Blogs from Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, United States, North America - page 7

Advertisement


We left the wigwam motel early about 8.20 and stopped to fill up on fuel. We've worked out its about $45 to fill up a tank which is about £27 so it's probably about 40% of the price back home. We'd worked out using a ful calculator back home that the trip should cost us about £350 in fuel which is about $585. It's definitely going to be significantly cheaper than that. We were going to work it out but we've lost track of what we've spent but estimations based on the first day using a full tank and doing approx 300 miles are that it will cost us about $405/£240 based on doing 2700 miles as we're taking the longer detour up through Yosemite to Tahoe, ending San Francisco or Frisco as a taxi driver ... read more
image
image


The land around southern Idaho and into Utah become increasing arid as you drive down the gap between two mountain ranges. It seems that if it's not above the snow line then it doesn't get much water in these parts with the vegetation becoming predominantly desert scrub... even though you're still up on the Colorado Plateau with altitudes varying between 4000-7000 feet above sea level. Because of this altitude, the scenery, although sparse, is striking with the differences between the flat arid valley floor and the snow capped mountains on each side. Salt Lake City is nestled at the base of some of these and was once again a venue for the Winter Olympics in 2002. The city itself is the base of the Church of the Later Day Saints, with Temple Square being the site ... read more
image
image
image


Tues, 11 Feb, 2014 We took Hwy 68 from Bullhead City to Kingman, AZ. There was a sign on the Bullhead Parkway that read “Caution Watch for Burros.” At Kingman we took Route 66 to Seligman, which was designated a scenic drive. It was pretty, but nothing special. But as it turned out, the road was smoother than the interstate. We also saw 2 javelinas by the side of the road. At Seligman we got on I-40 and wished we’d stayed on Route 66 because it was so rough. At Ash Fork we drove south on Hwy 89 to Prescott, which I am told is pronounced PRESS-kit. Wed, 12 Feb It was a short drive from Prescott to Phoenix with a stop at rest area with a name. It was called Sunset View and it did ... read more
Golden Valley
Along Route 66
Welcome to Seligman, AZ


Geo: 36.0262, -112.136Got to the Grand Canyon just as the sun was setting. Pulled into one of the overlooks and took some great pictures as the sun was going down. We had not made reservations and when we got to Bright Angel and tried to get a room...........they were fully booked! The only place with any rooms waswhich is not right on the rim. The room was fine and we went and had dinner at El Tovar. Decided to call it an early evening and head back to the room for a final drink and then some rest before heading back to Santa Fe.... read more
Night On World's Edge _ South Rim  Grand Canyon
Night On World's Edge _ South Rim  Grand Canyon
Night On World's Edge _ South Rim  Grand Canyon


There is a family story I want to share. When Josh was little, and we would put him to bed, we'd kiss and say, "I Love You." He replied, "Too Wow." We think it meant 'me too'. It became a pet phrase. When Kim came along, she picked it up from her brother and used it. Then we went to Washington, DC, on a trip (Kim was about 15 months old and just starting to talk) and as we walked through the city, she would look up from her stroller and smile and say "Too wow". Then we turned a corner, saw the Washington Monument and Kim looked and said excitedly, "BIG wow!" We laughed and that has become a family catch phrase for anything really impressive...Big Wow. You can see where this is going.... We ... read more
Our first view
Mather Point
Snow?!


Vandaag hebben we zo'n beetje de hele dag doorgebracht in Grand Canyon National Park. We begonnen de ochtend bij het Grand Canyon Visitor Center en zijn over de Rim Trail langs de rand van de afgrond richting Grand Canyon Village gelopen, een route die over 5 km langs verschillende mooie uitkijkpunten leidt. De Grand Canyon is op zich zeer indrukwekkend, het is een gigantisch grote vallei met prachtige uitzichten. Maar daar waar je in de parken van Utah om de 5 meter een compleet ander uitzicht hebt, kun je je langs de Grand Canyon 30 kilometer verplaatsen en nog weinig verschil zien in landschap. Het is wel zeer indrukwekkend maar je hebt het er langs de rand ook wel een keer gezien. Marloes en ik liepen al snel ver op de rest van de groep vooruit ... read more
Grand Canyon vanaf de Bright Angel Trail (1)
Grand Canyon vanuit de lucht (1)
"This is your captain speaking"


The Grand Canyon was a disappointment when we were last there in 2008. The same time of year – mid September – but that time the weather was cruel – big wind and cold. So we had to come back for a second chance to enjoy the vistas, rocks and photo sunsets. This time the weather was perfect and we were rewarded with several rim hikes and a 300 metre descent into the canyon along the South Kaibab trail. We started with Shoshone Point - a trail head with a locked gate but Kayla had beta that said it is open to walk-ins. So a mile walk gave an amazing view of the canyon all by ourselves. Then we joined the other tourists for a two mile walk along the busy rim trail. Along this trail ... read more
Panorama from Shoshone Point
Richard Next to a Rock Formation
Many People Visiting the Viewpoint


Our second drive-by was Hoover Dam as we left Las Vegas. Maneuvering the RV across the dam amidst the throngs of tourists was an adventure in and of itself. While an impressive feat of engineering, Todd had already enthralled us with the tales of all the men who died while pouring the concrete, and the most startling sight was the dramatic change in color on the rock walls of the reservoir behind the dam. But it was interesting, and not too far out of our way, so worth the minor detour to see this well-known accomplishment. From there we had a long drive to our ultimate destination for today, the Grand Canyon. Todd drove, while Marcia and the kids passed a lot of the time continuing the Rail Baron game. We found a cute lunch place ... read more
Billy, Tommy, Sean, Maggie
The Grand Canyon
Made it to the Grand Canyon


Hi everyone, I'm writing this rather exhausted after climbing out of the Grand Canyon this morning! We spent 3 nights there, the first camping wild in the forest near the north rim, the views from which were spectacular. The image of the Grand Canyon is very, very special - another one to treasure forever! Next morning with our packs loaded we trekked down 7 miles through a tributary canyon passing through lots of different coloured layers of rock on a rather precarious at times path, to camp at a lovely wee campsite by a stream. Campsite came complete with picnic bench, metal containers to store all food in and a pole to hang bags on out of reach of the deer, squirrels, lizards, tarantulas, scorpions and rattle snakes! I must say it was really funny watching ... read more
View of canyon upstream before it becomes so 'grand'
Colorado river, remarkably cold swim!
image


Hello everyone, apologies for the delay in blogging we are all still alive and well so here is an update on our activities over here in the US. So I think I left you anticipating our trip into Old Scottsdale. In brief it's not very old (Est. 1912) and there isn't very much there so we went to a massive shopping mall in Scottsdale where more shopping was done and dinner was eaten. The next morning after collecting the hire car we drove the 350 miles North to the Grand Canyon North Rim a longer drive than to the South Rim but it has 10% of the tourists. The scenery on the way up was spectacular and it only improved as we neared the Grand Canyon. We stopped at a view point where the bridge crossed ... read more
USA_0404
USA_0445_edited-1
USA_0447




Tot: 0.16s; Tpl: 0.007s; cc: 10; qc: 92; dbt: 0.0763s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1; ; mem: 1.3mb