RTW Day 9 - Grand Canyon

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Today is serious bucket list stuff as we head for the Grand Canyon. I’m excited but a bit nervous. The weather report is for snow and temperatures well below freezing (minus 14 to be precise). We haven’t even packed coats.

After breakfast in a smoke filled casino, we depart Las Vegas, grateful for some fresh air. First, an obligatory stop at the Hoover Dam spanning the Colorado River. On one side it’s Nevada and 9 am whilst on the other it’s Arizona and 10 am. It’s obviously a very clever piece of engineering but it’s also beautifully Art Deco with surprisingly ornate gold doored toilets.

We climb the ramp to the O’Callaghan Tillman bridge, a 2000 foot long vertigo inducing concrete structure with a great view back across the dam.

Next, a detour along Historic Route 66. We stop at Kingman to visit the quirky Route 66 Museum. Then lunch in Mr D’s diner, a wonderful 50s themed diner with great food. The portions are huge and the old man orders a shake so large it comes in 3 glasses. Completely stuffed, we continue on down Route 66. Lonely Planet has led us to believe that this will be fun. In reality, apart from our stop at Kingman, it’s a desolate 83 mile detour.

We return to the main road at Seligman and get stuck behind a gang of bikers for 50 miles, finally reaching the Grand Canyon 19 minutes before sunset. Just time for a quick visit to the rim. It’s certainly a spectacular view. Mainly hues of red, with a layer of snow around the top.

We check into our motel, Maswik Lodge. We are asked to consider the environment by foregoing room service. I suspect this has more to do with their profit margins and ask how someone making my bed and emptying my bin will affect the environment. The old man gives me ‘the look’ and I forego my rant and my room service. Our room is cosy despite the freezing temperature outside. We are at the far end of the complex. The bar is quite a trek, so we put on every piece of warm clothing we packed and set off through the snow for a beer.

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