Amazing Country

So on Easter I said goodbye to Nappy and Carla for hosting me and headed north.

So I stumbled upon this massive hole and it was absolutely amazing. I went to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Once again I blurted our Holy Fuck. But wow. It is breath taking and humbling and words and pictures do not do it justice.

I thought it might not be busy on Easter but I was wrong. Apparently the last 2 weeks in April are they’re busiest due to the weather. 65 degrees and sunny! It was perfect. Although I’m 99% sure I saw snow inside the rim.

But don’t make excuses people, go check it out, at least once. They’ve made it accessible for almost every ability. I only had a few hours but could have spent a few days.

When I pulled into the park I saw an elk, well I think it was an elk, eating grass behind the trees. The visitor center parking was insane! (Sorry Jon and Emily, I didn’t get you a ranger book from this one). So I gave up on parking there and took the Desert View drive and am so glad I did!!

I stopped at the GrandView scenic stop and got front row parking! I choose to hike down a bit, knowing that this is unlike any other hiking where you go down first and that I was at least 6000 feet above sea level.

I don’t know how to describe it other than humbling. It gave me a similar feeling when I sit and watch the ocean. Reminding me that there’s so much more out there. I hiked down a ways where there were only 4 or so other hikers and found a spot in the sun to relax and think.

I was awe struck and then when I tried to hike back up, I was humbled again. Wow is that hard. I’m quasi athletic and that had me sucking wind and breathing embarrassingly loud. So I took a break and enjoyed the view before heading back up.

And then I had to keep going but it was still another 30 plus minutes driving to get out of the park, which is amazing. I am so glad I went to the Grand Canyon.

I thought I picked a hotel near Monument Valley Navajo Tribal land… I did not. I had picked a hotel in Chinle, Arizona. 96 miles away… so I had to adjust my plans. And then I missed a turn and drove 22 miles in the wrong direction before I realized it so I had to adjust again…good thing I’m flexible!

That being said the view was gorgeous. And I saw this at a rest stop!

Let me tell you about time changes because they were making me batty. So Arizona is in the mountain time zone but does not acknowledge day light savings. However, Native American land/reservations DO observe day light savings. So my phone and car kept switching times and at first I thought I was losing it (and I still may be).

But I finally got to the Thunderbird Lodge at 9pm? 8pm? I was exhausted but it was a super cute little place.

Hope you all had a great Easter xoxo aim