USA Trip of a Lifetime Report - Day 4

Day 4 – 26th August 2008 – The Grand Canyon

Up at 5:30am this morning determined to get some good sunrise pictures – Lyn seems to be improving – we both head off to the rim – the Canyon was at its best and it was showing us its best side – its true what they say the colours change throughout the day as the shadows and light move across the surface. We walked to the El Tovar viewpoint – saw deer outside the El Tovar lodges taking a leisurely breakfast– almost oblivious of our presence.

After another feast of photo opportunities we decided to leave our fellow snappers behind and head back to the Maswik lodge for a spot of breakfast – on the way back we passed the Mule Riders preparing for their trek down into the canyon and overnight stay at the Phantom Ranch – they take the Bright Angel trail - the ride down is 10 miles and takes 5.5 hours. The return is up South Kaibab trail and that It is 7.5 miles and takes 4.5 hours. Apparently the trip back up the Canyon promises even more beautiful vistas points than on the way down – hard to believe. You travel down 3,200 feet into the Canyon where you are told that you get a magnificent close up view of the Colorado River (which is still a further 1,300 feet beneath you). It looked great fun – I think you have to book up a long way in advance – wish we had done it.

So, breakfast finished we decided to drive to the local airfield to see if we could book a last minute helicopter ride – the airfield is outside the parks southern entrance and is no more than 5 miles down the road. We were lucky, there was a tour available at 1:00pm and so we booked a half an hour trip for $160 (£90) each. We booked the North Canyon tour with the firm Papillon which takes you take you over the widest and deepest part of the Grand Canyon as you tour through the Dragon Corridor.

Ok we had a couple of hours to kill and so we went back to the South Rim to take a look around Yavapai. This viewpoint provides perhaps the best panorama of the three points on this part of the south rim as it is the most northerly, and the closest to the Colorado River, allowing magnificent views up and down the gorge. The view from the Yavapai Observation Station is really special and well worth a visit.

Lyn read that the Rangers were conducting a geological tour at 2:00pm and so we planned to go along to this assuming that we got back from our helicopter tour in time.

Oh we did see a Condor at Yavapai – now I’m not a great twitcher but even the Park Rangers were excited when this bird made its appearance.

It’s now just after 12:00am so it was time to make our way back to the airfield – got there in plenty of time – were given our safety briefing and prepared to board our slot. On boarding the helicopter my reading glasses slipped out of my pocket – fell on the floor of the helicopter and I managed to step neatly onto them breaking the frame and rendering them useless – great now I can’t read a thing and worst of all I can’t operate my camera – disaster. The significance of this ‘accident’ will become apparent all in good time.

Anyway, I continued as best I could with one lens in my glasses much to the amusement of the Spanish couple who were sharing out helicopter ride – I must admit had the situation been reversed I would have struggled to suppress the odd snigger – I must have looked a sight.

The tour was amazing – you wore head phones which played a stirring fanfare (can’t remember what now, was it Emerson Lake and Palmer’s Fanfare for the Common Man? No maybe not – may it was Space Oddity 2001) anyway it builds to a crescendo just as you make your turn into the canyon and take in the full expanse of the Gorge – very dramatic and makes every hair on the back of your neck stand to attention. The tour is well worth the money and gives you views of the canyon that you will never get when just viewing it from the rim.

Tour now finished we make our way back to the Park – what am I going to do about my glasses – we are in the middle of a National Park I don’t suppose there are going to be too many opticians around – ok let’s try the Park General Store – a long shot but worth a try. Well good news and bad news – the good news is that they do have reading glasses but the bad news is they are all female reading glasses (American males obviously all have good eyes). Ok I know I’m going to look stupid but I have to have reading glasses I buy them - $12 – good value anyway. I hope you are starting to build a mental image of my appearance.

Lyn was not impressed as she has now missed her Geology Session with the Rangers – oops! I’ll make it up to her.

The only other thing that I wanted to do today was to get a good sunset picture – it was now about 3 or 4 pm – sunset wasn’t until 7:00pm and so Lyn said she was going to try and catch up with a bit of sleep – she was definitely better but still far from fully recovered.

Back at our lodge I made the mistake of lying down as well – the next thing I knew it was 6:30 half an hour to sunset – heck – panic!!!

We both jumped up – head still half asleep – jumped into the car and drove to our first preferred sunset view point – no car parking spaces – this was a perfect sunset evening – sunset snappers were out in force – ok drive up to the next one – still no parking spaces – panic – drive to the next one – still no places – Lyn says park illegally we’ll pay the fine! What I can’t do that – 10 minutes to sunset – drive to the Shrine of Ages car park – that’s strange it’s empty – get out and start to walk/run towards the rim – hell we’re in the middle of a vast wood – how far away is the rim – the walk goes on and on – I can see glimpses of a beautiful setting sun through the trees – I am now trying to attempt a nonchalant trot – my body is now starting to leak – Lyn is no longer in sight – starting to perspire heavily – not a pretty sight and what with my daft glasses I’m in danger of developing an appearance that will frighten the children – at last I arrive at the rim just as the sun winks at me and disappears behead the horizon – I sit on a log and wait for Lyn – she gives me another one of those looks and enquires whether it is possible to site a camera in divorce proceedings – she is of course only joking – isn’t she?

We sit where we are for a while taking in the last rays of sunlight before retracing our steps back through the woods to the car – grab a quick snack at the Maswik before returning to our lodge for a quiet drink before getting some well earned shuteye. Shame missed my Grand Canyon sunset picture – oh well still a super day.

USA Trip of a Lifetime Report - Day 4

once again a brilliant report......shame about the sunset photos but a good warning for us to be there pretty early......did you choose your favourite point whilst visiting the canyon during the day or are good vistas signed? we should be at the GC in about 5 weeks time towards the end of our trip, getting very excited now...

USA Trip of a Lifetime Report - Day 4

Hi Lyn

all the vista points are clearly signed and you will receive a newspaper as you enter the park (which is marvellous)and this shows you where all the viewpoints are - my advice is take some time to look at them all first and then return to your favourite - I%26#39;m sure everyone has their favourite point for what ever reason - you are in for a very special treat - I%26#39;m very envious - have a great time

Ray