Take it Easy...

There were lots of tourists "standing on the corner," but there's more to Winslow, Arizona.  More pictures below. 

FLASHBACK:  1960.  My family's 5 week trip to California, which included a trip to the Grand Canyon.

I don't remember a lot about this trip.  I was a mere 2 1/2.  You can see my head to the left in the front window.

I am impressed my parents did this with a 2 1/2 year-old!  No carseats.  I got the hump seat in the middle.  When my older brother left the nest I graduated to a window seat.  Probably to everyone's delight, since I got car sick. 

Everything we needed for 5 weeks was in the trunk or the homemade car top carrier.  Tent, sleeping bags, blow up air-mattreses, cooler, food box, misc. and clothes.  Everyone took one dress outfit and they were in a bag I seem to remember laying across the top in the trunk.  I'm sure other clothes were kept to a minimum and NO suitcases.   They took up too much room.  I'm sure every inch was used. 

FLASHBACK: 1968. This should have been with yesterday's pictures.   It is a view from Mather's Point on the South Rim. At the point, on the right, are my Mom, Dad and myself.  Mark graduated to photographer I guess?

FLASHBACK: 1960.  A view from the North Rim.  

The only way to get to the south rim's Kaibib trailhead is by shuttle bus OR bike, we chose the latter.  On a chilly, windy Sun., our last day, we biked over for a picnic lunch and some views.

There are a few things we didn't get to see this time, but I always like to think that there are things to go back and see everywhere we go.  We didn't hike down the Kaibib trail.  Well, we went a couple of feet but I'm not counting that!  We also didn't make it to Mather's Point to view a sunrise or sunset. The big one?  We haven't taken the mules down Bright Angel's Trail and back up again.

A mule tour from the Rim returning.  Note to self:  turn off flash next time.  Ooops!

Interesting group of trees alongside the conifers.

We took about 10 steps on the South Kaibib Trail.
 

Hiking from the North Rim Kaibib Trailhead to the South Rim Kaibib Trailhead is  20.4 miles, with an elevation change of 4800' on the south and 5800' on the north.  Whereas in summer months there are water stops on the South Rim Bright Angel Trail, the south Kaibib is steep, sunny and no water refill spots.  The average completion time, 12-15 hours. Recommendation is 2 days.

Why did I tell you all this?  Well, we parked our bikes (no autos allowed there) and were looking for a picnic spot near the Kaibib Trailhead.  A young man (I'd guess in his 20's) stopped us and asked where the shuttle bus went.  He had hiked the Kaibib rim-to-rim that morning and had been waiting there for an hour for his ride.  Realization confirmed that his ride wouldn't arrive there now, and his cell phone was dead.  With Pat's phone he called his ride who was walking up to meet him and was just reaching the area. I told him his ride deserved a good dinner that night.  They sought us out for a final thank you.  He also let me know that his ride definitely would be getting a good dinner.

Still not the whole reason I told you this story.  This young man was dropped off at the North Trailhead at 4 a.m. and reached the South Trailhead by noon, 8 hours! WOW!!  It took his ride 3 hours just to drive from the North Rim back to the South Rim.  

Lots of switchbacks.

We took a bike tour of Mather's campground where we stayed in 1996.  The days bike ride seemed longer than 7 miles.  It was a paved path, slopes but no real hills, kind of windy, Pat thought it was chilly and I thought it was down right cold.  Anyway,  we struggled.  Maybe our legs were tired from hiking.  Pat said the wind was in our face coming and going and it was uphill both ways, lol!

FLASHBACK:1996.  The background is washed out but I love this picture.  3 kids that are done.  Pat went to the Grand Canyon when he was younger.  When they got there he said he didn't need to get out, he'd seen it on TV (which would have been black and white by the way).  I'll have to ask his Mom if he actually got out. 

Good-bye Grand Canyon.  We'll be back!

Anyone get it?

La Posado, "the resting place," was designed by Mary Colter.  Known for her designs in the Grand Canyon, she considered this her masterpiece.   

The hotel hit on tough times.  The original furnishings were auctioned off and the building was gutted and filled with offices for the Sante Fe in the 1950's.  It was saved by Allan Affeldt and restored to a hotel in the 1990's.  I had to peek inside.

Falling Meteor II in downtown Winslow, by Jerry Peart.  Meteor Crater National Landmark is about half an hour away from here. 

Where are the Piepers now?  Holbrook, AZ