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 Tue, 21 May 2013 10:57:28 +0000 Tue, 21 May 2013 10:57:28 +0000 Photos of the Grand Canyon difficult to go far wrong with these a photographers dream http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-786357.html We39ve stopped for a catch up clean and a little bike maintenance and have managed to down load a number of photos.The raft trip down the Colorado. http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-786355.html We39ve done it the Grand Canyon.We travelled from Sedona to Flagstaff where we stopped at a Downtown Diner for pancakes and french toast and blueberries with half a gallon of maple syrup we then took the Old Fort Valley Road avoiding a busy highway....a great route with beautiful pine forests and snow toped mountain views. When we stopped at Valle we filled up the gas see I am talking am http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-785447.html If you have never seen the Grand Canyon put it on your bucket list. If you have seen it go again we did and we were still in aweWe traveled from Flagstaff to the Grand Canyon. it was interesting to see alert signs along the road for elk and lion we are use to seeing deer crossing.We were at the southern rim and hiked the Bright Angel trail. We intended to go to a cabin that was 3 miles down http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-782993.html Dawn wanted to take the kids on a big trip before Dimitri goes off to college and spring break was the perfect time to do that. She had in mind the Grand Canyon so I investigated various itineraries and it turns out that flying in to Las Vegas renting a car and then driving to the Grand Canyon with a stop at Hoover Dam made the most sense from both a financial and quality of experience standpoin http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-776496.html Where do you start on describing something that is essentially a big hole where millions of people have been and thousands of people have blogged aboutAfter our first night staying in Flagstaff it was time to hit the road for the 90 minute drive to the South rim of the Grand Canyon. The drive towards the Canyon made us feel like we were already seeing so much from forests to farmland and then int http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-765083.html Getting thereThis was one long awaited and longest discussed trip. Also one of he most preplanned because we had to get the permit 4 months in advance. And it was also one of the best trips. We had people coming from all over US Sree and Srijan from Seattle Tulika and Rahul from New York and Arindam and Surya from Boston. We all met at Flagstaff.We found a Indian restaurant in Flagstaff and had http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-764994.html Temp 2 degreesCall time to bus 8am. We decided to go to breakfast at around 7.30. Then we were off to the Airport for our helicopter flight over the Grand Canyon. When we arrived we were told we were on a weather hold and we wouldnt know if we could fly till 10am. so back to the camp site we went. Then next few hours were just basacally killing time till we found out. Monty our tour guide foun http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-761813.html Temp 2 DegreeBags to coach 745am but we wanted to get up early and write our blogs from the past two days and try and get to Maccas to use the WIFI to upload them. After our 6am start it soon was time to leave Vagas. The town proved a little too much for some people we didn39t ended up leaving until a little before 830am. As we were leaving Vegas you could see the snow on the Mountainsth http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-761544.html After 2 days at Zion we hit the road once more down to Grand Canyon South rim village. I had seen the Grand Canyon before but it was Jamies first time and he was definitely impressed. We arrived in time for sunset and we were treated to a great show. The only minor gripe was there was a fire nearby which resulted in a very hazy view as the smoke settled in the canyon.As we were contemplating li http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-756793.html The day we left Vegas we made it almost all the way to the Grand Canyon. Instead of going in during the evening time we stopped at a pretty much scary motel about an hour outside the park. The town where Motel Route 66 was located was pretty cute like something out of an old Western. Except that it had a Starbucks. However the motel itself was to date the sketchiest place we had stayed. Upon a http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-752247.html My day started out at Petrified Forest National Park. The have a strict rule against taking any petrified wood so you are asked about it on the way in and on the way out. The park itself is a cool park. You start off at the edges of the Painted Desert and you really can see where it gets its name. There are many different hues of rock and dirt from reds to browns to even greens and purples. Part http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-751287.html Not only is Sweetie still alive but out of the bed for a Sunrise Walk in the Canyon. We head to Mather Point the far east part of the Southern Rim where we39re staying. Light truly dictates the view at the Canyon. Had to head back to the room for a short while the cold air was killing Sweetie39s head. After a couple of hours it was time to head out for breakfast. We decided to skip the http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-751202.html Today not starting out so well as Sweetie woke up with full fledged crud. Hot and cold sweats body aches but she is fighting it with Dayquil and Nyquil. I doctor her the best I can but we agree that the best thing for her today is stay in bed. With her blessing I head out and pick up the Trail of Time where we left off yesterday. You can see the trail that leads down into the canyon from this http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-751109.html This morning we rose and discovered some one of nature39s real beauties the Grand Canyon. The first time we viewed this monstous crack in the earth it was aweinspiring. We viewed Mather Point first with many photo opportunities. It39s located on the east side of the viewing rim near the Visitors Center. While there we listened to a park ranger39s discussion of wildlife in the park at http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-750917.html It39s time to get the Traveling Traverse rolling again. We leave Las Vegas and head to the Grand Canyon with a stop at the Hoover Dam. The Hoover Dam is one of the world39s largest dams that controls floods generates electricity and provides water. It was built during the Great Depression at a cost of 49 million and completed in 1935. The size and vastness of it just reinforces the size a http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-750763.html We drove into the Grand Canyon National Park and drove east along Desert View Drive and stopped at several lookouts such as Grandview Point and Pipe Creek Vista before heading back to the Visitor Centre to park and catch the red hop on hop off Hermits Rest Route shuttle bus west.We got on and off the shuttle at Trailview Overlook and Maricopa Point. At Maricopa Point we walked along the trail t http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-744466.html We left Las Vegas this morning and drove to the Hoover Dam. Debbie did a tour and then we drove to the Grand Canyon which took all day.We had a lovely dinner at the early sitting in the restaurant both of us having French onion soup and prime rib with vegetables. Needless to say our bottle of wine cost more than both of our dinners combinedWe have booked a helicopter ride through the Gran http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-744227.html Since we were too late getting to The Grand Canyon to see sunset we decided to further confuse our body clocks by getting up ridiculously early and watch sunrise. Our alarm went off at 4am we quickly pulled up camp and then drove closer in to the Grand Canyon to where we could catch a shuttle bus to where we wanted to go. The morning was a bit cloudy and hazy but it was still pretty beautiful in http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-744123.html Vandaag naar de North Rim van de Grand Canyon. We hadden gisteren gelezen dat mensen er een beetje teleurgesteld vandaan kwamen en zelfs dat het de moeite niet waard zou zijn.Wij zijn toch gegaan. Het toeval wilde dat ik al om half 5 in de ochtend wakker was onrustig slecht geslapen en we toen eigenlijk direct aan het werk zijn gegaan om de North Rim zo vroeg mogelijk te bereiken koffie mee b http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-743836.html