Grand Canyon (revisited - again)

Just inside the park was a large herd of wild bison.

The magnificent Grand Canyon.

I stood on the top of that rock in 1975, wouldn't do it now.

Riding back to Page past the Vermilion Cliffs, I could see monsoon storms all around.

Monday, July 11th.

I had one more day before my booked tour of Antelope Canyon, so I checked maps of the area and decided to visit the North Rim of Grand Canyon again. I first visited here in 1974 when I was 22 (that is here on the blog too under Old Trips - Driving the Western US) and I visited it again in 2000 with my son, mom and brother. The ride was a really nice cool temperature as I rode up about 4000 ft. to the canyon plateau. I passed an area of a previous forest fire. The ponderosa pines were charred or destroyed and the aspen trees were growing like grass and taking advantage of all the sun and space. Just inside the park boundary I came across a herd of about 100 bison. I took some photos and rode by them very carefully. I arrived at the rim of the canyon about 10 and spent five hours there exploring the three main viewpoints, enjoying the vistas and talking to people. The temperature was much hotter at the rim. I met a German tourist and his four young children who had collided with a bison while driving into the park in the dark. Their rented van was totalled and they were waiting for two days for a replacement. As a result they missed their tour of Antelope Canyon today. I also met a man and his two daughters, who was born in Canada, raised in Montana and has lived in Holland for 20 years. He said Holland was the second best country but he preferred Canada. After a relaxing time I headed out, but instead of going back via Kanab, a nice park ranger I was talking to suggested going back around the Vermilion Cliffs which is a shorter route. So, I headed out. As the road descended back to the valley floor the ponderosa pines disappeared, then the scrub forest and finally all vegetation as I returned to the desert and the heat. It was over 100 degrees but luckily it was mainly cloudy. In fact there were rain clouds all around and there were very strong crosswinds that tried to blow me off the road. It was not a very relaxing 70 miles back to Page. I arrived at my pre-booked Quality Inn for the next two nights at about six, just as a dust storm hit. Crazy weather out here. The hotel contains a restaurant, and I’ve decided I don’t like Mexican food. 337 kilometres today.