Arizona, Part 2
Day 3
When I first see the grand canyon, I don't have that life-changing experience that some people describe. Maybe because this is as close to nature as your average fat American gets.
I do get that feeling (that I often have in national parks) of being small and insignificant compared to the power of nature. The canyon is enormous.
First up I take a hike on the bright angel trail, but only a few miles in and then back out, because I don't have that much water and the view stays the same pretty much the whole time. I need a backcountry permit to go down to the river, and I don't have one of those. I've tried to get one for two years now but it's very competitive.
After that, frustration sets in when I realize how crowded the park is and how complicated it is to get around. I first try to drive around, but there's no parking anywhere and the roads make no sense. They're mostly one way and some are for shuttle only. I waste a few hours trying to get my bearings and find this one stupid trail. The park map is no help.
I give up and take the shuttle to my destination only to find out I have to switch to a different shuttle and then that's a 90 minute roundtrip. I waste most of the afternoon try to get from one side of the park to the other. I'm beginning to find the grand canyon really annoying at this point.
I eat dinner at a cafeteria, because I can, and there's tons of kids in the cafeteria with laptops, because there's free wifi and it doesn't seem right . National parks shouldn't have Internet access.(full disclosure: I totally used the free wifi both days I was there.)
Finally, a shuttle ride to a viewpoint to watch the sunset. The canyon looks best in that evening light. The colors are beautiful. Lots of elk everywhere, and stupid people walking right up to them to get close up pictures.
When I first see the grand canyon, I don't have that life-changing experience that some people describe. Maybe because this is as close to nature as your average fat American gets.
I do get that feeling (that I often have in national parks) of being small and insignificant compared to the power of nature. The canyon is enormous.
First up I take a hike on the bright angel trail, but only a few miles in and then back out, because I don't have that much water and the view stays the same pretty much the whole time. I need a backcountry permit to go down to the river, and I don't have one of those. I've tried to get one for two years now but it's very competitive.
After that, frustration sets in when I realize how crowded the park is and how complicated it is to get around. I first try to drive around, but there's no parking anywhere and the roads make no sense. They're mostly one way and some are for shuttle only. I waste a few hours trying to get my bearings and find this one stupid trail. The park map is no help.
I give up and take the shuttle to my destination only to find out I have to switch to a different shuttle and then that's a 90 minute roundtrip. I waste most of the afternoon try to get from one side of the park to the other. I'm beginning to find the grand canyon really annoying at this point.
annoying, but still pretty
Finally, a shuttle ride to a viewpoint to watch the sunset. The canyon looks best in that evening light. The colors are beautiful. Lots of elk everywhere, and stupid people walking right up to them to get close up pictures.
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