88 today.

People get out on these scary outcroppings to get the perfect picture. Sometimes they misstep into 1200 ft. of nothing but air. Don't need that gene pool anymore anyway.

Cactus in bloom on Rim Trail

El Tovar Lodge

Sat, 6/27/09

Mather NF Campground, Grand Canyon, South Rim: This morning we decided to drive south on Rt. 64 to the south entrance of the park and the little town of Tusayan. There’s a National Geographic IMAX film we want to see there. Also checked out the National Forest campground a little south of town which is another nice one. Back to our campsite and had a light lunch and read a little. Then we drove over to Yavapai (Yah-vah-pie) Point and Observation Station. I believe this building was constructed in the early 1900s and offers a spectacular view of the canyon from both the rim trail and inside the building. We could see Phantom Ranch (on the Colorado River), the metal bridge spanning the Colorado, Bright Angel Trail, and you could almost see Indian Garden. Walked the rim trail for a while which goes right along the rim with no walls or guard rails. It’s mostly paved so really easy walking. But I was amazed again at the behavior of the people on the trail. This one mother had her kids sit on a rock at the edge of an abyss so she could get their picture. One of the kids started to go around the boulder which would have meant a shear drop until she screamed at him. Another parked their two kids in a stroller very close to the edge and left them unattended while they checked out the view. We walked down to Mather Point and then back to Yavapai. Drove over to the rim lodges and parked by Bright Angel Lodge and then walked the rim trail to El Tovar Lodge to have dinner. Pretty fancy and very pricy, but it was good and we had a great view of the canyon from our table. After dinner I wanted to walk part of the Bright Angel Trail which starts a little way down from Bright Angel Lodge. My fear of heights would never allow me to hike this trail. It starts with a series of switchbacks right on the edge. I could never do it. The mule rides go down this trail also. Back home and sat outside for a while enjoying the great evening. 81 today. Went down to the 40s last night.

Watchtower replica of ones Anasazi and other ancients built thousands of years ago

In the Kiva, looking up at two more levels

Hopi Paintings in the Watchtower/Kiva

This place is awsomely beautiful and dangerous at the same time

Fri, 6/26/09

Mather NF Campground, Grand Canyon, South Rim: Rained last night. A nice, steady rain. Great sleeping. And I started reading the book, “Over the Edge: Death in Grand Canyon”. An amazing read. It’s amazing how stupid people are. They disregard the walls, climb over and get out on an outcropping so they can get their picture taken or whatever. One went over two days ago. Everywhere we stopped people were taking great chances—until a ranger would come along and give them a talking to. They had to get a 350 lb. woman out of the canyon who was hiking in flip-flops with no water. Anyway, this book is a great anthology of episodes in the canyon written by a couple of park rangers. We left early this morning and headed back to desert view where we first came in yesterday. Started pouring down rain with lightning and thunder. Dashed into the restaurant for breakfast there and after eating checked out the Watchtower—which is a recreation of these strange, prehistoric towers built by the Anasazi and other ancients. Mary Colter was the architect and also designed Bright Angel Lodge, Phantom Ranch, and several others. The second level of the tower is a Kiva with beautiful pictographs representing Indian ceremonies painted by a Hopi artist. I think there are 4 levels in the tower—each one with beautiful Indian paintings. The top of the tower is the highest point on the South Rim with great views of the canyon. While taking pictures outside a piece of rock fell from somewhere and you could hear it falling and echoing all the way down. Started driving in the direction of our campground stopping at all the turn-outs to gaze at this magnificent place. We also stopped at a Tusayan Pueblo ruin. They lived here 1100 years ago. Had lunch at Bright Angel Lodge. Again it started pouring down rain. And the temperatures were now in the upper 50s. And people were in shorts and tank tops freezing. When you were in the sun though, even though the thermometer said 60, it felt much warmer. Back to our campsite to relax the rest of the afternoon.