Pat Gallagher's Blog

So this will  be the last episode of our Western Adventure.  I am sure most of you are very happy about that.  So today we are heading to Grand Canyon from Glen Canyon Dam, which is  about 2 and 1/2 hours, a short distance on this trip.  I have been looking forward to this part of the trip.  THE GRAND CANYON.  As a child you see pictures, movies and hear all sorts of stories about it.  Some people love it, are awed by it or yawn at it.  My critique will happen after I see the Grand Canyon.  My one girlfriend, who will remain nameless to protect the innocent, called it a hole in the ground.  Yet to be determined.  

So we had a nice breakfast, checked out the Dam and Lake Powell again before we headed out.  So traveling along to the Grand Canyon, we got to see some really Cool sights.  Rainbow Bridge, Glen Canyon, the Hanging Gardens, Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend before reaching the Grand Canyon.  Each one of these sights in and of itself are fabulous, awe inspiring, breathtaking and very Art worthy.  But we were on Freddy’s Fast track and did not have enough time at anyone of these locations to really take the time to enjoy the beauty of it all.  You really know there is a God after seeing these landscapes. Trying to draw or paint any one of these locations is a challenge to an Artist.  I will transcribe these thoughts to some paintings at a later date.  

On with the trip.  We arrive late to the Grand Canyon because of our sight seeing.  So our 2 and 1/2 trek turned out to be almost 8 hours because of stoping, hiking and looking. We arrive at the Grand Canyon at dusk.  We put out the big bucks to stay at the Grand Canyon Lodge.  Why Not! Only a few more days on the road before heading home.  The lodge was built in the 1930’s and only wealthy travelers could afford to stay there.  We settled in and headed out again to see the canyon before the sun went down.  Amazing! Wow! Breathtaking! Wow! Jaw dropping! Wow!  OK, I have to give Fred credit for saving the best for last.  We were sitting on the Lodge’s back porch with a glass of wine. Watching the sun go down over the Grand Canyon. It was a Moment. Period end of story. 

We have a dinner, walk back to our room and run into a Moose. Yes a Moose! Maybe a few, but who was counting?  Bedtime at the Grand Canyon.

I wake up very early to get some pictures of sunrise over the Grand Canyon before breakfast. Again, Amazing! Wow! Breathtaking! Wow! Jaw dropping! Wow! Another moment, this time, I felt like God was talking to me and all my past family and friends who have pass to the other side were all there.  It still gives me chills.  I was there for about an hour looking, taking pictures and walking around some of the trails before I went back to wake Fred.  We had the most elegant breakfast in the Lodge and then planned out day of hiking and seeing the Canyon.  

So we are going to look at what hikes are doable.  Do we want to walk, hike, ride a mule or go on the guided tour OVER the canyon, YES over the canyon! On the glass walkway that overhangs the 6000 ft Grand Canyon. Well from the get go, the see through overhang skywalk that Ranger Raoul says is only about 100 ft to the center and 100 ft back does not understand that one foot is too many for me. NO, NOT, NEVER! Moving along the mule thing is out of the question.  I have no problems with Mules, none whatsoever.  But when Ranger Raoul started telling us about the mule trip, heights and helicopter removal I started going weak in the knees. We settled on the self guided, easy pace trip that would not involve $15,000. and evacuation plan or my death by fright. We head out to the Bunny Trail and I see specs of dirt that seem to be moving down in the canyon.  I take my sun glasses off clean them, rub my eyes and clean the glasses again.  NOPE it was a trail of people on mules deep in the canyon.  I was only looking at moving specs and I almost threw up.  

We continued our self guided tour, against Ranger Raoul’s better judgement and drove from site to site to see the canyon. As you remember, Freddy the Fireman, who is not in the least bit afraid of heights wants to hike down these areas so he can get a better look at the the 6000 ft incision in the Colorado River.  All I can think of is heartless Ranger Rick’s warning from a few days back.   Nope, I am not hiking down anywhere, today I am an observer and proud of it.  So as we go from site to site Fred wants to hike down and get closer to the edge to get a better look.  I say take a picture, go on the internet, make friends with one of those foreigners who are hanging off the edge to get the perfect vacation photo.  Ranger Raoul told us not to get too close to the edge or take any risky photos because every day five people die from falling over the edge trying to get a perfect photo.  What does SPLAT look like?  Thank goodness I have the telephoto sense for my iphone so I don’t have to get any closer than the railing.  

The day ends with a wonderful dinner and another sunset over the canyon.  NO ART TODAY! But many ideas swirling around in my head. 

We woke early and had another look at the canyon, then head south towards Route 66. This will be the quickest way to get back to Vegas to start our trek home.  We did get some kicks on Route 66.  What a fun town!  Memorabilia everywhere.  The town is about 2 miles long of fun chachki stuff.  Everything you want or need to know about Route 66 is on those 2 miles of highway.  Even Smokey the Bear.  Fred and I continued to go down memory lane as we went from shop to shop to shop ending up at Rods Steak House, where he swore the owners would remember him from 50 years ago.  We entered Rod’s, passing the giant polyurethane Cow at the entrance of the restaurant.  After Fred approached the owner and told him the whole story of his trip 50 years ago and insisted that he recognize him, I gently nudged Fred out of the restaurant and told him the new Asian owners were being nice and really didn't remember you.  He disagreed.  We had a great dinner at a funky dinner spot then looked for some local music.  We headed back to our hotel for a good night sleep before heading to Vegas in the AM.  NO ART TODAY!