Onward to the Grand Canyon

Tuesday July 10, 2012

After a good nights rest in nice comfortable beds, we are refreshed and ready to go. Of course we don't get out of the hotel early, but that's OK. Yesterday was an epic effort and everyone was really tired. We don't have that far to go to reach the Grand Canyon, so we can be a little flexible today.

What's the deal with New Mexico? The only two times I've passed through the state, I've had issues with the locals. My first trip through the state on my motorcycle this spring, I seriously thought I might have to defend myself against a wild-eyed brave. This trip I had to sternly wave off multiple panhandlers when we stopped for fuel. There appears to be much poverty among the native class, and they are quite bold approaching motorists for handouts. Both times this happened on the western I-40 corridor, and I would suggest caution for folks traveling that route. Hopefully I've just been unlucky, but I would be remiss not to at least make folks aware of the possible danger.

As we cross the Arizona state line, we continue the nostalgia tour and hit a rest stop that I visited this past spring. We're hungry anyway, so it's a good time for a picnic stop. I do enjoy the picnics on the road. They're so much more fun than restaurants.

This Looks Familiar

From my Spring Trip

With our appetites satiated and the call of the road singing in our ears, we once again head out onto the westward highway. The scenery is very striking in Arizona, and we are fortunate that the temperatures aren't that bad for July. The AC in the van is working just fine, so we're very comfortable in our little cocoon watching the miles go by.

Our first destination of the day is the Petrified Forest National Park. I visited this last spring on my trip. It's a very interesting place and I'm happy to see it again.

Petrified Forest

Well, that was fun. With no cloud cover, it was rather hot when getting out of the car to gawk and take pictures. This park is more of a driving tour anyway, so it's not that big a deal. Onward to the Grand Canyon by way of Flagstaff, AZ.

Once we get to Flagstaff, we stop for some supplies at the local grocery store. I had the misfortune to get in line just before Sasquatch junior showed up to purchase his victuals. People really should bathe if they're going out in public. Hopefully this is not a trend for the area.

After piling all our new supplies into the van, we head off to the canyon with nowhere reserved for the evening. This is a little unsettling since the canyon is 80 miles away and it's about 5:00PM. Not to worry, we are veterans of sleeping in the van and worst case, we can turn around and stay in Williams AZ; it's only 60 miles from the canyon. It doesn't take long and we're there, parked, and walking to the rim. We make it just in time for the sunset.

The Grand Canyon

After walking a bit on the rim and snapping a few pictures, we really need to get going and find a spot to settle for the evening. Our first attempt was to see if there were any spots open in the Mather campground. Unfortunately there were not, but we did get a good tip from the ranger who sent us just outside of the park to a campground called "Ten X". This is a more primitive tent only campground and there were several sites available. Whoo Hoo! Now all we have to do is set up camp in the dark.

After assembling two tents and associated sleeping paraphernalia with flash lights, it's now time to make some supper. It's my first chance to use the Coleman burner that our most generous friends the Villa's let us borrow. I can finally make those hamburgers, and I'll also get to use my new camping cook set.

The good news is the Coleman burner worked great. I can't say the same for my cook set. It sort of warped due to the heat and requires a little balancing to stay on the burner. Regardless, the burgers were delicious. I also cooked a couple of Nathan's franks for hot dogs and stored the rest in the cooler.

After cleanup, everyone's very tired and head off to bed. I linger outside a little longer to do some star gazing. It's amazing how clear the skies are away from the city lights. After I turn in, we are all in our respective beds for the evening. Now comes the fun of sleeping in the tent.

Photos