What can you say about the Grand Canyon, apart from the obvious? It really is just that big. My paltry photos give you no idea.
We left Flagstaff at 9am with an intrepid bunch in a bus driven by our tour guide Michael. He used to be a computer programmer but decided that 9 months a year in Flagstaff and 3 in Thailand was a better life choice. Who am I to argue?
We drove up to the South Rim and were walked, hands over our eyes, up to the edge before being allowed to look. Despite the embarrassment caused in front of all the other tourists it was a superb introduction. It’s possible for your eyes to work out what’s going on for 500ft or so, but after that everything just looks like a flat backdrop. Where we were stood the canyon was 10 miles wide.
We got to potter around there for a bit and walk down the mule path (thankfully mule free) before we headed off in the bus to a lunch and hike stop. We even saw a fairly rare red tailed hawk, and yesterday the Zuni Indians performed the red tail hawk dance before our eyes. Are we all connected in a great circle of life?
The hike was self-directed, down a trail straight into the canyon, and so Hannah and I were forced to show the rest of the party that this place is small-fry compared to what we have in England. We strode off down the thin hair-pin track.
We got down to 1216ft below the rim before deciding that we’d proved our point and turning around. Amazingly, going up was several scales of magnitude harder than coming down. Panic set in as we wondered whether we’d get back to the bus in time. Luckily we came upon another group from our party and tottered past them as nonchalantly as we could, trying to disguise our laboured breathing and thumping pulses.
I’m now typing this with my fingers, the only part of my body that I can move. I will shortly try to slide myself into the shower and see if hot water will loosen any of my limbs. Hopefully this hostel offers the service of stretchering guests onto the train.
In line, eyes closed, to the edge.
What we saw. Hannah admires, incredulous.
Hannah and the canyon.
David and the canyon (note: new hat).
A pleasingly shaped tree and the canyon.
Wild long-horned sheep try to look unimpressed.
Luckily no mules were present.
Fine advice...
...which David ignores in his attempt to conquer the canyon!
Guide Michael gives the party a geology lesson.
Hannah and some snow on the way down.
A rare sighting of a rock pixie.
Hannah trudges on down the trail.
OK, it's big, but is it really as impressive as Cheddar Gorge?
Proof we got to where we said.
Welcome to my canyon!
A real live wild coyote! He was outside the bus as we drove along.
The Colorado River down in the bottom there.
(From left to right:) canyon, David, Hannah, more canyon.
Sunset in the desert.
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