The Grand Canyon

Tuesday morning made preparations to get underway to the Grand Canyon.  After having to add a little oil to the Cortez and noticing a couple of small spots on the ground I got underneath and tightened the bolts on the oil pan and main seal.  Said my goodbyes to Fred and Barney and made my way north during another rain storm.  The weather had scared everyone off.  No wait at the main entrance and I was able to get a campsite without reservations in the Mather Campground.  After getting parked and settled in the dogs and I hiked up to the visitor center to get our first look at the canyon.  Well my first look was rather anticlimactic.  The canyon was socked in with zero visibility.  Undaunted we returned to our campsite. 

The Cortez at the Mather Campground

These critters were everywhere.

The weather broke a few hours later and I returned to watch the sunset in the canyon from the Mather Viewpoint.  It is indeed a Grand Canyon. 

A view worth the wait

A definite must see.  One of the seven natural wonders of the world.  Bedded down for the night and got up early Wednesday morning to take the park bus to Powell and Hopi points which are closed to vehicle traffic the majority of the year.  Again sensational. 

Woke Wednesday morning to find this guy in the next camping site

The view from Powell Point

Certainly one could make an entire vacation just here.  Got a couple of books at the visitor center and headed out to Williams again.  With the improvement in the weather they were backed up almost a mile to get into the park as we left.

I hope that I turned the sprinkler off at the house before I left!