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Grand Canyon – South Rim

First of all, I apologize for the length. I took notes along the road so that I would remember things I wanted to talk about–and there ended up being quite a few!

The day started out early. At 7:10 the tour bus met mom and I at our hotel in Sedona and we headed out to pick up the rest of the people. One couple was in Sedona, the rest in Flagstaff.

Our first sight, which only us and the other couple got to see, was Oak Creek Canyon. It’s where all the water in a large portion of Arizona runs, so it has clean running water all year long. We crossed a bridge that went over this canyon and the sight was breathtaking. Ponderosa Pines were everywhere, making it look much more green and lush than you’d expect in a desert. These trees are apparently waterproof, and they used to use the wood for railroad ties, before they were put underground. President Roosevelt, to get Arizona to join with the rest of the States, had more of these trees planted over the meadows of stumps from logging.

In Flagstaff, we picked up the rest of our group. The first couple and two other couples were from various areas across the states, but then there was a woman in almost all pink from Manchester (UK) studying travel and tourism, and four Chinese girls. With me and mom as well, it was quite an interesting crowd.

Grand Canyon – East Rim

After a long drive with plenty of interesting stories from our tour guide, past a Flinstones-themed road stop and a mountain where they were mining volcanic stones for icy roads, we arrived at the IMAX theater near the edge of the canyon. We watched a 30-minute movie about the discovery of the grand canyon, with plenty of shots along the river and cliffs that took our breath away. Most of the things in the movie can’t be done anymore, like having a helicopter fly into the canyon. In that case, since 9/11, planes and such can’t fly over the canyon, so there aren’t any “sky tours” of it and it can’t be filmed like that. There were also cougars used in one scene, fighting with a human, which wouldn’t be allowed these days. It also surprised me how rough the rapids are in the Colorado River down in the canyon. I thought the water was all still and serene, and not so wide across. National Geographic now owns the rights to the movie, and that IMAX building is apparently the only place you can buy a physical copy.

After this, before seeing the canyon, we had lunch at a hotel near the canyon’s edge called Bright Angel. I had a bacon cheeseburger with fries, with cheesecake since we had a lunch and dessert coupon each from our tour package. It was delicious. In the gift shop, Mom saw a beautiful small painted horse with dragonflies on it, and I hadn’t bought her anything really for her birthday or mother’s day, so I bought it for her. I can tell she’ll cherish it.

Instead of seeing the view from the hotel’s restaurant, our tour guide took us to a much better overlook of the Grand Canyon at the South Rim. The view was breathtaking; I could barely comprehend the distances I was seeing. The canyon is on average a mile deep, and the vast area we were seeing was only a quarter of the entire canyon. I took a short video because I figured a panorama shot wouldn’t do it justice.

At this same overlook, the Chinese girls wanted to take pictures, and ended up at the edge, where there wasn’t a guardrail. One of them dangled their feet of the edge of the canyon, thinking it would be a great picture, posing for her friends. The tour guide freaked out but did a good job of hiding his fear, instead calmly telling them how people die at that spot–and it’s true. Twenty people die at the canyon from various accidents every year, be it hiking, falling from overlooks, etc. He jokes and calls the spot “Natural Selection Point.” The girls were fine but probably a little shaken up. Later on, there was a place where a wide ledge was below the rim of the overlook, and the tour guide frequently stops there to take funny pictures making it seem like people are falling over the edge. He explained to the Chinese girls how to take the best–safe–shot of them “falling.”

Grand Canyon – East Rim

We went to a few more overlooks, which were all just as breathtaking. The last one at the East Rim (probably the best view) had a 30-foot tall tower that they’d built a long time ago to draw tourists to the area. We didn’t go up since there were a number of old people in our group and the view of the canyon wouldn’t really be any different from the top.

Along the road back, we took a different highway, and drove through a Navajo reservation area. We stopped at Little Colorado River Gorge, another smaller canyon that lies on Navajo land. Near the natives’ newly-built viewpoint, they had a number of stalls open where they were selling hand-made jewelry, dream catchers, pots, and more. At the edge of the canyon, I stood still. It was so quiet and peaceful, probably from the un-developed, sparsely populated native land. Our tour guide told us, “We’re not technically in the USA here.” I also saw a dust devil, a mini tornado-like swirling wind, pass right in front of me while there. It was amazing to witness.

Little Colorado River Gorge

We stopped at another, more built-up Navajo trading site, the only place for miles with running water and electricity. Many natives hang out there because of it. My mom and I both felt a kind of sad, almost oppressed feeling in the area. Just a few decades ago we stopped taking their kids away to “educate them” (which we did do and is so outrageous), and they’re just beginning to trust outsiders. Not long ago the land was a hostile area. You could almost expect to be shot. They live so simply and almost backwards, and don’t seem like the sort of amazing native civilization we read about in old books. I don’t think they’ve been introduced to the modern world in a good way.

On the final stretch home, we watched an old western movie in which our tour guide had actually made some of the set, called The Quick and the Dead. It was quite good. It made me want to watch or read more westerns. While watching, we drove past the beautiful Painted Desert, a canyon with more colors than the red rock we’re used to seeing, and the smog-like smoke from nearby forest fires. They’re really out of control right now, given the strange raining pattern in the last year. The sun setting behind the smoke was both eerie and beautiful.

It was soon dark, and the tour guide told us more stories about growing up in Sedona and driving movie stars around town. He’s met and worked for Mel Gibson, Jodie Foster, and more. He worked creating mini-towns for movie sets, owned a limo ride company, and yet grew up on a farm. He kept us entertained till the end of the tour, with a short movie about two men who were the first people to photograph and film the Grand Canyon.

There are more things I could tell you, more stories of our tour guide’s, but I think this blog is long enough.

Two more days. Now in Phoenix, then back to Scotland.

I experienced it like never before yesterday, hiking the Boynton Canyon Trail. Mom and I chose it because the pamphlet said “easy, 2.5 miles one way.” We chose not to bring water (looking back, I don’t really know why we didn’t prepare more) or food. I think we figured it wouldn’t take very long.

It started out great. Lizards and butterflies everywhere, looming red rock all around us. After a while, we figured it had been two miles, and asked someone how much farther. They said it was another 3/4 of a mile. After a time, we asked again, and they said it was another mile–some local had told them the park people moved the trailhead without updating the pamphlets (or the website, apparently, which I checked today).

Turns out the hike was more like 4 miles one way. And at the end, the path was really steep and rather treacherous if we weren’t careful. In addition, the bees, of which there were plenty once we got to the trees, really bugged me… I hate their buzzing, it brings on a fight or flight response in me that I can barely control.

Thankfully there was a kind couple at the top who gave us the rest of their water (which wasn’t much but we thoroughly enjoyed all the same). The views at the top were really amazing, pretty much worth the trek up there. Along the way wasn’t bad either… I’m sure it would have been more enjoyable if we’d been more prepared. We literally walked between high red rock walls, inside a canyon. It started out as a desert area, then bushes and a few trees, and then a forest, with a quick, steep climb to the top.

The walk back was painful. Literally, for mom. She lost her footing and fell forward at one point, thankfully landing on clear ground without rocks or anything. Just a few cuts and bruises, though her knee seemed sprained. She was able to walk back along the trail, though slowly with a bit of a limp. It got worse last night, but better today.

I fantasized about drinking ice cold anything almost the entire time. I’d already gotten a sunburn from the walk up I knew, and there were places with no shade at all on the way back. I was desperate for water when we got back to the car, and we had a little, for which I was thankful. We then came home, drank as much water as we needed, cleaned off all the dust, and went swimming in the pool near where we’re staying. Great ending to a difficult–but interesting–day.

Grand Canyon tour tomorrow. Probably no post till the next day, as it’s supposed to be a 10-hour trip.

South Mountain is a city park, though it’s more of a nature preserve. Hiking and biking trails are everywhere. Mom and I didn’t do much hiking because of the heat, but we drove to the lookout point at the top and I took some pictures.

The stone building is for visitors to look out of and get some shade. Or that’s what I assume, anyway. Hundreds of people have written their names on the rocks inside, professing love or that they “were here.”

On the way out we looked all over the place for a flowering cactus I could take a picture of. The drive down was precarious in places. Even my mom, who I think is fearless in many ways, showed a little fear of heights. Only a few pieces of metal keeping you from going over the edge. Finally near the bottom, we found a place to pull over and walk over to this amazing cactus.

I find saguaro cacti–which were all over the place–almost alien. It looks like they’re green stick-people with many arms. Like those broomstick-people in The Sorcerer’s Apprentice in Fantasia. Except prickly. If there ever were aliens in the southwest, maybe they brought the saguaro.

Today we arrived in Sedona, and I finished reading The Girl Who Played With Fire.

I’m a day late, but so it goes when you’re on vacation. The Japanese Friendship Garden was gorgeous. They’ve kept it true to customs, including the rule that you can’t see everything from the entrance–instead you continuously discover different areas.

They let you feed the koi fish, so they came right up to me when I took pictures. I didn’t even have to use food, they just thought I had some (sorry, fish). There were so many of them, in so many different colors.

The heat’s been intense, but bearable. Today we’re going swimming at a friend’s pool, which will be perfect for a day of 98F/37C temperatures. Don’t get me wrong, though. I welcome a break from the rain and chill of Scotland.

I’ve started editing my book again, and been enjoying having it in physical form. My new red pen is getting a lot of use. I’m also thinking it’s time to look for an agent.

I finished On Writing, by Stephen King, as well. More about that tomorrow next time.

Yesterday morning, mom and I went on a walk to Dreamy Draw, a local park and hiking/biking path. I particularly liked this cactus. It’s been very hot and is getting hotter, with tomorrow’s forecasted high at 100F/38C. Thankfully that looks like the highest it will get, as it will start cooling down after that. Our plan is to hang out in the mall and movie theater all day and take advantage of the AC.

My mom’s reasons for moving to Arizona were in no small part influenced by the weather. In Washington she started getting tired of the wet and the clouds. By contrast, I grew up in it. When people ask me, “How are you doing with this weather?” in Scotland, expecting me to say, “Horribly,” I can happily say, “Seattle is just like this. It’s not a problem at all, I’m used to it. I like the rain.”

Now, after a long winter and mostly wet spring, I did feel ready to visit the sun for a couple of weeks. I’m doing all right so far, though I’m noticing the beginnings of a sunburn today, probably from the Japanese garden we visited and walked around a lot (more on that tomorrow). I expect that by the end of the two weeks I’ll be ready for cool weather. But right now, I’m enjoying wearing shorts, eating ice cream, and not getting hit by cold air when leaving a store.

The last leg of my flight to AZ was an interesting one. Almost the entire time I could look out my window and see distant lightning in the clouds. The turbulence was a little intense at times as well. And seeing Phoenix from the air was amazing, lights as far as the eye can see. Apparently it’s the second most populated city in the US.

My first day in AZ was fun. Brunch at a nice cafe where I got an “Egg Sammie,” or eggs (I chose scrambled) with my choice of other things, of which I chose provolone, ham, and bacon, on an everything bagel. With coffee. Definitely satisfying.

Then I printed out the first revision (second version) of my book. I love having a physical copy, it makes how much work I’ve done on it feel so much more real. I also got new pens to commemorate. Now I can really get the second edit started.

The highlight of the evening was a Japanese restaurant. It was odd though, since I ate sushi beside a fish tank. Eating fish. It felt a bit cruel, like I was making them watch me eat their brothers. Nevertheless, it was delicious. Also, my mom is getting to know the owner of the place through an interesting networking connection, and so she let us try a bit of one of her specialties for free: the darker meat of a tuna cooked in a teriyaki-type sauce. Very tasty.

Tomorrow will probably be more reading and writing, with some more delicious food. Perhaps Mexican in the evening. Haven’t had a decent burrito in months.

Also, the heat hasn’t been unbearable yet, but could be by the end of the week.

I’m now at Philadelphia Airport, finishing my first ever Philly cheesesteak. I feel a bit sick, though it tasted good. The first thing I noticed after leaving the plane was the humidity, despite the temperature not being that high. This didn’t make the coffee I got at the cheesesteak place any more enjoyable. I maybe should have bought a cold drink.

The flight was long but not horrible. I got very few hours of sleep last night so I kept dozing off… only to be repeatedly woken up by flight attendants asking me if I wanted a drink or a snack. I kept thinking I’d fallen asleep for an hour or so, but slowly realized it was only half-hour spurts. The flight was about 7 hours when I mistakenly thought it was going to be 5. I’ve got one more flight in 6 hours that’s 5 hours long. I’ll be happy when I arrive in AZ.

One thing I was confused about on the plane was when they ask you to turn off all electronics, “anything with an on/off switch.” Is this strictly necessary? Isn’t the problem cell phone interference rather than say, a kindle (with wifi turned off, even)? Is this some sort of way around explaining exactly why we need to turn off electronics, for the people whom it would confuse?

Also, as is expected these days, I’m getting annoyed by how many stages of security there are. In Glasgow I went through regular security and had someone ask me if “anyone had given me bags to carry,” etc. Then when I got to Philadelphia, I had to go through immigration, take my bag from baggage claim, go through customs, give someone my bag to put on the plane to AZ, and go through regular security again. I just walked off a plane! How am I going to acquire anything dangerous between the plane and security?

Frustrations aside, now I’ve got plenty of time to chill. I think I’ll either do some Fill-In puzzles, read, or take advantage of this free wifi and continue with Project Euler.