Just another day at the office...

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Life is good here in the Grand Canyon. Today I had to get up for work bright and early at 6 AM.... to go to the Colorado River! Woo-hoo! I dropped off a busload of temporary park workers from overseas (hailing from Moldova to Mongolia) for a four and a half hour raft trip through the Grand Canyon, killed some time in Page (you have to be both creative and easily entertained in order for this to be possible), checked out the Glen Canyon Dam (yes, it's huge), and struggled to fully submerge myself in the Colorado at Lee's Ferry. I must say I failed miserably. After taking approximately 30 minutes to acclimate my legs in increments measured in inches, I couldn't bear the icy vise grip of pain that throttled my meat and two veg once underwater. I experienced shrinkage to the point that everything felt inverted and I think it became physically possible for me to have sex with a man.

Bored with freezing my balls off in the 46-degree water, I went for a short river-side stroll and stumbled (quite literally, as I still couldn't feel my feet) upon the cabin of John D. Lee, who founded the ferry that bears his namesake here in 1872. During the 56 years that the ferry was in operation, 18 ferries sank and 11 people drowned to death. The ferry was shut down in 1928 when the Navajo Bridge was constructed, but not before it could claim it's last three victims, who were drowned just four months before the bridge was completed.

It was a picture-perfect day until about 10 minutes after the rafts pulled up to the landing at Lee's Ferry. A few dark clouds scudded past, and a few raindrops fell, but once we got back to the Grand Canyon Village it really started pouring. Which, if you're me, of course, necessitates a bike ride! After pedaling with gleeful madness through the downpour for an hour or so, I arrived back home, thoroughly exhausted yet thoroughly satisfied with another day of equally enjoyable work and play in the Grand Canyon.

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Photos

Glen Canyon Dam
I couldn't fit the whole thing into my viewfinder, so you'll just have to content yourself with seeing this much.

John D. Lee's Cabin
Also known as The Massacring Mormon (only be me, though, because I just made it up), John D. Lee lived in this cabin while operating his ferry until he fled and was executed for massacring pioneers westbound from Arkansas with a bunch of his good ol' Mormon pals.

Mushroom Tip
Unusual rock formation en route to Lee's Ferry. I just realized as I was pondering what to write here that this is actually on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. So there.

Rio Colorado
Upstream view of the Colorado from Navajo Bridge. Navajo Bridge is now just a footbridge. A newer two lane bridge was built just downstream of it.

Navajo Bridge
View of the Navajo Bridge from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. The canyon is very narrow here, yet stretches 11 miles wide at some points.

Comments

[beautiful]

absolutely lovely
These pictures are incredible. I can't wait to see the Grand Canyon in person. ;)

[travelbuffs]

Wow! My friend says she needs at least 10 days to explore Page and nearby areas....

[j-A-k-K-i-E]

wow.... your journey was so amazing... i should have gone to all of these when i was there! i'm so happy for you, david! these are absolutely f*ing awesome!