RamblinMe

Friday, April 10, 2009

4 Views of the Grand Canyon

Notice the 4 levels of balconeys to look into the mile deep canyon.

This pueblo building next door to the El Tovar Hotel has been converted into a wonderful gift shop. Actually there are gift shops scattered all through the park for those of us shopaholics. Prices seemed very reasonable and the goods all seemed high quality. The entire operation of the park seemed very professional and well run. It costs $25 for a pass to get into the park (which we could use for the 2 days we were there). Once in the park, you can park anywhere and ride free on the buses, which came every 15 minutes. We never had to wait and all the bus drivers were professional, charming, and funny. The entire experience within the park was first class and well worth the money.

Grand Canyon Hotels

There are several exquisite hotels in the Grand Canyon park perched directly on the rim of the canyon. They book quickly and also they are rather expensive (in the $300+ range per night). We stayed in the nearby town of Tusayan (TOO-sah-yah) at the Holiday Inn Express. It cost about $130 dollars per night and from there it took about 15 minutes to get to the rim of the canyon.This picture is of the El Tovar Hotel and was quoted to me at $350 a night.

Grand Canyon Photo Shoot

"No no, you need to take a few more steps back....."

Scandanavian Cutie

This little cutie was one of many that gave me heart attacks. The railings that exist have huge spaces between the rails. Kids were running around freely and I was terrified that someone would trip and go over.

I don't recommend it for anyone under 30. Ok, maybe that's extreme. How about 20?

We Really Are Here at the Grand Canyon

Adrian and I are posing at one of the scenic spots in the freezing wind. For someone from Florida he looks very comfortable. I'm the one who looks frozen and windblown.

Grand Canyon Colors

The canyon seems to dress itself in hundreds of different colors during the day. By the hour the sun seems to shift and change the panorama of stripes and hues. It is easy to be transfixed at a spot and not want to move. It's nature's grand show

and you are the captive audience.

Grand Canyon View

The microscopic dots in the upper left hand corner are actually people. There is no way to take a picture that captures the scope and size of the canyon. Any stopping point is breathtaking and anxiety attack inducing.

Grand Canyon-The Spoiler

There is NOTHING that prepares you for your first look at the Grand Canyon. Approaching it seems like a gentle rise and it seems impossible that you could be near something that is supposed to be very deep. Just a few steps and the bottom literally drops out.
My first realization was that I was standing very close to the edge and there was no gaurd rail. The hole that you are looking into is a mile deep. A slight wind made it even more scarey. If you fall you have a lot of time to think about it before you hit.
My favorite quote from Ian Rankin; "You know you can fall from any height you want. It's just the last half inch that's fatal."

Grand Canyon Trip-Flagstaff, AZ

The turn-off point for the final leg of the trip to the Grand Canyon is the city of Flagstaff, Arizona. In the past, I lived in Scottsdale, Arizona for 3 years and never visited Flagstaff. I am now kicking myself because it is such a beautiful city. It feels like an Alpine ski

village and I fell in love. The city rests at the foot of the San Francisco mountains and the local ski resort is just minutes away.

Gallup, NM

The town has the feel of the old west

with lots of stores selling western wear and riding accesories. The biggest draw, however, is the "pawn shops" that are legitimate stores where the local Native Americans sell their products at very reasonable prices. The selection is endless but we were anxious to get on our way to the Grand Canyon.

Grand Canyon Trip and Gallup, NM

We were barely home when it was time for the ultimate adventure - a trip to the Grand Canyon

. The drive from Santa Fe to the Canyon takes about 6 hours and passes through the Native American town of Gallup New Mexico. Several guide books cite Gallup as the cheapest place to buy Native American jewelry and pottery.

Bandelier Add-Ons

This section of the mountain wall shows holes where poles were inserted to support the roofs of huts built as add-ons to the caves. Also you can see a faintly etched petroglyph (rock carving) in a circular design.

Bandelier Deer

Throughout the trail, deer seem to be unfazed by the tourists walking nearby. Experience has probably taught them that tourists straying off the path is forbidden

. Even the delighted screams of little kids don't seem to bother them.

Bandelier Ground Dwellers

Their view isn't as scenic, but some of the ancients lived in this ground level community

. The foundation is all that is left today. No one knows why the distinction between the gound dwellers or the high risers, although the mountain caves do offer more protection.
This photo was shot from the mountain side caves and shows you how close the two areas are.

Anasazi Name Change

On this trip I found that it is no longer politically correct to call the Anasazi by this name, although much of the research about these people continues to be listed by this name. Evidently the name Anasazi means "ancient enemies" so there is now a movement to rename them the Ancestral Pueblo People.

Bandelier Inhabitants

The Native Americans who settled here and in similar cliff-side dwellings throughout New Mexico and Arizona were called the Anasazi (ah-nah-SAH-zee). I have been intrigued with the mystery of these people for decades. In all of their settlements they seem to have "just disappeared."

It's a mystery, not unlike the Lost Colony mystery of the Outer Banks of North Carolina. What happened to all these people that would make them disappear so suddenly and completely?

Bandelier High Rise

The holes in the soft tuff could be easily enlarged to create live-able caves

. The height afforded protection from enemies.

Bandelier Indian Ruins

The trip back from the falls was definitely tougher than the trip down. Once we reached the parking lot, we had to go through the book store to get to the area with the ruins. One of the attractions for the ancient settlers in this area was the soft crumbly rock called tuff that looks a lot like Swiss cheese.

Upper Falls - Bandelier

The Upper Falls was worth the trip. It is part of the river trail that runs through the Frijoles (free-HOH-lace) Canyon. Given that the Upper Falls was twice as big as the Lower Falls and the advance publicity about the dead cow smell - we decided to start the walk back.....or it could have been that we were exhausted and there was so much more to see in the park.

Bandelier Falls Trail

We were told that the round trip would take about 2 hours. The trip to the Upper Falls was 1.5 miles from the parking lot. To the lower falls it was another mile and about 2 miles to the Rio Grande river, but this last leg was discouraged because of the bad smell. Several cows had died on the lower trail

. One returning hiker told me, "It's not bad if you hold your breath."
The trail was narrow and rugged and included a makeshift bridge of slippery rocks and branches. We gave ourselves a merit badge for getting across.
It's a 700 ft descent from the parking lot to trail's end and you can really feel it on the way back.