Day Seven

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Day Seven!

Today was a very long and exhausting day! We woke up..well i dont really know when. I think it was around 8. The previous night i wanted to wake up really early and get to the park early. This morning i decided to sleep in. After breakfast we packed up and headed to the Canyon. Inside the park we headed to the Yavapai Observation Station (the spot where we watched the sun set last night). There we parked the car and walked out to the rim of the canyon. Today we could see about 46 miles into the distance. It was really magnificant. We took loads of pictures. From the observation station we hiked (more like walked) almost 2 miles to the El Tovar Hotel. We didnt actually set out to hike to the hotel, we just started walking on and off the trails of the rim until we got tired. We eventually ran into the hotel around lunch time, and decided to have lunch there. On the trails we saw some awesome views off the cliffs of the canyon as well as some very interesting vegetation, including twisted roots of spiraled trees and prickly pear cactuses. From the El Tovar we caught a shuttle back to our car, and attempted to drive to the east rim at Yaki Point. we accidentally passed up the point and ended up at Grandview point, and it really had a grand view of the canyon. All day I had been really scared of walking out to the edge, especially when there wasn't a railing. At Grandview, i dont know where the courage came from, but I decided to to trek down the switch backs of the canyon. We got about 100 ft down...then, decided to turn back. It's alot easier climbing up than it is down, especially when your shoes dont give you good traction. We spent about 5 or so hours at the Grand Canyon then headed south to Williams, AZ just west of Flagstaff. In Williams we got a hotel, then drove over to Twisters, a 1950s soda fountain, where we had a "Route 66" burger and a chocolate malt. After dinner we walked up and down the streets of the little western villiage of Williams. At 7:30pm every night there is a shoot out on the streets of Williams. Local volunteers, or "cowboys," dress in all thier gear and have a "shoot out." When the Grand Canyon train rolls back into Williams the cowboys will also "rob" the train. Also every night except for Mondays the Williams high school bugle band marches up and down the street. Tonight after taking a peek around Williams we watched the shoot out. It was very funny and entertaining. Just as it finished a thunderstorm, complete with lightning and rain, rolled in. Dad and I sprinted to the car, a mere 4 blocks away as the rain began to fall. By the time we got to our hotel, about 500ft away, the rain was pouring! Now we are watching Law and Order. Tomorrow we are going to drive into California. Can't wait!!!

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Comments

[Doug Martin]

Wow - Awesome Trip
Sarah and Bob - you have a great journey going and what a better way to spend time together that you will never forget!! Its fun watching the journey - stay safe and keep having fun!