July 18, 2011 North Rim Grand Canyon, Arizona

Let me start this post with HAPPY 40^th BIRTHDAY, Gerry!  I’m sorry you have to spend your actual birthday in the car.  But I know this trip will be worth it.

We left Corrales at 7 am, heading west on I40.  No one was thrilled to be in the car again, and it wasn’t until Arizona that we all got in our groove. 

Me:  Hey, kids!  We’re in Arizona!

Karl:  I don’t see any big canyon.

I spent the first few hours reading the tour books that I should have read 3 months ago but was too distracted by buying a new home to actually do it.  Then we spent an hour trying to make some last minute reservations at Yellowstone (Cookout! ) with very iffy cell service.  I hope Gerry doesn’t die of radiation poisoning from holding the phone up to his ear for so long.  

Northeastern Arizona is really very pretty.  We took the scenic route to the North Rim, and it did not disappoint.  Amid the mesas and rez trucks, we happened upon the Navajo Bridge – a surprise to us all.  (It’s probably in one of the books…)  It crosses the Colorado River and Vermilion Canyon.  Very beautiful and very hot.

It started to get rainy as we entered Kaibab National Forest, just north of the canyon.  The temperature dropped to 60 degrees and I was cold in my flip flops.  It sprinkled off and on while we set up camp.  The weather is clearing up as I type and if I bother to turn off the computer, I can see the Milky Way from our campsite.  The last time I was here was 1992.  There is a new check-in station for the camping, but that is about it.  We decided that we are North Rim folk – it’s quiet and discreet and I’m having trouble with connectivity.

"Thanks, CC, for the awesome jacket!"

Dinner tonight was hot dogs and corn-on-the-cob.  Not bad for the first night.  We are camping in two tents this go around.  Tonight is my night with Lindsay.  I hope we are better than average camp partners.

We made it!