When we came back from our 40-day trip through Europe last summer, I felt we would never be able to equal that family vacation experience. But the thought of visiting the Grand Canyon raised my spirits. The Oklahoma Teachers strike in the spring had us wondering when school would end and whether Mari would be getting all of her paychecks. By the time we knew the answers to those questions, I was in the thick of the end of the semester events and did not have time to plan a trip west. I did try to reserve some place for us to stay on the less-busy North Rim of the Grand Canyon, but everything was sold out and appeared to have been sold out for a long time before I started checking. Then, one day, I checked again on a whim and discovered that two rooms on the North Rim had become available. I took 'em. And our trip was officially a go. My next calls were to Morgan and Jennifer. Extending our trip to Los Angeles turned out to be a great move. Having the Grand Canyon to look forward to on the way back was an inspiration.
We started with a picnic lunch.
Our first hike was to Bright Angel Point.
After checking in to our rooms, we headed out on the Transept Trail. The Transept is a side canyon, and the Transept Trail follows the canyon's edge. We followed it to the General Store, where we bought snacks and band aids. We were alone most of the time we were on it.
We wrapped up the day watching the sun set over one canyon rim and the moon rise over another, sitting by a large Canyon Lodge terrace fireplace and then having a delicious dinner at the Lodge restaurant.
That night, Emilio, Pablo and I stayed in one room; Nina and Mari were next door. It was the most expensive night on our trip, and I do not regret the investment.
1 comment:
That is truly one of the wonders of the world! I could sit and look at that for a looooong time! Great pictures. Love, mother.
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