Day 1363: the Grand Canyon

It was a long exhausting day filled with grandeur and geological wonders.  We left the hotel at 8 am and got back at 7:00.  Steve barely slept in anticipation of the difficult drive.  Most of route 64 was manageable because it has shoulders and metal guard rails at the bends.  Once inside the national park, however, it was back to narrow lanes.  He was miserable.

We entered from the east and hit five overlooks in the twenty- five miles before the visitor center.  Usually, he stayed about ten feet from the edge, even when there were railings.  I get freaked out by people's recklessness. One young Japanese mother put her toddler down next to an open railing while she visited with someone.  He was only a foot away from the edge!  Whenever I saw people posing for pictures right on the edge, I had to walk away.

Many years ago when we were visiting Niagara Falls, a mother dropped her baby over a railing into the falls.  I didn't see it happen, but we were in the park and I was so horrified I had nightmares and we didn't return for years.

Dealing with millions of visitors every year has created both benefits and problems in the park.  In the Grand Canyon Village, there is every service a guest might need; lodging, food, transportation, first aid, shopping.  It means more people can xperience the wonders, but it also creates a Disney World atmosphere.

An elaborate shuttle system ferries folks along the south rim.  Guests jump off at an overlook, take pictures and then ten minutes later another busicks them up and transports them to the next vista.  I was so grateful for the system because the bus was air conditioned.  Without it, we would not have seen much.  Instead, we stopped at seven of the nine viewing points.



Air pollution compromised the views.  A haze settled over the canyons and obscured the distant features.  But it was magnificent!  People from all over the world were gathered in peace to enjoy this magnificent natural wonder.

I haven't written anything about Pope Francis' visit to the US.  What an inspirational, humble and loving man.

In political news, John Boehner announced his resignation as Speaker of the House and his seat in the House.  Moderates and Democrats should not celebrate.  His replacement will be much more difficult to work with and even less will get done in Congress.