A Day at the Grand Canyon

At about 11am (we never get started too early), we headed for the Grand Canyon for the day. First we went to El Tovar to make dinner reservations...9pm. Rick actually found a parking spot right at the hotel parking lot...we didn't have to walk far after dinner. Rick had shrimp stuffed trout and I had venison ribs.



Lobby of the El Tovar


I think I'll just bore you with many pictures of the Grand Canyon. Every view was awesome.




This is a view of Phantom Ranch down at the bottom of the Canyon. Rick and his friend Andy Glass hiked down there a few years ago. Had to use my big lens to zoom in to see it.







This is the bus we used to see about 12 miles of the canyon.

First sighting of the Grand Canyon

We can see it!! Wow!! We've both been here before...and it's still ... WOW!!


The sun is almost down, so the shadows are deep. We're just driving thru.








The campground is full. Why?? We are off season. Spring break!! Had to drive thru and go to a campground outside the park. Basic. Basic. Water and Electric. No space. No picnic table. Cold.



I call it barren. Thank goodness for our electric heaters, catalytic heater, and furnace. We were cozy.

Day Eight, Almost to the Grand Canyon

Car works fine, but oil gauge is still fluctuating. Drove to Winslow where we still had an appointment at the Chevrolet dealer. Oil sensor replaced, and we are on our way once again.

As we approached the Grand Canyon, we first encountered the area of the Little Colorado River. It is part of an Indian reservation.


Notice how flat the land appears...except for the large crack in the earth.


Goes on for miles.


Walking to the blue rail, the view is amazing. The Indians have their handmade items for sale before you can get to the rail. Things like ceramic jars, vases, jewelry, arrows, bows, carvings, etc. the usual. The view is free, however.


Then we keep going up in elevation and end up at about 7000'+, and once again...Snow!! It keeps following us!

More Holbrook

Interesting sights along the road on the way to the grocery store.


These were the balloon variety. Very large.


Painted on the front of a building which claimed to be the "Oldest Trading Post". It is no more, only some artwork is left. Yes, it's on Historic Route 66.

Day Seven, More Route 66 in Holbrook, AZ

I even took a picture of this Wigwam Motel in about 1967 when I drove cross country with my friend Bette Pancoe. No never stayed there.



Looks like it's still open for business.


They are small. The old cars are there just for looks.


The really dead cars are just parked there.


Wonder if it would run??

Day Six and Seven, Oh,Oh

Oh! Oh! Hmm. As we were driving along, Rick noticed that the oil pressure needle was fluctuating up and down...a lot. Stopped. Oil OK.



Stopped further down the road at Chambers, AZ. Just out of NM. Needed gas...it was $3.80/gal. Ouch! Car would not start. Wouldn't even make a noise.


Called AAA. Does he think he can tow us?? Suburban AND Airstream??? Rick was on the phone to everyone, Cousin Tom Richards (in CA), Art Andersen (in Ashtabula), Mr Boltz (in Ashtabula)... The guy from AAA got under the Suburban and pounded on the starter. Behold! It started, we drove it to the Holbrook, AZ, KOA. OK, now we have a place to stay at least.





Rick waving bye to me as the Suburban goes off the get a new starter and cellanoid.
I stayed at the KOA and worked on the blog.

Day Six, Leaving Albuquerque, NM

Leaving the Elks Club



Long long straight roads. Flat land.



There are ads for casinos all along the road. They are located at the exits. Lots of room for truck parking. A hotel and gas station are available, too.


The Continental Divide


These red buttes and cliffs go on for miles. Today was really, really windy. Sandstorm, even. Some of the tumbleweeds were huge. Saw many cars hit them. They just disintegrate, they are some dried shrub. Oh, we saw snow, too, in the protected areas.

Day Five, Sandia Peak

After leaving Santa Fe, we were driving by Sandia Peak, the longest tramway in the world. So of course we got a ride to the top where there is skiing on the other side of the mountain. Lots of snow there. It was so windy, the tram had been stopped for a while during the day. It was a bit scary...I thought so...but safe enough. The ride down was in the dark...maybe better!





Enlarge this picture to see the descending tram!

Day Five, Santa Fe

On to Santa Fe and walk thru the Old Town. The whole town must build so that it looks like very old southwest stucco. Unique looking McDonalds, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, you get the idea.



Stucco Building.


Indians sell handmade jewelry.


Rick and Chip looking for a good bargain.


Really beautiful hotel inside. Many hand painted windows that look like stained glass in the lobby.

Day Five, Madrid

Interesting house with hands.


Great musicians. Just doing it for themselves


Neat mailboxes.


People live in boxcars and make them into shops.


This trading post used to be a whorehouse.

Today we decided to go to Santa Fe. We were really glad Chip could join us. He was our guide up a scenic route thru the mountains and thru a town called Madrid, which had been a hippie colony in the 1960's.

Casualties along old Route 66

The Historic Route 66, the first cross country road from Chicago to LA, was closed when the Interstate System came into being. I40 now follows a lot of the old southern route. In fact, along a lot of the way, there is the 4 lane I40, old unnumbered Historic Route 66 and 1-2 railroad tracks.

When I40 was opened, nobody went on 66, businesses failed, gas stations closed, motels closed, people moved out and all the buildings were left behind to the ravages of time.

Here's some pictures of the abandoned buildings. I did take some out the window as we were driving, but they're not too bad.