The Big Excursion - Grand Canyon etc.

Well, at last I've seen it with my own eyes! The Grand Canyon. Awesome! I took so many photos that you will see only the best few, carefully selected. Of course we had to drive there and away again, so took time to visit a couple of other places, the first being the Painted Desert which includes the Petrified Forest. On the way back we went to Sedona, famous for the huge Red Rock mountains which surround it.
THE TRIP
1) Snowy view early on the way 2) Group near Border 3) Danger Sign!
When we left, at 5.30 am on Friday morning, the weather was not good. Near Albuquerque, there had been, and was still, snow. We rejoiced then when we reached the border of New Mexico and Arizona, taking time to pose and inspect the possible dangers of the neighbouring State! The Highway across this part of the world was very busy with many many large rigs tearing across. I think they may be bigger than Australian semis. The highway is two lanes each way, with a divided section which varies in width. The surface is generally good. On either side the countryside rolls away into the distance and, as we got further and further into Arizona it became drier and the trees fewer, until we arrived at Flagstaff which is a much more mountainous area with forest of firs.
THE PAINTED DESERT

After many hours we were able to turn off and visit the Painted Desert

You can see a couple of views above, and also a picture of one of our members braced against the freezing wind which shortened all our lookout visits considerably! Then we moved into the Petrified Forest areas. If you imagine the trees are standing in forest formation, forget it! The huge red cedars were carried to this place by water and buried in silt etc many aeons ago. As a result the wood turned to rocks of amazing colours. Below you will see a fallen, shattered log, and then two cross-sections of logs showing a colour of major colour varieties. There were many variations in the colours. Apparently the 'forest' was plundered for many years by settlers and large parts removed when the train line passed by and a means of easy transport became available. Eventually it was made a national treasure with penalties for removing pieces. Only 10% of the Petrified Forest lies within protected land so there is plenty for the plunderers outside that, but still, every month, the National Treasure loses a ton! A shame.
THE PETRIFIED FOREST

1) A shattered Red Cedar Petrified Log; 2) Cross-section showing beautiful deposits in logs; 3) Another Cross-section showing different deposits

We drove past Flagstaff to Williams, a bit further across Arizona , and checked into our Motel for the evening. The rooms were shared, but I was fortunate enough to have a Queen bed to myself! There were three women in my room and everything worked - shower, hot water, coffee maker, room heater - not like next door where four women froze the first night and on the second dressed in every item of clothing they could find to survive the night! [They succeeded].

THE GRAND CANYON

On Saturday, we headed off (not too early - 8.30 am) to the Grand Canyon. We were rather excited. It was about an hour's drive. through beautiful forests with signs occasionally warning of possible deer romping around. First port of call was the Nationatl Geographic Information Centre where you can buy a Pass ($25 per vehicle - we squashed into 2 rather than 3!) and book into the Imax Theatre experience or onto a Helicopter. I took neither because I wanted to experience the Grand Canyon directly. As a result, when some of us were dropped at the Canyon, I had time to go about 2 miles down Bright Angel Trail as well as several miles along Rim Trail. At the end of the day my feet were dragging, but it was all worth it.

The three photos above show 1: My first view of the Canyon; 2: An 'archway early on the way down the Bright Angel Trail; and 3) a bend on this Trail - you can see the buried logs which make steps. You may not be able to see all the Mule droppings which could not be totally avoided and which added their own 'aroma' to the walk!
In the photos below, the first shows a view looking back down the slope where the Bright Angel trail goes, and I think I went to about the upper trail line you can see on this particular view. You can see the trail going on well below this. Then if you look at the next photo , you will see where the trail crosses a much plateau further down before descending out of sight to the Colorado River at the bottom. You won't be able to see a couple of buildings on this plateau unless the picture enlarges (the middle ones don't seem to!) but they were there- no doubt Ranger's buildings. People go down the trail to the bottom of the Canyon and up the other side to the North Rim. There were some very enthusiastic (and fit-looking) individuals charging up and down when I was there. I did not see the mules in action but a couple of the others did and they said the passengers looked very weary after about 9 hours in the saddle - leaning backwards on the way down and reverse on the way up! Not for the faint-hearted, but it would save one's leg muscles.
The third picture could be called "spot the squirrel"! Look on a rock on the lower left of the picture. These little creatures squirmed in and around various bushes, darting from one place to the next with not much fear of the passing traffic. See how this one actually stopped and looked at me!

1) Bright Angel Trail slope 2) Bright Angel Trail far below 3) Squirrel

And now, I can't resist publishing three more views of the Canyon out of my extensive repertoire! You can see great variations in colour & formation.

We left the Canyon late and had a meal on the way back, getting to Williams about 9.30 pm.

SEDONA

The next morning we headed for home via Sedona. Sedona is south of Flagstaff and is a very picturesque place which has high visitor number. You will see why if you look at the pictures below. The town itself is surrounded by wonderful mountains and the drive in was lovely as we wound along valleys with dwellings, settlements and wilderness camping areas, all with vegetation greening for spring and a rocky stream in the centre. (The weather, by the way, fined up on Saturday and was still sunny on Sunday).

The first picture above shows the eastern backdrop to the town; the second is towards the north east over a greening valley; the third shows a magnificent sclupture (there were plenty) in a town geared to tourism with a large variety of shops offering suitable wares, food etc.

Below you can see that 1. they cater to tourists with a free bus (of course Grand Canyon has three buses which go up and down three sections of the Rim all day - I caught one back to the area I came from when my camera battery expired and my feet nearly died at about 4 pm on the Saturday!)

The second picture was taken not far from the horse sculpture above and shows a quaint little sculpture just around a corner near an eating place. The third picture shown a fantastic red rock formation (one of many) beside the road south of Sedona which we took to rejoin the highway and return to Flagstaff, from whence we headed for home, tired but weary as all good stories say.
MISCELLANEOUS!

When we were at the Canyon, in the late afternoon, four resident deer emerged to feed. We took many pictures because we could get fairly close, although they were 'tichy', so I will show you a sequence which gives you some idea.

1. You see three of the four deer. 2. This deer tries to move away for more peace 3. He hears a crying child in the distance and stops with great concern, standing like this for quite a while - Thanks, deer!

Finally, I will finish with my most recent water-colour 'masterpiece' - my best yet. Of course, it was copied from a book, but it looks OK!

I must close. I knew this would be a long blog! I've tried to make the setting-out 'user-friendly'. All the best. Rita