We started at the visitor center, which in hindsight maybe we should have done first yesterday. We watched a short video on hiking the Grand Canyon, which would have been excellent information if we’d actually been hiking the Grand Canyon. Then, Troy and I went to check out Mather Point, which was an easy five-minute walk, while my wife rested her ailing leg.
The view from Mather Point was definitely worth seeing, but it was extremely crowded due to its location near the visitor center. Troy enjoyed climbing on the rocks and pretending that he was a mountain goat. I afforded him a little latitude, because it was all fenced in, and because I think he was getting bored just sitting in a car; only getting out to take in the view and then getting back in again. It’s sad that most of the trails here are to descend into the canyon, so there’s not really a place for us to let him stretch his legs, like at Yellowstone. There’s the rim trail, I guess, which goes around the top. But because of her leg, my wife can’t walk very far, so I assume she wouldn’t have been going with us either way. The rim trail also follows the road for the most part, so it’s what we were driving anyway.
After the visitor center, we decided to do the Desert View drive which heads east through the park. There weren’t as many stops along this road, but that was okay, because we didn’t feel like getting out and walking much anyway. There were a whole lot less traffic and people this way too, which was nice. We felt like we could take our time. The road winded through the forest, eventually ending at the Desert View Watchtower. It’s a tall round tower that spirals 70-feet into the south Grand Canyon sky. Troy and I decided to ascend the tower, but my wife opted out.
They limit the number of people up in the tower at the same time, so we had to stand in a line for about ten minutes to go up. It moved pretty quickly, but to a child itching to get some energy out, it was an eternity. Inside, I experienced something that I’ve never felt before inside. I’ve been known to get the heebie geebies when I look down from high places, but today it was enhanced by the already aching in my bones from my illness. It felt like someone was pumping electricity through me, not into me, but through me. Like I was a conduit, but I could feel every current passing through my bones. It was horrible. And it wasn’t just when I’d get too near the edge. I felt it when Troy got too close too. I soldiered through, so I didn’t ruin Troy’s experience, but it was tough. I enjoyed the tower immensely, the paintings and construction were beautiful, but I was also ready to leave it quickly.
On the way back, we stopped at Lipan Point to watch the sunset. The sun is in the wrong hemisphere this time of year, so there really aren’t any vivid sunset over the canyon images, but it did set over part of the canyon at this location, so it was still cool to see. The colors might have been more striking if there had been more clouds in the sky, but that is my only complaint. Lots of other people stopped here too, but few stayed for very long. Snap a selfie in front of the canyon, then back in the car and onto the next overlook. The others were here for the sunset like we were. They staked out their spots and then sat quietly to admire the slowly changing and darkening landscape.
It was crazy how windy and cold it started to get after the sun went down. I stood there for a long time after the sun had disappeared behind the canyon walls. The wind was loud and biting, despite my heavy jacket. But there was one moment where the wind stopped, just for a few seconds, and it was eerily quiet. I was afraid to move and disturb the silence. Everyone had gone by that point, except for one other guy, sitting and enjoying the afterglow too. It was a cool moment, but ultimately the cold won out, and we both headed back to our cars.
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