Grand Canyon, Arizona

Friday 14 August

Hi folks

The predominant pine here is pinus ponderosa

and the birchy tree with the white trunk and bigger leaves must be aspen

but didnt pass much of that today

mostly pines on the run out to North Rim

with the poh-leese very active.

Fortunately up on the Kaibab Plateau I got engrossed with an Indian roadside stall

as the highway patrolman plied his trade back and forth.

Maybe it was the lower early am temp (mid 60's), but I got a different impression of the Indians

spending a bit of time gazing over the trinkets with a couple of dear elderly ladies.

Dunno whether theyre not too skilled at english, or whether its the old no spika da anglais in action

but they chirped and clicked away OK in their native tongue

mostly, ten dolla, ten dolla, you can touch, ten dolla...

Actually, for the rest of down the eastern side of the Navajo Res I felt the Indian had a better handle on things.

Some of the blokes commented on the meagre steadings

but I passed through some hours later around 5-6pm and the ubiquitous new white Ford F150's were rolling in, from work I guess.

The people, I'm presuming, dont have a culture of homesteading, more temporary to keep the rain out, and it obviously dont do that much out here

if it rains during the day, there's always the ute.  

Not being cheeky, but here on this side we did see some new desert homes in construction

altogether, an impression better than hopeful.

At North Rim

So to North Rim...

47 miles of slow Nat Park drive in, cold too, had to put my jacket on.

First impression of the 'Big Hole" was, golly, exactly that

and a wobbly walk out to the view point, exacerbated on the way back by the 8000' asl assisted gasp for breath

but I also saw close up, a totally unshy squirrel, and a salamander sort of lizzid.

The Yanks are great at their jingo's, everywhere, even out in the sticks

I wish I'd been recording them

the canyon's is, "the greatest earth on show"

in the Nth Rim deli an indian came in with his T-shirt, "dont worry, be hopi".

R89A

Then it was the long 40 mile backtrack out of the place, back on to R89A, down into the desert again

60F back to higher 90's, jacket, and T-shirt off

12 miles in a straight as the crow flies line from Nth Rim to Grand Canyon, Sth Rim

but 100 miles by road.

On the way, Cameron Trading Post, a large indian emporium, gifts, jewellery, art, and a restaurant

where I had the renowned Navajo Stew and maori-bread

just like home, big chunks of beef, potato, carrot, onion

washed down with a large diet Dr Pepper, (to watch the waistline, lol)





More R89A

Then the last 40 odd miles in sinking sunlight to Maswick Lodge

this place is like a huge dorm, community food hall, pretty much anystyle eating

and the accommodation in outhouse cabins.

Wifi's poor, so might have to leave this emailing till tonight.

South Rim offers the better viewing

Obama's coming day after tomorrow

Special Services here already

better go!

South Rim

North Rim