Kindness.

As we were headed to the Grand Canyon we heard a new sound from the truck.   Upon investigation the exhaust pipe had started to break away from the catalytic converter.  Greg used some time, skin off of his knuckles, some clamps, wire and a tomato can  cut open to repair it enough for us to carry on.  When we got into Utah we visited a number of garages and repair shops until we found one who said they could weld it the next day.   We get up, we're there on time, we unhook the trailer, we're ready for the big wait and the big bill.   The guy pulls in the truck, welds it, says "That'll last you for awhile- ten buck."  Greg gave him twenty.  Ten extra for a case of beer- because you can do that with ten bucks here.  :)  Wow.  There are kind, generous people everywhere you least expect it. 

The Grand Canyon Three Ways

First Way:

We have met some amazing people in the last few months, some of whom have told us of their very favourite out of the way places to go.  So we took Irv's advice and got a back road atlas for Arizona and headed for a remote part of the Grand Canyon called Turweep.   It is still part of Grand Canyon National Park but a very small number of people a year go there....we found out why.   As Anna writes in her journal about the road from St. George, Utah to Turweep.

To sum it all up it was a clay washboard steep curved, cliff edged middle of nowhere 75 miles of road.  Greg of course is calm. 

The toilet paper is on the dash for when I either throw up or crap myself.  (I did neither, thank you very much)  And the worst was yet to come.  Apparently Irv, who told us we could just drive right to the end of the road and camp right on the edge of the Grand Canyon hadn't been here for awhile and things had changed.   We got most of the way down to the end of the road and met a volunteer park ranger who suggested we not go any further.   Sand road, lumps of slick rock jutting out just waiting to gut the bottom of our trailer like a fish.   This picture does not do it justice. 

It's a great thing that Greg can back up like a champion because it was about half a mile of backing down a curved downhill rocky stretch until we could turn around.  Then it was about 5 miles back to the park boundary where we camped at the Tuweep International Airport. 

That white speck in the middle of this photo is our trailer.  The wind blew and the cows visited.  The road had shaken our trailer to pieces and filled it with fine red dust.  The pickles spilled in the fridge, ran down the inside and outside and across the floor.  Pickle juice + red dust = not good.  Was it worth it? 

At this section of the Grand Canyon the two sides are pretty close together without a lot of side canyons and it is a mere 3000 ft to the bottom!

 By Anna:

Good evening.  I am going to tell you all about the Grand Canyon.  Around the Grand Canyon there is this cool biological crust.  It  is very, very fragile and that means that even a footstep can be fatal.  That is why we had to step on rocks and stay on the path.  Believe it or not it is really hard not going over to a pretty flower and getting a picture! 

 Anyway, the sight was AMAZING!  The Grand Canyon goes for ever and ever.  I took a lot of pictures.  The coolest thing was that we saw the part of the Grand Canyon that not a lot of other people have seen.       

Second Way:
The beginning of the Grand Canyon is Lees Ferry.   No need to hike all the way down, just drive off of the plateau and head upstream where the Grand Canyon starts. 

Third Way;
We were at the North Rim area of the Grand Canyon on opening day- May 15th.   There was still some snow in the shade on the road to get there-  being at 9000ft of elevation.  About one-tenth of the visitors to the Grand Canyon go to the North Rim- the rest go to the South Rim-  but it still felt pretty busy.   We went to some lookouts and the visitor centre. 

                  You feel really small here.     

Valley of Fire!

More rocks!  Amazing landscapes. and hikes and petroglyphs-  did I mention the rocks?

 

Petroglyphs at Mouse's Tank

 

Pink Rocks and Red Rocks and Climbing Rocks!

 

 

 

 

 

Hanging out at Lake Mead.

Swimming in a lake in April!  Temperatures were in the high 90's.  Apparently record breaking for this time of year here.   Tilly has started to love water, but isn't swimming yet.  Rusty as usual is a seal.

You can make a diving bell from a rubber maid.  Always the teacher...



We spent just time hanging out and resting, regrouping, being antsy.   Anna made us some awesome sushi with only a little help.   Thanks Auntie Alison for teaching her!

Lake Mead is created by the Hoover Dam- just east of Vegas.  Did a tour of the dam- it really is a work of art- even though it dams an amazing river- it was very innovative for it's time.  And even though the interpretive display didn't mention any of the women that were part of building it- but there I go thinking critically again. 

 

 

The level is very low- drops 6 ft below the previous year low each year- only 10 years before they don't have enough pressure to generate electricity anymore.  As it is they only run one turbine out of seven at present.

It's main purpose was for irrigation- but now the water is also used to facilitate urban sprawl and green lawns where there should barely be a creosote bush.  While we were there they actually moved the beach!  Just moved the barriers, signs, outhouses and plowed a new ridge of gravel and voila you don't need to walk so far and the water couldn't possibly be dropping.   Lalalala.

 

And no we did not go to Vegas.

Joshua Tree National Park

Keys View

Joshua Trees- not one the same
 

Crazy trees, crazy rocks, amazing views.   But lots of people- from all over the world.  Did I mention the rocks?

 

Skull Rock.

Climbing

by Leland

We went to Hall of Horrors to climb. Surprisingly it’s not what its name says, it was really fun not scary.  I was the first to get to the top of this big wall.  It was extremely awesome. Anna on the other hand was falling constantly.  If it weren’t for the rope this would be about how Anna died. But at 1:30pm Dad said to Anna last chance to get it right and she turned into a climbing machine, finding hand holds and foot holds and she got to the top. But I am just a simple witness of this feat and I cannot provide full detail so ask ...ANNA. Photos are from the ipod- but you get the idea.

 

Life in the camper

We thought that Rusty would be a – to put it bluntly- huge pain in the ass on this trip.  But he is actually settling in quite well- doesn’t bark as much- really only at other dogs or if someone walks into our camp- which is good.   He seems to be having a great time actually- hanging out with us and going for lots of hikes and walks.     His camouflage works in the desert too and I am more and more convinced that he is part coyote. 

 

 

Tilly is having a harder time- she was on a hunger strike earlier in the trip but is eating again now.  She was used to at home sleeping a lot!   She is really tired- but doesn’t seem to mind being left with her bed in the camper while the rest of us go.   We just need to watch the temperatures for her.  

The trailer- that we still need a name for – seems really spacious-  we each have our own little space-  choosing the model with the double bunks for the kids was a great decision as they each have their own little room.   We spend most of our time outside of course- but inside only one person uses the sink/bathroom at a time- and the dogs have to be outside for me to use the kitchen which I’m still figuring out a system of storage for.   Good thing I bought a step stool as most cupboards are too high- as usual.    Compared to our backcountry-canoeing system this is luxury!  A fridge- freezer- three burner stove-oven, sink, bathroom, shower (that we only use if we are hooked up to water)  A water tank, our own mattress and duvet!   Pretty comfy.   One of the things we just bought that is helping with all the little miscellaneous things like maps, sunglasses, bandanas, charger cords, flashlight, sunscreen is a canvas shoe bag with mesh pockets that hangs on the outside of the bathroom door.   Very handy.   A few double wide pockets would make it even better.  

We seem to be settling in, relaxing, reconnecting with each other and with nature....just what we all needed.