The plateau was formed along with the Rocky Mountains about 70 million yrs ago as a result of shifting plates, raising it from sea level to thousands of feet elevation.
Arriving at my destination, I was met by the awesome view of
The Grand Canyon, listed as one of the 7 natural wonders of the world.
Words or photos cannot begin to describe this magnificent landscape.
Given the large numbers of visitors, I was impressed by how well this area (the south rim) was organized, with free shuttle buses to take you along the rim, stopping at shops, restaurants, hotels, and trailheads. Despite so many services, the design is such that I never felt any chaos. There were many natural green areas and I always felt close to nature. Even beside the parking lot, I saw a number of deer wandering in the bushes nearby. The air was clear and, although there was some traffic and you could hear people speaking various languages, there was a sense of tranquility. This is an example of what living in harmony with nature could look like.
The Grand Canyon is 277 mi long and 1 mile in depth. There are several hiking trails ranging from easy to difficult and you can get a permit to camp below the ridge.
I was tempted to do one of the difficult hikes but then accepted that I'm no longer in my 20's and do have some limits! The "Bright Angel" hike I chose to do was moderate and I found that challenging enough as the trail had some melting snow, mud, and icy patches. It was very slow going due to some sheer drops at the edges and quite a few people on the trail. I was happy to have brought my hiking poles with me! The 1 1/2 mi walking down took me more than an hour, partly because I stopped to talk to some interesting people along the way. I knew I would have to come back up and decided not to continue the whole route. A sign at the visitor's centre advised that "Going down is optional. Coming back up is mandatory" ! It took longer to come back up and it was getting colder so it felt good to get back and relax.
I had forgotten it was spring break, so the campgrounds were full. I was too tired to look for some free camping in the National Forest so I just stayed at the parking lot and hoped no one would knock on my door at 3 am asking me to leave! There were other vehicles parked and those probably belonged to people camping in the canyon overnight.
I left there shortly after for the drive back to Williams and hwy 40 .Since it was still early, I decided to take a side trip to Sedona, having heard so much about that area. Heading south on hwy 89A was a treat. The road wound up and down with some sharp curves passing through forests and some very spectacular scenery. Since a permit was required to stop along the way, I stopped only once at a small market to look at local crafts. While there I met a woman who told me she was working for a resort in Sedona that is selling vacation properties. She offered me 2 free nights at their RV park if I agreed to attend their sales talk the next day. I had no interest in buying property but she insisted there was no obligation so I went to check it out. The resort was beautifully manicured and had many attractions but it also felt very artificial to me. I suppose I've been spoiled by camping in the desert! I left after a few minutes and , breathing a sigh of relief, ended up staying at the casino parking lot overnight!
Back to hwy 40 and east towards Albuquerque, however, more of natures wonders called me and I took a detour to the Petrified forest. I found a shop that sold small pieces of petrified wood for $2/lb but they also had very beautifully cut and polished pieces for much more money. A table inlaid with a slice of the polished wood cost thousands of $.
They are clever to sell small pieces for a bargain because it helps deter people from taking them from the sites and damaging the petrified wood there
I don't really understand it but the process of turning trees to stone began to occur over 200 million yrs ago when the landscape and weather were very different from today. The landscape was lush with trees almost 200 ft high. Over time, the trees were knocked down by wind or water and carried downstream.
Some were buried in sediment (including ash from volcanoes) before they could decompose. Ground water dissolved silica from the ash and this mixture filled the cells of the tree, crystallizing after a very long time.Other minerals were incorporated as well resulting in the various colours. (info from National Park Service brochure)
As I drove back along the road, I came across "The Teepees"which was an interesting set of coloured hills created by various minerals.
Soon after that, I saw "The Painted Desert" , located at the north end of the park and close to hwy 40, and called by that name because of the many colours there.
I continued the long drive to Albuquerque to stay at another PA campground where I am at this time. I know many more wonders and adventures await me and look forward to sharing those experiences.
But first, I have to go get an oil change for the Ford truck that is a part of my motorhome.
Since I started this journey almost 6 months ago, I have driven
about 19,000 km!
While the truck is being serviced, I'll explore some of the old part of the city.
"Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it!"
-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, German writer
" Make each day your masterpiece"
-John Wooden, Sportsman
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