Grand Canyon

Finally after a week on the road we leave the interstates behind for a while. Sunday's ride was just an hour and a half up highway 80 and 64 to the south entrance to the Grand Canyon. These two lane winding roads are why we came. The pace will slow and the scenery will only get better from here.

Our lodging here at the canyon is a simple one room cabin that sits no more than 50 feet from the south rim. After checking in we took time out for a burger at the Bright Angel dinning room checked out a few options for an afternoon hike. There are several options, but we decided to hike down into the canyon by way of the Bright Angel Trail. We took close to an hour to hike down little more than a mile, and another hour to get back out. Debbie attempted to make friends with a ground squirell as she snacked on peanut butter, but they were both startled as she reached out to make friends... all this despite the signs reminding everyone that it is "Illegal" to feed or approach wildlife. As we were hiking back out a rescue helecopter flew over, we later heard that a hiker had died the day before and what we saw was a recovery mission...can't verify that but it makes a good story.  The rest of the day included more sights along the rim, dinner again just feet from the rim and shuttle ride to Hopi point before colasping for the night.

Monday Monrning was in the 50's and we watched as a dozen visitors prepared to ride pack mules down into the canyon. They will take 6 hours to go down and spend the night at Phantom Ranch before returning on Tuesday. One guide seemed to be in charge and I listened for 1/2 hour to his orientation to the group which included a couple and their 4 children ranging in age from about 8 to maybe 12. The mules all had names including "Suicide" and "Ted Bundy"... the kids didn't react to Bundy but seemed to shy away from Suicide.

After Breakfast we will ride around the southern portion of the park and then turn North toward Utah on Highway 89.