Cedar Ridge, South Kaibab Trail, GC

 

And finally we hit the trail!!! I hope you love this day as much as I do. It is one my favourite hikes of our entire trip.  This one and Boynton Canyon, in Sedona.  

Somewhere in our reading and research for this trip I remember reading that hiking into the canyon changes how you look at the canyon from the rim.   For me, getting into the canyon, as opposed to staying on the rim, was getting to know it.  I've discovered over the years that relationship: knowing and being known, is really important to me.  I hope I live that out consistently.

The South Kaibab trail has an 1100 foot elevation gain between Cedar Ridge and the trail-head at the top.  That would be uphill!!   Most of the elevation is near the top as you take the switchbacks down the almost vertical yellow stone layer.   Mules use this trail too and it is very well maintained. 

When we set out, the butte on which Cedar Ridge sits, was unknown to us.  Once we headed back, we could spot the switchbacks back up the cliff in front of us, and the trail out onto the point behind us.  It was a neat point of reference to look for from other scenic lookouts.

Isn't life just like that sometimes?  Just as the trail is carved into the cliff, the path you journey shapes you. And if you're fortunate, those who journey with you can see how the journey has changed you.A really neat insight I had a couple of weeks ago: Events in your life may shape you, but the coolest part is when you realize they don't define you.

Our journey is not just a piece of road we share, it's a part of  the landscape of our lives. There are days when all you can see is a dusty path and your scuffed up boots. Days when you put one foot in front of the other.  Other days you are able to look ahead and see your destination, or look behind to see how far you've come. Or days when the voice of a friend pipes up behind you and you walk together for a while.  Best of all are the days when you reach lookout points that you've been struggling toward and you are rewarded with the most amazing view and sense of accomplishment.   I love those days!!

Sunset at South Kaibab, Grand Canyon, AZ

One day at a time, every moment a favourite moment.

Sunset in the Grand Canyon(GC) is not actually about seeing a sky ablaze with colour.  It's about how the light of the setting sun plays with and enhances the shadows. 

We drove into Tusayan, a little town just before the GC and found that our hotel room was not quite ready.  The sun was on its way down and we decided to get oriented with the park.  We took our 1 week pass and headed into the park,  hopped on a random shuttle which took us to South Kaibab. These were our first glimpses.

So many different layers of stone.  It's neat to orient yourself when you are hiking by looking at nearby cliffs to gauge just how far you've gone.   It feels like we went really deep into the canyon...at least that's how it felt hiking back uphill!!  It's more like just descending the tip of an iceberg....

Next stop?  Cedar Ridge, South Kaibab Trail.  

Lake Havasu City, AZ

Ray wondered if we would see palm trees on our trip.  They were everywhere!  But we learned that they are not a native species to this area and need lots of water. There were so many different kinds.  This one is a date palm. 

Lake Havasu City is one of this little stops we made because it was halfway to somewhere else.  However, we did learn about it and several other stops we made, because of the "Paddling Bryans".  Sometimes the story is half the (mis)adventure!  We watched their second season which saw them paddling down the Colorado River, and this made many names like Lake Powell, Glen Canyon Dam, and Lake Havasu City household names for us.   How could you NOT stop here?

Lake Havasu City is on Lake Havasu, a reservoir created by the Parker Dam.  And in a dry climate, any place with an accumulation of water, like Lake Havasu is a magnet for water sports. We saw houseboats in dry dock that were as big as our house!!!!  Its lesser claim to fame is that the actual London Bridge, which was dismantled from London England in 1967,was reassembled here in 1971 and still stands today.  An architectural marvel.  If you have the money, you can buy a bridge. (This is your geography lesson for today...)

And the last photo is on the way to Grand Canyon.  Within a 3 hour radius of Flagstaff you can go skiing in the Arizona Snowbowl (San Francisco Peaks), boating on Lake Havasu or Lake Powell, or hiking in the Grand Canyon.  They really do have it all.

On our we to Flagstaff and Sedona, we drive along the other side of those mountains.   Watch for them in the roadshow post coming up somewhere down the line!

In preparing for our trip I had really hoped to pick up a set of filters for my camera.  I ended up running out of time and decided to make do.   While driving in California  I discovered that I could adjust the colour saturation and add filter type adjustments in my manual settings!!  Playing with my camera is such a fun part of my vacation.

Next...a 3 day stopover in Grand Canyon National Park.