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Back from the Grand Canyon
Mar. 21st, 2004 01:47 pmI'm finally home again. :) Eight days of being on a road trip, sounds exciting when you think about it, but the reality is a bit different. However, the trip was worth the discomfort.
For spring break my old roommate leslie asked if I'd be willing to go on a road trip to see the Grand Canyon, not one to skimp out on seeing something new I said yes. :)
On the way, we stopped by White Sands National Park and got to see well, white sand. Played in it a bit, got sand everywhere, took a lot of pictures, then we got on the road again. Got to see Albuquerque, New Mexico, stayed with a friend from college. Leslie really liked this guy named Jessie, can't say I blame her, he's a nice guy and handsome. :) So we stayed a bit longer there so they could visit. Then we hit the road again. Stopping for the night in some town near the Petrified Forest. The next morning we got up and drove toward the national park and spent about 5 hours sightseeing. I think I was more impressed with the Painted Desert. I'm glad we visited during March instead of waiting for summer. I can already imagine how miserably hot it'll be in a few months.
After we left the forest (which really was not a forest) just a bunch of stone trees laying on the ground. Apparently, settlers back in the dya used dynamite to break up some o fthe larger trees to take with them to sell to people. :(
We left the park around 3pm and started our drive to the Grand Canyon, we got to the place, stopped for dinner around 6 at a Navajo Indian reservation, not wanting to eat peanut butter and jelly again. So by the time we finished eating it was dark outside, and about 730 or 8pm.. We took our time.
by the time we reached the park, everything was closed so it was great because we didn't have to pay to enter. then we found a campsite that was already paid for but no one was there...so we saved 10 bucks that first night. it was cold as hell and I think I shivered more than slept, even with my sleeping bag, it was just impossible to find a comfortable sleeping position. The next morning we got up early and ate some breakfast, tried to figure out where the hell we needed to go to see this hole in the ground...
Luckily there were lots of maps and a shuttle bus system. So we finally found our way to the south rim and I think I got some pretty good pics of this Canyon. :)
I felt moved seeing the Canyon, it was so vast and remarkable, and naturally when I found a book called Over the Edge: Death in the Grand Canyon, I just had to buy it. Apparently over 600 people have died in this canyon, either from falling off ledges, or dying of dehydration, hypothermia, drowning, airplane crashes?? or flash floods. It's amazing that people even go hiking in 100 degree weather. I can understand why people back in the 1800's died, they didn't have the equipment or knowledge we have nowdays. some of the stories are sad, because in many of the cases if thepeople involved had just used some good judgement they never would have died. Who in their right mind goes hiking alone???? Men apparently. (No offense to any guys reading) but the majority of solo hikers who have died were men.
Even goign with other people is no guarentee that you'll be spared. There are stories after stories of whole gruops getting lost, not having brought enough water to last their hike, and people get desperate deciding to take BAD shortcuts. I've concluded if I ever hike inthe Grand Canyon I'll bring 2 gallons of water just for me, and stay on the park paths. :) And only go with women. Men are just too careless.. I don't think i'd want to take the risk of having some idiot guy jumping rock to rock and Oops falling off a 480 foot cliff.
Anyway, I just got home Saturday night and I spent most of today cleaning the tent and unpacking stuff. Now I need to find some dinner. :)
For spring break my old roommate leslie asked if I'd be willing to go on a road trip to see the Grand Canyon, not one to skimp out on seeing something new I said yes. :)
On the way, we stopped by White Sands National Park and got to see well, white sand. Played in it a bit, got sand everywhere, took a lot of pictures, then we got on the road again. Got to see Albuquerque, New Mexico, stayed with a friend from college. Leslie really liked this guy named Jessie, can't say I blame her, he's a nice guy and handsome. :) So we stayed a bit longer there so they could visit. Then we hit the road again. Stopping for the night in some town near the Petrified Forest. The next morning we got up and drove toward the national park and spent about 5 hours sightseeing. I think I was more impressed with the Painted Desert. I'm glad we visited during March instead of waiting for summer. I can already imagine how miserably hot it'll be in a few months.
After we left the forest (which really was not a forest) just a bunch of stone trees laying on the ground. Apparently, settlers back in the dya used dynamite to break up some o fthe larger trees to take with them to sell to people. :(
We left the park around 3pm and started our drive to the Grand Canyon, we got to the place, stopped for dinner around 6 at a Navajo Indian reservation, not wanting to eat peanut butter and jelly again. So by the time we finished eating it was dark outside, and about 730 or 8pm.. We took our time.
by the time we reached the park, everything was closed so it was great because we didn't have to pay to enter. then we found a campsite that was already paid for but no one was there...so we saved 10 bucks that first night. it was cold as hell and I think I shivered more than slept, even with my sleeping bag, it was just impossible to find a comfortable sleeping position. The next morning we got up early and ate some breakfast, tried to figure out where the hell we needed to go to see this hole in the ground...
Luckily there were lots of maps and a shuttle bus system. So we finally found our way to the south rim and I think I got some pretty good pics of this Canyon. :)
I felt moved seeing the Canyon, it was so vast and remarkable, and naturally when I found a book called Over the Edge: Death in the Grand Canyon, I just had to buy it. Apparently over 600 people have died in this canyon, either from falling off ledges, or dying of dehydration, hypothermia, drowning, airplane crashes?? or flash floods. It's amazing that people even go hiking in 100 degree weather. I can understand why people back in the 1800's died, they didn't have the equipment or knowledge we have nowdays. some of the stories are sad, because in many of the cases if thepeople involved had just used some good judgement they never would have died. Who in their right mind goes hiking alone???? Men apparently. (No offense to any guys reading) but the majority of solo hikers who have died were men.
Even goign with other people is no guarentee that you'll be spared. There are stories after stories of whole gruops getting lost, not having brought enough water to last their hike, and people get desperate deciding to take BAD shortcuts. I've concluded if I ever hike inthe Grand Canyon I'll bring 2 gallons of water just for me, and stay on the park paths. :) And only go with women. Men are just too careless.. I don't think i'd want to take the risk of having some idiot guy jumping rock to rock and Oops falling off a 480 foot cliff.
Anyway, I just got home Saturday night and I spent most of today cleaning the tent and unpacking stuff. Now I need to find some dinner. :)