http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from North America , United States , Arizona , Grand Canyon National Park en-us Thu, 04 Dec 2008 23:12:52 UTC Thu, 04 Dec 2008 23:12:52 UTC Ik vergeet zowaar de Grand Canyon te vermelden in mijn verslag. DusTussen Antelope en Las Vegas rijden we door Grand Canyon Ntl. Park. Het ding heeft zijn naam ook niet gestolen en de Colorado rivier heeft er door de jaren goed zijn best gedaan. De uitzichten zijn overweldigend en de omvang ervan moeilijk op beeld vast te leggen. http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-348243.html As I approached the immense hole that they call the Grand Canyon I was aw struck by its sheer size and beauty. The rivers wave down the massive valleys filling it with life. The vegetation is scarce but not forgotten. The red gleaming off the rocks fills you with a warm peaceful feeling. To explore the earthy canyon is to reconnect with ones self. The awesomeness of the almost vertical cliffs send http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-346286.html Na wer sagtrsquos denn kein Woelkchen truebt den Himmel und wir frieren trotz einiger Lagen Waesche wir sind hier im Suedwesten mit der Kleidung nicht gerade auf Temperaturen um minus 5 Grad eingestellt ein wenig beim Betrachten des Sonnenaufganges am Yavapai Point. Wir haetten zwar auch nur aus dem Zimmer gehen muessen die Lodge liegt direkt am Canyonrand aber wir sind lieber zu diesem http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-344906.html Nach dem Tag des bdquogrossen Spielsldquo machen wir uns auf zum Grand Canyon. Hier waren wir zwar auch schon bei unserer letzten USAReise aber wir wollten hier noch mal her um in einem Resort im Park zu uebernachten und somit den Sonnenaufgang geniessen zu koennen. Ausserdem liegt der Grand Canyon NP ja so gut wie auf dem Weg nach Las Vegas dem Schlusspunkt unserer Reise.Unterwegs besicht http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-344904.html We got up early for a change and made the most of our complimentary breakfast. a few extra items were also smuggled out for snacks later on.It was 80 miles to the south rim of the Grand Canyon and we arrived bright and early well before midday anyway. The next 2 hours were then spent driving along the accessible parts of the south rim and visiting the numerous view points. By the early after http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-337832.html The Grand Canyon suits it's name. I could not believe how utterly huge it is Apparently the whole of what we could see was in fact only 1 of the entire thing Holy MolyIt was magnificent and awesome. The drop is pretty steep would be freaky to discover it. We drove along in the bus and all of a sudden bang There it is. It is so dry looking with lots of crevices and peaks. The rim is very flat http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-335652.html West coast road trip part 1We picked our car up from LAX airport and headed off on the highway. On the way out of LA we drove up to the Hollywood hills to get a closer view of the famous Hollywood sign. We couldn't go too close though as we'd heard that the letters were protected by many security cameras and anyone wanting a close up view would soon find themselves on the wrong side of the LAPD http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-333861.html Saturday October 11 2008Can it get any colder In Arizona you say Still no snow but this morning it was frigid and we swore it was well below freezing with continued ferocious winds all night that wouldnrsquot quit. We had the heat on all night. Some time during the night Kayla got up and noticed a bright moon shining through the bathroom vent. How nice she thought that we have a clear http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-333664.html Friday October 10 2008BIG wind in the North Rim camp ground shook the camper and made the Ponderosa Pines whine overhead overnight. Next to the washroom a dead Pine came down on the hood of car missing the familyrsquos tent by only 10 metres. Later we saw the owners at the pay phones probably calling their insurance agent. Park workers bucked the prone tree and had it stacked for firewood in http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-333658.html Thursday October 9 2008We awoke to increasing winds lower temperatures and a forecast of snow by the weekend a sure indication that the winter closure of the North Rim was not far away. Being northerners used to just about any kind of weather and delighted at the clear blue sky we grabbed more layers of clothes and headed for a day of sight seeing photography and walking along the accessib http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-333651.html Wednesday October 08 2008The Major destination of the road trip is in sight. Today we travel the 150 miles from Zion Canyon National Park southeast to Grand Canyon National Park. Nothing exceptional was expected along the way.What a surprise when we started out on Utah highway 9 East through Zion. First a one mile tunnel puts the traveler high on Navajo Sandstone ridges. Then many stops for phot http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-333643.html Flew from Las Vegas to the west rim of the Grand Canyon. Went over Hoover dam and Lake Mead lots of desert surrounding the whole place its hard to imagine all the water from the Colorado River even makes it this far. Once we arrived at the Indian reservation they control pretty much all of it we then took a helicopter ride down to the river which saved a 12 hour walk down the side of the can http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-333408.html Left Las Vegas late this morning and headed thru the desert again towards the Grand Canyon approx 4.5 hrs driving time.Stopped along the way at the majestic Hoover Dam for a guided tour thru the power plant which was really worthwhile. This took us way down deep into the area where the huge water intake tunnels were and then to see some of the 17 turbines in action. Having seen a tv documentary http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-330593.html I can't take the credit for all of these pictures. A third are mine a third is Jon's and a third is Dominique's.It was a cool and damp morning at the Grand Canyon. The morning fog had yet to clear. Life on earth it seemed was waking from its slumber. I could almost hear time passing in the silence of beauty. It was the beginning of a gorgeous day. Standing at the canyonrsquos http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-330325.html Well we left LA after having a cracking evening out with Big Dan and Jen which was a good way to end the stint there thanks guys.Cracking impression of the incredible tipsy sleeping bird at the end of the evening jen you rock mate.We then headed down highway 15 towards Ariziona and the grand canyon but stopped half way at a place called Ghost Town which was a totally cool place in the middle http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-329905.html Photos http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-328068.html Blog goes here. http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-328021.html Although it was very early we were both really excited about our trip out to the Canyon. It is a place both of us have always wanted to see. Our pick up was on time and we had one stop to pick another family up at the stratosphere. We then had a nice early morning ride up the strip to the Luxor hotel where we transferred to a bigger bus for the 30 minute journey out to the airstrip. It still s http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-325390.html More Grand canyon photos and a couple of the Little Colorado as well http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-322986.html The Grand Canyon lost for words 10th 11th September 2008Words cannot describe the majestic grandeur of the Grand Canyon. It is aweinspiring. We got up early checked out and left Williams at 9 a.m. to drive up through the Kaibab National Forest to the canyon. In our ignorance we were unaware that the forest went right up to the south rim of the canyon. It was a beautiful drive. When we arr http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-322967.html The Grand Canyon was always on our list of places to go but to visit the quieter North Rim with hardly any towns nearby we had to book a room a while ago... we booked it while we were in Cusco in fact before the Inca Trail We started the journey from Monument Valley and as there are not many places to cross the Colorado River it makes the drive a long one to the North Rim almost 5 hours in http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-317428.html So we are getting a little bit behind. No National Parks tour is complete without a visit to the Grand Canyon. We visited on Aug. 13 and 14. Note to any potential Grand Canyon summer visitors follow my grandpa's advice stay at the North Rim. We did not and have since learned our lesson. We stayed at the ever popular South Rim along with half of the United States and the whole of France. Lu http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-314680.html Vi nappede lige et par dage i grand canyon hvor vi p andendagen hikede en stykke ned i dalen og tilbage igen... her er billederne http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-313025.html We arrived in Phoenix after a long drive throught the desert. At times the temperature hit 113 degrees FThe air conditioning began to break down on the bus and everyone sweltered.Finally we arrived and chilled out.Next day we were up very early to be taken out to the desert by cowboys.A little off putting to be driven along at speed in an old jeep with no sides. They seemed to be all armed with l http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-312269.html I can't believe it. Here I sit in a truck loaded with gear on its way to Lee's Ferry. I'm actually going to kayakraft the Grand Canyon. I'm filled with way to much nervous excitement. I don't actually know if I will be rowing a gear raft or kayaking. The plan is for Todd and I to take turns rowing and paddling. Who cares it is the Grand Canyon and the trip of a lifetime. We have 18 days http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-310987.html Williams AZ We caught the Grand Canyon Railways Williams Flyer on Thursday morning bound for the Grand Canyon. The ride was about 2 and a 12 half hours delivered us right to Grand Canyon Village and really saved a lot of hassle. The park has an efficient shuttle bus system so there really is no need for a car there. We packed in with our camping gear took the bus to the camp area and se http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-310361.html To start with I should say that I've seen enough of the Grand Canyon to last me a lifetime of lifetimesAfter another long all day bus ride from Vegas to Arizona I can see these are going to wear on me quickly we arrived at the Grand Canyon we all filed off the bus trying to glimpse one of the seven natural wonders of the world. We walked up the path looking around for it and all of sudden th http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-309619.html Friday 1st AugustAs this was the last day in the canyon I got up early and ran along the rim watching the sun rise it was peaceful serene and breath taking and I had to stop at very lookout as not to miss a thing. Later on that day I dragged the boys back there for yet another walk but in the sweltering sun and day tripping crowds it just wasn't quite the same. After breakfast I persuaded Gra t http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-309045.html