GRAND CANYON DAY 3

We had booked a rafting trip through the Grand Canyon on the Colorado River.  The trip covered 82 miles of the river, about 25 of those miles were rapids and the rest more  smooth water. In the Grand Canyon the servity of the rapids are graded from 1-10  not 1-5 as all other are graded.
We rafted through 2  number 7 rapids 1 # 6,    2# 5  and several smaller ones.  There were certainly some hang on tight moments, but we made it through and both really enjoyed the ride.  We were the last raft so got to watch all the rest before we got to go.  The temp at the bottom of the canyon was 116*F at mid afternoon, however the water temp was 65 so when you got drenched, it was like a ice bath but when you got dried out on the smooth water areas it was really hot.  The guide stopped often so we could drop in the river to cool off and there was lots of water to drink. Not much more we can say here, just enjoy the pics.

THE GRAND CANYON 2

Day 2 found us on the south rim of the canyon.  Grand canyon Village is the only access point to the area and from there  private vehicles are restricted to the west so we rode the shuttle to all 8 view points along the route. Each one is unique and again we are at a lost for words to attempt to describe how big the canyon is.

You can hike to the bottom or you can take a mule ride to the bottom of the canyon. This pic shows the trail down, of course once you get down you also have to get back up. The temp can be as much as 20-25 degrees hotter at the bottom.  If you make the trip you are required to spend the night at the bottom. No one day down and up are allowed.  No we did not.

Here you can see the trail across the bottom to the river.

 There is beauty in the starkness, in the contours and the ever changing colour.

 Amazing rock formations.

  

In Places you get a glimpse of the Colorado river, here you see a section of white water.

 The National Park Service here gives praise to the creator of this park and all we have seen in our travels, they tell us about millions of years of time and the forces of wind and water but it still comes back to Genesis 1:1 

 "In the beginning God created........  "

And what a awesome creator He is. 

 

THE GRAND CANYON

I'm sure most everyone has seen pictures or been to the Grand Canyon. It is one of the seven natural wonders of the world and the only natural landscape visible from space. It is 277 miles (446km) long as much as 18 miles (29km) wide and a mile (1.6km) deep. Many better writers than I have been unable to describe the magnificence of this place and a thousand pictures cannot capture the immensity  of the canyon.

 We spent four awe filled days here. On day 1 we were at the north rim, it is visited by only about 15% of the people who come here. The north rim is over 1000 feet higher than the south rim and therefore normally about 10* cooler.

You can just barely  see the south rim in this pic even  though at this point it is only 10 miles away. We were told that the air in the canyon gets a little bit more hazy every year as a result of the west wind bringing the air from the heavily populated southern California and Las Vegas area.

 We had both seen pictures of the Grand Canyon sunset and really wanted to experience it Here you can see the shadow across the canyon floor. The best colour is suppose to be the  sunset bringing out the colour of the rocks.

We waited, and waited

 And this was the best we got.

 So we turned towards the sun for this. We were quite disappointed.  We later learned that the picture that get published everywhere was taken in 1998.

 WE need to go to Flagstaff and this was the road, taken through the windshield.   Don't know about the purple color.

 The road goes through an area called Vermillion Cliffs

This is the starting point for a raft trip through the canyon. Trips are from a 1 day to a 13 day 280 mile ride.

LAKE MEAD and ZION NATIONAL PARK

After leaving Hoover Dam we head north along  the road through Lake Mead National Recreation Area. This is the lake formed by the water behind Hoover Dam. The lake is down about 32 feet from normal but we were told that the lake fluctuates every year according to the snow fall.

 The road also passes through lots of scenic views. Like this.  we stopped for the night at a state park, it was nice to have power for the air conditioner because the temp was 104F when we stopped.  WE know some people say O,yeah, but it is dry heat.  Yes it is, its like bending over you oven when you open the door. It"s still hot.

 Next morning we arrive at Zion National Park, the north entrance., it is very dry and again very hot but the scenery again is pretty special.

We take a hike up a trail that rises 1500 feet in one half mile. this view is the reward, but it was really a tough climb and very hot.

  We visited the south more popular entrance to Zion NP.  Private vehicles are not allowed deep in the park so we hop a shuttle and spend two hours getting a educational trip and many great views of Zion. The area above is named The Great White Throne. Named by a Methodist minister  many years ago.  Nearby is a area called "Angel's Landing" where he envisioned  angels would land before the throne.  The hike to Angel's Landing was labelled extremely difficult and was 5 hours in length.  We quickly declined that.   We did take a one mile hike on a trail to a place called the narrows.  We get there and discover that the best part in up the river through the water and highly recommended you use  a walking stick.  So walk the mile back to the trail head and the shuttle back to the entrance and buy the necessary equipment.

Next morning our 46th wedding anniversary, I take my darling bride on a one mile hike to the water and then  on a mile and a half hike through the 56* water in waist deep water and back again. (beat that guys)

Actually there were some areas where we were able to walk on rocks and get a chance to warm up.   In the Narrows the canyon closes to about 12 feet wide (above) and the current becomes fairly strong. The canyon walls rise to about 1400 feet over your head and  you stand under  the rock overhang of billions of tons of rock. It is really an incredible feeling and spectacular sight.  We were pretty proud of ourselves after that hike until a couple of girls we talked to had just finishing all 16 miles of the canyon in 2 days.

Later on our way our of the park on our way to the Grand Canyon we see this natural amphitheater.

LAS VEGAS and HOOVER DAM

Las Vegas,  what can I say, it is called sin city for a reason, and all the reasons are on full view.
Our reason to go to Vegas was to see the Cirque du Soliel at the Bellagio.   The   Bellagio is a incredible building with acres of casino floor space plus numerous shops and restaurants as well as two full size theaters that we guess would sit around 5000 people per show.  The front lobby is as long as a football field.
  The show "O"  was fabulous, with performance  in air, on the floor and in the water.  We highly recommend it to everyone. 

The flower garden in the top picture is in the conservatory by the main entrance and the picture above is  liquid chocolate circulating around the room. The temperature here was 107 at 4pm and was 99F when we got out of the show at midnight.   On the coast it is the wind that blows consistently every day and here it is the heat, a cold day in January it might get down to 60F   We are told that it gets to 140*F in August.  We got out of Vegas as soon as we could towards Hoover Dam.

 Hoover Dam a true engineering marvel.   It is 726 feet high and 1244 feet across,  660 feet wide at the base and 45 feet at the top.  It is build in an arch design and the top can move 1 1/2 inches to contain the weight of the water when it is full.    The dam contains 17 generating units and provides electric power to communities in 7 different states.   The water behind the dam is Lake Mead and it provides water to more that 20 million people in the southwest .

The new bridge open in fall of 2010 to provide a faster route across the Colorado River .

 We took a tour of the dam and power plant and this pic was taken from a vent about 400 feet inside the dam.   There are a number of passages and tunnels through the dam made for maintenance purposes, 

 Info on the bridge.  The picture below was taken from the middle of the bridge. there is a walkway build for  public access to walk on it. 

This is 880 feet about the river.

JOSHUA TREE and MOJAVE DESERT.

 The next day we headed east towards Palm Springs, shortly after leaving LA we see these windmills, thousands of them. They might provide power without using fossil fuel but they sure pollute the landscape. In short they are ugly. For you Windsor area folks  we feel the same way about the  drive along the 401 and all the windmills there.  We arrived at Palm Springs and got out of the RV to 107* temperature.  We did look around town a bit but the tours are all done in the morning and were over for the day.  I did see a sign to play golf for $5.00 on some of the over 100 golf courses in the area.

 Joshua Tree National park was our next stop.  The tree was named by the Mormons settlers who thought that the tree looked like Joshua holding his hands us in prayer at the battle of the Ameklikes.  I guess they didn't check the bible to well because it was Moses who held his arms in pray while old Josh was on the battlefield.

Even though in was still really hot we did take a  one mile hike into a canyon for these next few pics. 

 Most of the park was fairly flat desert but this canyon was really rocky.  We were told that the native Indians lived in the canyon many years past and  it was a hangout for cattle rustlers in the days of the old west.

 Look like lots of places to hide in these rocks  and there are rattle snakes and poisonous  critters as well.

It was really hazy but the mound you see in the middle of this picture is the San Andreas fault. It is measured moving 2 inches each year with the Pacific crust moving under the North America crust. and when the tension get to it max..........you know the rest.

The Mojave Desert,   miles and miles of this, sometimes with mountains in the distance.  We passed through a small town about 6:30 in the evening and it was graduation night at the local high school.  There were hundreds of people at the ball diamond out side and all the grads in the dress up clothes and caps and gowns  and the temp was 109*  WOW,  tough folks, we were hot in the RV with the AC on high.

The road across the Mojave , dead straight,  we wonder why they even built the road.

Sand, scrubs and heat,   it was still  over 90* at midnight.  On to Las Vegas

RONALD REAGAN LIBRARY

 After a great weekend visiting cousins and getting to know them better, we decided to visit the  Ronald Reagan presidential library.  President Reagan is one of  our most admired  and successful presidents and we had been looking forward to this visit. Visitors are somewhat restricted in areas of picture taking.

This motto was on his desk continuously during his time in office.  We need some political leaders today with the same attitude and drive.

 This Air force One was in service during his presidency, we were not allowed to take any pics or touch anything inside.

 This is a real piece of the Berlin wall that divided the city of Berlin Germany. We wonder how many people died trying to escape from behind it.  The president's famous speech with the words "Mr Gorbachev, tear down this wall"  in  his own handwriting is on display.

This beam from the World Trade Centre   becomes   a sacred place for us as we contemplate that day.                                                              

The President's final resting place for his mortal body.  This site faces out over the  Simi Valley and you can see for miles across the countryside.