Now THAT's a Canyon

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Our last visit to the Grand Canyon included 140 miles driving out of our way, 30 minutes looking for a place to park and 20 minutes spent actually looking at the canyon. Today's visit to the North Rim was far better.

After driving through the sub-alpine forest and meadows of Kaibab National Forest, we easily found parking near the Visitor Center. We strolled through the cabins of Grand Canyon Lodge, with their front porches and rocking chairs set amongst the pines. Chipmunks and lizards scurried about while ravens hopped around looking for food. The boys were enthralled. So were we, I guess, because we've already priced future visits. The lodge itself is set right on the edge, and has a 3-story great room overlooking the canyon. Good gracious, it's gorgeous. Liam's first comment was the title above. Cole's was "Wow, that's big." The boys thought we should just sit right down on the porch (with more rocking chairs) and look, but we convinced them a hike out to the edge would be better.

I'd been a little worried about them getting too close to the edge, but I shouldn't have worried too much. Liam told me that he found the trails without railings to be life-threatening, and Cole wanted to stay as far away from the edge as possible. They did well, though, on our walk out to Bright Angel Point. A bunch of other kids were climbing higher rocks, which would be cool were it not for the precipitous drop. When asked why other kids were doing it, my answer was "because they're not my kids." That actually seems to work pretty well.

We had lunch at the cafe, which was expensive but good. My portobello ciabatta sandwich was scrumptious, and a bit surprising as an option; Liam barely let us shared the local granola/yogurt/fruit combo.

We then drove out to the rest of the viewpoints, Cape Royal, Point Imperial, etcetera. Liam did well reading the signs at Cape Royal. They didn't do that well posing for a portrait at the highest point in the entire park, but I've come to expect that. The entire place was really quite stunning, and preferable to the South Rim.

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Today, we learned that my GPSr can fail.

We may not have forgotten anything else.

Conversation of the Day:
C - I want peace and quiet.
K - So do I most of the time.
L - That is SO not going to happen.

High Temperature: 101, in Page AZ
Low Temperature: 65, in Jacob Lake AZ

Miles: 249

Geocaches Found: 3, including a shocking FTF in Page

Projects Knitted: Bluebonnets Cloth

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Photos

The North Rim
of the Grand Canyon is now our preferred rim. The South Rim is beautiful and gives more expansive views, but the North is higher, cooler, and less crowded.

I love Ravens
We have seen hundreds during this trip, and they are so cool.