Road Trip - Day trip through Grand Canyon Part II

With a full day planned, we hopped onto one of the route busses, and hit the trails. We didn't actually "hit the trails". We actually intended on doing as little walking as possible. The day was perfect, mid-high seventies, sun beating down, not a cloud in the sky, and a light refreshing breeze. The bus schedule is about every 15 minutes at every stop, but we ended up skipping some of the stops because the view was nearly the same as we worked our way around the south rim. There was a few glimpse of the Colorado River, and we did see some hikers, and mules through binoculars. Dad wanted so badly to take a mule trip to the base of the canyon - but those trips are costly, and long. Longer then we had to adventure the Grand Canyon. He even had Brad on board! It sounds risky - and turned into more of a joke.

 

Mom enjoying the majestic views

Me standing at the top of the South Rim

Dad and Brad down below waving up to their wives.

Have you ever seen something so beautiful?

Daddies Littlest Girl

Brad being brave!

 At one of the stops, there was a little walkway that portruded past the barriers set up by the National Park, and down on to the very edge of the canyon. I looked around for my husband, after getting carried away with photos of the scenery, and I found him hiking, down below, in his cowboy boots. As others watched and commented about him leaving the barriers, I couldn't help but notice the distinctive trodden trail. So I too (despite the onlookers negative comments about my husband) decided to take the trail down to Brad. It was safe, it really was, and Brad stayed AWAY from the edge. He wasn't going to risk steping on any lose rock, or split rock, and end up taking a free flight to the bottom. It was fun to be adventurous, and feel that cool breeze blow through our hair. As we looked up at the others veiwing our position, we saw shaking heads, and individuals saying, "they are not supposed to be down there." There was nothing saying to stay on the path! Nothing! Although, most would say it's better staying on the path, my husband carefully evaluated every step, and I'm pretty sure it was part of a hiking trail that continued on beyond what we could see. But we didn't dare attempt to step foot anywhere we weren't sure of. It was thrilling/exhillerating to be there on the edge of the canyon, looking at the view, with my husband by my side.

 

Daredevils on the edge

Waiting a the bus stop
 

Look at that view

My parents

We felt so small, in the earths gaping crevases.

 

At the end of the road, there was a small little hotel (not operating anymore) that had a fire place built right into the sidewall of the canyon. Dad and Brad couldn't help but take a seat and converse while Mom and I walked through the gift shop. It was here at this viewpoint that we enjoyed our PB&J's and pringles that we packed, and also purchased a refreshing ice cream. Then it was back to the bus to head back to Cayon Village to get the rig and RV to begin the night drive to Albaquerque, NM. We hoped to make it at least that far, so that the following evening we would arrive back in Oklahoma. It was going to be a long drive.

 

As we left the park behing us, with nothing but open roads and darkness ahead, we randomly started to hear a honk. We found, IT WAS US HONKING. It happend a few times, and finally it was stuck on! Everyone who was passing our big truck and RV thought we were the rudest people. Then we turned onto a desolate road, and Brad got out with Dad and the flashlight. They couldn't find any loose wiring, and figured it might be the fuse. I recommended that maybe he adjust the position of the steering wheel, and we never heard the horn honk again. I kept laughing inside, thinking, whatif we end up in Albaquerque, and we are sleeping, and the alarm starts going off - in the middle of the night! What if we couldn't get it to stop! The adventures are never ending!  None-the-less, we made it to New Mexico. Set up in the Walmart parking lot, slept for hte night, continued the drive to Oklahoma the following day, and then it was home sweet home.

 

We booked a parking spot for the weekend at a local RV park. This way, we could unload the RV, clean it, and winterize it before taking it to the truck wash, and parking it out at our friends' Dustin and Kerrie. Mom and Dad had been excited to see Oklahoma, where we live, and what was in store for us on our next adventure. They were more then willing to assist us getting unpacked, and organized. So much so, we ended up into a few more projects then anticipated. Meaning, Condo get's a face-lift.