Author – Grant
From – Mexican Hat, Utah
To – Williams, Arizona
Via – The Grand Canyon South Rim, Arizona
Miles Driven – 250ish
Today’s Photos – http://www.flickr.com/photos/32017704@N03/sets/72157615825146083/
Today’s objective was to set everything up for a great day tomorrow so it won’t be the most fascinating to talk about. Still, being America, we managed to bump into more than our fair share of nut-jobs which livened things up a bit.
I have a weird habit of really enjoying looking forward to things almost as much as doing the thing itself. For example, I hate buying tickets to concerts or shows on the same day as I really enjoy the anticipation and build up associated with waiting for the event to come round. Today’s visit to the Grand Canyon was a bit like that for me as mentally I have set aside Day 139 (tomorrow) for Grand Canyon sightseeing and so when it became clear that our route to get to base camp for the night took us into the heart or the Grand Canyon National Park and just a few metres from the spectacular south rim I was, strangely, a bit miffed. Still, you can’t be so close to one of the world’s Seven Natural Wonders of The World (according to C
NN who may be just an ‘ickle bit biased) and not go and see it. I mean, someone might fill it with concrete overnight and then I’d be dissapointed. Now I don’t want to go on about it too much today as it’s Kate’s turn to blog tomorrow and I don’t want to steal her thunder but I will throw in the obvious statements that it’s frickin’ big, eerily beautiful and a canvas of crazy colours (the canyon that it, not Kate). Tomorrow we get to explore it on foot and possibly on bike but given that the weather forecast is predicting snow and 60mph winds, this could be our goodbye.
One of the aforementioned nut-jobs we encountered was at this touristy view point. He was with his girlfriend and claimed to be 100% Navajo that lived on a canyon overhang just across from were we stood. Why, then, was his missus snapping away with her ruddy great Pentax given that they would theoretically get a better view from their own back yard without the hoards of tourists that flocked around this area? Kate innocently asked if the Grand Canyon was called something different in the Navajo tongue and they said that it was but that it was a secret. I’m assuming this was a pretty naff cover for the fact that he simply didn’t know but either way he came across as a bit of a “nalga hi tsin nah ailh” (which actually means “supply ship” but free online Navajo-to-English translator services are hard to come by).
Dogs aren’t allowed to stay in any of the six lodges inside the national park but luckily the near-by own of Tusayan has one motel (the Red Feather Lodge) that will welcome our pooch. Unfortunately, however, the lady behind reception was a stroppy cow, i
t was pretty expensive and the hotel’s “pet friendly” policy involves never being allowed to leave the dog unattended for a second in the room. When asked how we are supposed to eat or see the Grand Canyon, she just shrugged and couldn’t have given two hoots. I’m all done with handing over my not-very-hard-earned cash to arseholes (or to companies that employ them) so I’m proud to say that we high-tailed and have settled at the Holiday Inn in Williams. It might be 40 miles further away from tomorrow’s sightseeing but it has sensible policies and a pool/jacuzzi to boot. Also, Williams seems to have a funky little Wild West themed high street with a number of saloons that I’m sure we’ll rip up tomorrow night. Tonight, however, we contented ourselves with a fine meal at the Red Raven Restaurant (almost everything in town is called Red-Somethingorother…I’m sure why will become abundantly clear before we leave) that served up a fine pepper steak, chicken pasta all washed down with a few glasses of almost local Californian red which is now in frighteningly close proximity.
From – Mexican Hat, Utah
To – Williams, Arizona
Via – The Grand Canyon South Rim, Arizona
Miles Driven – 250ish
Today’s Photos – http://www.flickr.com/photos/32017704@N03/sets/72157615825146083/
Today’s objective was to set everything up for a great day tomorrow so it won’t be the most fascinating to talk about. Still, being America, we managed to bump into more than our fair share of nut-jobs which livened things up a bit.
I have a weird habit of really enjoying looking forward to things almost as much as doing the thing itself. For example, I hate buying tickets to concerts or shows on the same day as I really enjoy the anticipation and build up associated with waiting for the event to come round. Today’s visit to the Grand Canyon was a bit like that for me as mentally I have set aside Day 139 (tomorrow) for Grand Canyon sightseeing and so when it became clear that our route to get to base camp for the night took us into the heart or the Grand Canyon National Park and just a few metres from the spectacular south rim I was, strangely, a bit miffed. Still, you can’t be so close to one of the world’s Seven Natural Wonders of The World (according to C
NN who may be just an ‘ickle bit biased) and not go and see it. I mean, someone might fill it with concrete overnight and then I’d be dissapointed. Now I don’t want to go on about it too much today as it’s Kate’s turn to blog tomorrow and I don’t want to steal her thunder but I will throw in the obvious statements that it’s frickin’ big, eerily beautiful and a canvas of crazy colours (the canyon that it, not Kate). Tomorrow we get to explore it on foot and possibly on bike but given that the weather forecast is predicting snow and 60mph winds, this could be our goodbye.One of the aforementioned nut-jobs we encountered was at this touristy view point. He was with his girlfriend and claimed to be 100% Navajo that lived on a canyon overhang just across from were we stood. Why, then, was his missus snapping away with her ruddy great Pentax given that they would theoretically get a better view from their own back yard without the hoards of tourists that flocked around this area? Kate innocently asked if the Grand Canyon was called something different in the Navajo tongue and they said that it was but that it was a secret. I’m assuming this was a pretty naff cover for the fact that he simply didn’t know but either way he came across as a bit of a “nalga hi tsin nah ailh” (which actually means “supply ship” but free online Navajo-to-English translator services are hard to come by).
Dogs aren’t allowed to stay in any of the six lodges inside the national park but luckily the near-by own of Tusayan has one motel (the Red Feather Lodge) that will welcome our pooch. Unfortunately, however, the lady behind reception was a stroppy cow, i
t was pretty expensive and the hotel’s “pet friendly” policy involves never being allowed to leave the dog unattended for a second in the room. When asked how we are supposed to eat or see the Grand Canyon, she just shrugged and couldn’t have given two hoots. I’m all done with handing over my not-very-hard-earned cash to arseholes (or to companies that employ them) so I’m proud to say that we high-tailed and have settled at the Holiday Inn in Williams. It might be 40 miles further away from tomorrow’s sightseeing but it has sensible policies and a pool/jacuzzi to boot. Also, Williams seems to have a funky little Wild West themed high street with a number of saloons that I’m sure we’ll rip up tomorrow night. Tonight, however, we contented ourselves with a fine meal at the Red Raven Restaurant (almost everything in town is called Red-Somethingorother…I’m sure why will become abundantly clear before we leave) that served up a fine pepper steak, chicken pasta all washed down with a few glasses of almost local Californian red which is now in frighteningly close proximity.Whilst online Navajo to English dictionaries are hard to come by, check babelfish.com for an Essex to English dictionary to help with tomorrow’s blog which will cover our proper trip to the Grand Canyon and will be written by Kate.
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