Well, I’m officially sick. My son has seemed determined to share his cold with me, and despite my best efforts to keep well, I was finally taken down. I felt like I was on death’s door all day, but we had come here to see the Grand Canyon, and I wasn’t going to miss it. So, I did my best to ride along and enjoy it, blowing my nose and coughing every couple of minutes.
We drove west today, because I had read that the Hermit’s Road was open to car traffic during this season. Normally, you can only take a bus along it. We dutifully stopped at every overlook and took in the view. The canyon winds and curves back and forth as it follows the Colorado River, so it’s amazing how much the view changes just by driving a quarter of a mile up the road. And every vantage point offers something new and beautiful to see…different colors on display, different rock structures, and different plays of shadows and lights. From some views, you can even catch glimpses of the river thousands of feet below, as it winds through the twisted landscape.
Maricopa Point had some breathtaking views, but the blowing wind was unreal. It reminded me of the wind on the Cliffs of Mohr, where you have to lean at an angle to keep from being swept away! It wasn’t in gusts, but a constant hard pressure on you the entire time. My wife refused to even go out on the overlook, but Troy and I trundled out there, holding onto each other for support. I guess most everyone else was deterred by the wind too, because there was only one other family out there, and they didn’t stay long.
At Powell Point, there is a monument to Major John Wesley Powell, who completed the first successful passage down the Colorado River through the entire 277-miles of the Grand Canyon. There is also a rock platform that juts off the side out over the canyon. Standing on it makes you feel like you’re floating above the depths below with nothing between you but air and prayer. Many visitors like standing here and getting their pictures taken, because there are no obstructions between you and the majestic backgrounds behind you. When Troy and I rounded Powell’s Monument, we were greeted by a couple, attempting to take a selfie of themselves on this platform. Upon seeing us, they immediately asked if we’d oblige, so I did. They then offered to take our picture in return. I wouldn’t have ever considered walking out on that rock platform, my Spidey-sense was going crazy just thinking about it. But I also sensed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so I suppressed my better judgment and accepted their offer.
Mohave Point was my favorite spot. It wasn’t so much the view, which I think it would be hard to find a bad view of the Grand Canyon. But there was an atmosphere of peace and tranquility here that I hadn’t gotten at our other stops. The wind was calm, and it was quiet. If it hadn’t been so cold, and if the rest of my party hadn’t opted to remain in the car, I could have sat here and savored it a whole lot longer.
The journey ended at Hermit’s Rest, which was a little way station on the cliff. A place for long-ago, weary travelers to stop and get a hot meal by the fire before continuing their journey. Now, it’s a gift shop. The place itself, as well as the surrounding area, were really neat. The giant stone hearth, blackened walls, and wooden furniture echo with the stories of the millions of travelers who passed this way. You can imagine them sharing food, hardships, and laughter, as they rested their tired feet and aching legs. Ravens fly all around Hermit’s Rest, cawing their guttural cries and alighting on the stone arches and tumbling stone walls that dot the landscape.
We drove back to Market Plaza for lunch, which was grab-and-go sandwiches and hotdogs. Due to the fact that we had gotten to the park early to beat the gate traffic that we’d been told can build up during peak times, it was only three o’clock when we finished. It’s amazing that you could reasonably drive the entire park in a day, stop and see pretty much everything, and still take in a sunset. It was a very different experience from Yellowstone. Since neither my wife nor myself were feeling well by this point, we opted to just go back to the hotel and rest instead of pushing it. Besides, we needed to save something for tomorrow, right?
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