Grand Canyon Camper Village, Arizona
May 5 days
The drive from Zion to GC is monotonous. It consists of two-lane minor highways through scrub brush and desert. Eventually we roll up to the South entrance of the national park. We received the traditional park brochure and a pocket map which came in handy. After we set up camp we went to a few observation points. The Grand Canyon lives up to its name. We are bowled over
Friday morning, we rode our bikes to the South Kaibob trail head. You can ride bikes on the rim of the canyon! It is amazing. We stopped for some scenic vistas; however, I am enthralled with riding next to the canyon. It’s so exciting to pedal along and right next to you is the expanse of the canyon. We rode from the S Kaibob trailhead to Mather Point which has exceptional views. Afterward we rode to the village and stopped for lunch. We both had a beer to accompany our meal. With the hot sun and exercise the beer finished us for the day. We both needed a nap.
Saturday, we took the truck out to Desert View Watchtower and the Tusayan ruins. The Watchtower, designed by Mary Colter in 1932 is 7 stories high. The tower blends with the surrounding landscape perfectly. The interior is adorned with Indian motifs. It is free and completely run by volunteers. In the afternoon, we hopped on our bikes to do a little exploring. We rode around the park and thanks to my excellent navigation ended up in a residential area that is not on the handy pocket map. Well, we found our way back to the campground eventually. In the evening, we went out to watch the sunset and stargaze.
Sunday, we rode our bikes all the way to Hermit’s Rest, about 13 miles one way. It was a long ride, and I was grateful for our e-bikes. I usually start the day full of ambition and pedal without the electric assist. As the day goes on, I rely more and more on the electric power. Once again, we took a wrong turn on the way back and found ourselves in the residential neighborhood. By the time we got back to the camper my legs were useless and I was fully dependent on the bike.
Monday, we had no plans other than not riding bikes. We decided to go to the IMAXX theatre and see “Rivers Of Time.” The movie portrayed the geologic formation of the GC, the history of the indigenous people and the exploration of the GC by the settlers. It was outstanding. I am amazed by the first navigation of the river. They had no idea what was in front of them. They loaded up dories and set out. 3 men quit the journey and attempted to hike out. They were never heard from again. The men that stayed with the boat trip made it to the end of the canyon.
Afterward, on our way to get gas, we drove by Grand Canyon Airport. We revisited the idea of taking a helicopter tour of the canyon. We had batted this idea around all week. Steve had reservations about the expense. I felt it was intrusive and a bougie thing to do. Still, it looked fun, and we were right there. What’s the chance they would have an opening that afternoon? Turns out the chances were good. They had availability in an hour. We got over our reservations pretty damn quick. We went on that helicopter tour and I’m glad we did. When the chopper drops over the lip of the canyon it is spectacular! We ended our GC experience with a bang. (figuratively speaking)
Throughout our stay elk wandered into the campground almost daily. It was quite a treat to drink my morning coffee with elk grazing outside the window. Tomorrow, we begin the journey home.
