The Grand Canyon
Our first travel day we drove to the Grand Canyon and had a nice camper spot in Trailer Village right in the Park.
That first evening we drove to the Bright Angel Trailhead and walked over to the rim. On the way we almost ran into some elk (quite literally) and then these deer almost walked right up to us. I guess that's what happens when animals know they are safe in a National Park.
Our first glimpse of the canyon at sunset.
The next day we spent the whole day enjoying the park. The boys rode bikes all over the place. Tyler spent the day indulging the constant "Can we go for a bike ride" and simultaneously avoiding the rim...because, you know, it's a long way down!
First thing in the morning, Truman and I walked to Mather Point to take in the views. We got a little lost and walked about a mile out of the way but we ended up with some pretty views, sited a few condors, had our picture taken and picked up a Junior Ranger Program book for Calvin and Andrew.
You may be able to see the condor flying below us near the middle left of the photo.
Thanks to a man who didn't speak English but knew the universal language of cameras and babies we got this picture.
Later in the day, Calvin and I went on a Fossil Walk with a Ranger.
At the fossil beds.
Calvin enjoying the view.
In the afternoon while the little boys napped, Calvin and I set out on our bicycles again and followed the Greenway Trail all the way from Trailer Village to Mather Point and then to the Village. We had heard that we had to have ice cream from the soda fountain. Just an ice cream cone, sure, but its not every day you get an ice cream with a view.
Our last stop for the day was a Ranger Porch Talk at Verkamps. We learned about the Indians, past and present, who call the Grand Canyon home.
Calvin earned his Junior Ranger badge.
And when we got back to camp, the elk had decided to come for dinner. There were a couple bulls, about four cows.
And this calf...he still had white spots on his sides.
Later in the evening we went into "town" to have pizza and see the IMAX.
I am so glad we were able to spend a whole day at the Canyon. It was a nice break between drives and indeed, it is quite magnificent. I see how easy it would be to spend many days and not feel like you experienced everything. In fact, it was difficult for me to truly grasp the beauty and immensity of it.
I felt like I was looking at a picture and not understanding the grandness of scale in front of me. I felt like I needed to sit quietly and look long. I felt like I needed to hike down a way to actually feel the bigness, or perhaps to feel my smallness. But with little ones, this was not the trip for hiking and sitting. This trip was for riding bikes and stooping low to look at elk prints in the soft dirt and collecting rocks and riding bikes and playing Grand Canyon BINGO and chasing deer and buying souvenir pocket knives and riding bikes.
Have you visited the Grand Canyon? What was your favorite part?
How were you able to take in the grandness of it?
That first evening we drove to the Bright Angel Trailhead and walked over to the rim. On the way we almost ran into some elk (quite literally) and then these deer almost walked right up to us. I guess that's what happens when animals know they are safe in a National Park.
Our first glimpse of the canyon at sunset.
The next day we spent the whole day enjoying the park. The boys rode bikes all over the place. Tyler spent the day indulging the constant "Can we go for a bike ride" and simultaneously avoiding the rim...because, you know, it's a long way down!
First thing in the morning, Truman and I walked to Mather Point to take in the views. We got a little lost and walked about a mile out of the way but we ended up with some pretty views, sited a few condors, had our picture taken and picked up a Junior Ranger Program book for Calvin and Andrew.
You may be able to see the condor flying below us near the middle left of the photo.
Thanks to a man who didn't speak English but knew the universal language of cameras and babies we got this picture.
Later in the day, Calvin and I went on a Fossil Walk with a Ranger.
At the fossil beds.
Calvin enjoying the view.
In the afternoon while the little boys napped, Calvin and I set out on our bicycles again and followed the Greenway Trail all the way from Trailer Village to Mather Point and then to the Village. We had heard that we had to have ice cream from the soda fountain. Just an ice cream cone, sure, but its not every day you get an ice cream with a view.
Our last stop for the day was a Ranger Porch Talk at Verkamps. We learned about the Indians, past and present, who call the Grand Canyon home.
Calvin earned his Junior Ranger badge.
And when we got back to camp, the elk had decided to come for dinner. There were a couple bulls, about four cows.
Later in the evening we went into "town" to have pizza and see the IMAX.
I am so glad we were able to spend a whole day at the Canyon. It was a nice break between drives and indeed, it is quite magnificent. I see how easy it would be to spend many days and not feel like you experienced everything. In fact, it was difficult for me to truly grasp the beauty and immensity of it.
I felt like I was looking at a picture and not understanding the grandness of scale in front of me. I felt like I needed to sit quietly and look long. I felt like I needed to hike down a way to actually feel the bigness, or perhaps to feel my smallness. But with little ones, this was not the trip for hiking and sitting. This trip was for riding bikes and stooping low to look at elk prints in the soft dirt and collecting rocks and riding bikes and playing Grand Canyon BINGO and chasing deer and buying souvenir pocket knives and riding bikes.
Have you visited the Grand Canyon? What was your favorite part?
How were you able to take in the grandness of it?
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