Grand Canyon Railroad

Today is the day we get to see the Grand Canyon!

We got on board in Williams, Arizona.

We had a little entertainment along the way.

As we traveled up in elevation, the temperature came down.

The train stopped, we got out, walked a few steps and.......

.......lo and behold we set our eyes on an amazing sight!

The Grand Canyon!

Our train ride included a short bus ride to various points around the canyon.

It was helpful to view many sights and get our bearings right away.

We stopped at Hopi Point and I was

surprised how high we were.

We were also surprised how there weren't any fences or rails

along the rim.  

I was happy to get this photo of Alex and I.

He and Kevin and Ranae walked down into the canyon later.

Brian, Matthew, Sarah and I walked along the rim.

Here we spotted the muddy Colorado River.

Way down below.

Sarah with the Grand Canyon at her back.

We were so blessed to have good weather today.

In the summer, there are many thundershowers.

I was able to get this picture of one in the distance.

The temperature was mild and quite enjoyable.

It was much cooler than Phoenix.

The squirrels here are very fat.

Despite signs and laws against feeding them,

somebody isn't minding.

An architect named Mary Elizabeth Jane Colter 

designed many of the buildings here in the early 1900's.

They all seem to blend into the canyon.

After a bite to eat we split into two groups.

Brian, Matthew, Sarah and I headed along the rim trail 

towards the Lookout Studio.

Alex, Kevin and Ranae headed down a trail into the canyon.

Like looking up at the heavens,

looking down into the Grand Canyon is thought-provoking.

The Hopi House was very unique.

Mary Colter had a unique vision.

I was especially interested in the interior roof.  

How could this still work after a hundred years?

Along the trail there were natural rustic benches.

And the trail was lined with small stones,

right on the edge.

I loved the natural beauty.

The park was unadorned.

Nothing seemed too commercial.

It was all just breathtaking.

I noticed one feature that I did not get identified.

This picture is zoomed in from the previous one.

That looks man made doesn't it?

How do you get down there?

What is in that cave?

I thank God for forming this grand place for our eyes to see.

In this picture I was looking at the canyon switchback trail

in the distance.

Now this picture makes us look brave.

Or just plain crazy.

Actually there was a large ledge right below us.

But from the camera's viewpoint.......

.......it just looks like a long way down.

While hiking Sarah found this perfectly shaped heart rock.

It was hard to remind her that we weren't allowed to take it home.

So I took a picture so we could keep the memory.

It was also surprising to see people off the trail

and standing in precarious places along the edges of the canyon.

I only hope my other children aren't participating.

It's probably better I'm not a witness anyway.

There were occasionally small telescopes on the trail that pinpointed 

unique features.

Another memory I wanted to record was how many people we met

on the trail from other countries.  We heard so many different languages.

At times we had a hard time identifying every language.

Most everyone had a map out and the first thing people would say to us,

in broken English is, "Do you speak English?".

When it was getting toward evening,

we finally made it to the Yavapai Geology Museum.

This place reminded me of my dad.

He would love it.

Every rock in the canyon was represented and identified.

Walking back in the twilight,

there were people gathered waiting for the sunset.

As we headed back to the Grand Canyon Village

I couldn't help but be so thankful for today.

What a wonderful place to spend time and make memories with our family.