Thursday, Grand Canyon South Rim, Travel to Flagstaff, AZ

We packed up and headed out (this is starting to sound repetitive, isn't it??)
of Kingman, AZ at around 9:15AM.  Chavee and Vic would follow just a few minutes
after us.  We planned to meet at the National Geographic Visitor Center, which
is a few miles south of the main national park entrance.  There they have an
IMAX film and a gift shop (of course!).  We got there at around 11:45 and Chavee
and Vic were about 15 minutes behind.  We bought our park entrance pass and IMAX
tickets and perused the gift shop until our 12:30 film showing.  Chavee found a
bumper sticker that she bought for us.  (The cargo carrier is slowly filling up
with all the stickers now.  Even easier to spot in the parking lots now!)

Saw this forest fire as we approached the park.  Turned out it had gotten started by lightening 2 weeks ago but is now being managed to control overgrowth in the area.

The film was about the early exployers of the Grand Canyon and the Colorado
River running thru it.  It showed how they were in flimsy rowboats going thru
the powerful rapids and what they needed to do to overcome the harsh
environment.  Of course it ended with clips of today's "adventurers" going thru
the rapids in much more advanced rafts/kayaks having a grand time.  It does look
like fun, but no time for that on THIS trip.

Chavee and Vic also opted to do a live bird show featuring condors.  As they
went there, we moved ahead to the park to scout out a place to have lunch.  We
got to the South Rim Visitor Center and hiked a bit on the Rim Trail, but there
was nothing in the shade, so we returned to the center were there were places to
sit in the shade.  We met up with Chavee and Vic and "dined" there.

We decided to do the Rim Trail which is an easy paved trail along the South Rim
of the canyon.  There are hop-on/hop-off shuttle buses as well that will take
you along most of the South Rim trails (about 8-9 miles in total).  So we
figured we'd hike as much as we could and then take the shuttle back.  The views
were spectacular.  Where we were, the drop to the river was about 5000 feet,
which was still 2000 feet above sea level.  To the other side of the canyon was
about 10 miles.  At one point there was a guide who set up a powerful telescope
where you could see a lodge on the North Rim side.  It was not visible with the
naked eye.

So we hiked all along, taking in the magnificent views.  (I have to admit, the
views started to look the same to me after a while.)  We read that as the sun
moves during the day, the different reflections off the canyon walls change the
views significantly.

We must have hiked about 2-3 miles (it seemed like a lot more) when we decided
to get on the shuttle to go down a bit futher to Hopi Point where we were told
(by the map and other hikers) that the views were really impressive.  So we
headed off the trail to pick up the shuttle, but before that we found the
restrooms and water fill-up stations.  At that point Vic called out, "Whoever
needs filling up and/or emptying out, now's your chance!!"  So that earned a big
laugh from my kids (bathroom humor lovers), and an entry into the blog!

We got off the shuttle at Hopi Point and, yes, it was impressive, but again,
they seemed to look all the same to me already.

Colorado River running thru Grand Canyon

After that we decided to head back, so we got on the shuttles (you have to
transfer shuttles to get all the way back).  Chavee and Vic wanted to stay for
sunset (about 30-45 minutes still to go) but we passed, deciding to try to get
to Flagstaff (1.5 hour drive) at a decent hour.  Chavee had brought family-size
deli packs, so she made sandwiches for her and Vic and offered the rest to us. 
We accepted the offer and had our own sandwiches back at the hotel.  Thanks
Chavee!

We got to Flagstaff, AZ at around 9:15PM.  We took a detour from the GPS where
there was a sign for Flagstaff.  The GPS was taking us due south and then due
east on I-40.  This bypass road (180) went southeast, so it might have been a
little shorter, but a little longer timewise.  I think it was worth it, since I
was getting tired and this road was a little curvy and darker so it kept my
attention better than the boring straight route on the GPS.

Tomorrow we head out for Scottsdale to get provisions for Shabbos/Sabbath and
for the weekend stay.  We won't be near any synagogue though.  Even if we were,
the 100+F temp would probably preclude us from walking any significant distance. 
It's amazing that Flagstaff has temps that are 20F less than the surrounding
area.  Must be something with the topography of the land.