Good morning everyone it is sunrise viewing day in Grand Canyon National Park. I awoke at 4:30 AM and hurried to the Grand Canyon Visitor Center parking lot which is a short walk to the Mather Point viewing area which I figured would be the best spot. I was the 10th person there and by the time the sun started coming up there were about 200 crowding around. What a glorious picture. Many people mostly orientials crossed over the barrier/railing and stood or sat on the edge of the canyon. Very dangerous. The amazing thing about the sunrise this morning I was viewing it through several layers of clouds. Virtually every second the color would change from being totally spectacular to nothing to talk about. Marvelous pinks, reds, oranges, whites and all mixes and in between. The following are just a few I selected to show you.
If I picked the correct photo here are people way out of bounds on this outcroping where they should not be.
At 5:30 AM sunrise is complete and I head back to the motel for shower, shave and breakfast. This is a large motel with large breakfast facility. You hear all sort of languages, Japanese, Chinese, Scandanavian countries etc.
It is interesting many of them ( not all ) bring their customs with them rudeness and lack of common courtesy. Back to the park at 7:00 AM and park in the Yavapai Lodge parking lot. Interesting I parked in the same space where ever I went. I walked up one trail listed as .9 of a mile and named the " trail of time ". All along this trail are pieces of rock with a description of what is is and how many thousands of millions years old it is as well as what layer of earth it came from. I won't attempt to argue with the ages because the Bible tells us that God does not keep time as man does. Enough said. It is now 10:00 AM and I am sitting on a bench in the shade eating the trail mix I made before leaving on this trip. How appropriate. I have come to realize it would be impossible to completely photograph the Grand Canyon. Every minute the view changes with the sun at different angels, brightness, shadows, and time of day plus where I stand. here is one place where it looks like a perfecrly carved entry to a cave. As you walk along it begins to look like the shadows are making it appear as the mouth of a cave. One couple I was talking to said they had taken the helicopter tour of the canyon and the pilot told them the canyon walls have many caves and that the Indians used them to hide their valuables. There were many different groups of Indians that lived in the canyon and land above and surrounding the canyon. This might be true but it makes for good pilot stories to tell their passengers.
The view of the canyon is spectular today as their is no smoke to obstruct the view. The many layers of rock are fabulous both in size and in color. The size of the canyon is so vast you cannot really get a handle on how big group of rocks actually are. For example on average the canyon is 10 miles wide rim to rim. In one area it is 11 miles wide. It a mile deep. There are many tall spires that have a few layers of flat rocks resting on top. It looks like there are an accident waiting to happen. In some places you can see where some of these rocks have fallen. It would be one great big mess if there were a small earthquake. What a mess and the noise would be great.
You will recall my comments about the crows. Well today I saw what must be crow heaven I went by where they keep the mules for the people to ride in and out of the canyon. I would estimate they had around a hundred mules with plenty of food around for the mules and the crows. They had 15 or so mules with saddles on and the guides were briefing a group of riders who were about to go into the canyon. I listened to about 10 minutes of the briefing and boy they did not pull any punches. Do what you are told and don't do the things you were told not to do. Follow these rules and you will have a safe journey. Disobey these rules and you may get hurt. It is very warm this afternoon but the stiff breeze makes it bearable. I will leave my tour early today to do this blog and plan my trip for tomorrow. Well as you know that did not work out very well so I will add a few more comments and more photographs I wanted to make yesterday.
By the way I received an email from Men's Warehouse in Pleasanto, Ca. saying my tux is ready to be picked up.
Trail to bottom of Grand Canyon
Building Along Trail to Bottom of Canyon
Trail to Bottom of Canyon
More Trails
Grand Canyon View
Dead Old Tree Has Messages
I am sorry folks but I am not going to be able to finish thhis as I wanted because of server problems here at the Holiday Inn Express. I have been working on it for about 4 hours now. I will try to tells some more of the story through pictures which I had not been able to upload. Good night and hope to contact you tomorrow night from Las Vegas. Grandpa Bill.
No comments:
Post a Comment