neal family adventures: Grand Canyon

Wilson, AZ the town 20 miles outside Grand Canyon. Stopped for lunch.

Junior Ranger program. It got moved inside due to the wind. The ranger showed the kids different items from different time periods of the canyon.

Lea finished her junior ranger program requirement before she even sees the Canyon. The ranger said at the program "did you notice that sometimes the scenery looks painted" and she was right. Without hiking down the canyon side it was hard to get perspective of exactly how grand the Grand Canyon is. There were many views that seemed two dimensional. It was a bit overwhelming to the eyes.

Lea looking at far away rocks (they looked a lot like close up rocks)

Majesty and beauty.

For Lea's junior ranger badge she had to attend a ranger guided program, fill out pages and identify things in the park, a bingo card of animals, plants and other things to spot.

A tree branch fell off very close to where we were going to wait for a bus. Fortunately we weren't hurt. Did I mention how windy it was?!?

We attended a second ranger program on Condors. We learned that condor eat dead things (he said that about 10 times), that their head has no feathers so they don't get dirty eating dead things, that they have a pink spot on their chest that acts as a second stomach and pops out when they gorge themselves because they don't know when the next meal is because they only eat dead things. We learned that at a time there were only 22 condors and now there are over 300, but it is 3 condors forward and two condors back. They are still struggling. One thing that was a surprise to me iis that they are getting lead poisoning from lead buck shot when hunters dress their kill in the woods and leave the guts (Ranger's technical term) and the condors scavenge those remains. Condors are bred in places like the San Diego Zoo (which we will see in another post — though we didn't take pics of the Condors, we did see them and Lea identified them by the pink spot on their chests).

Turns out because of the high winds we could not have a campfire or charcoal fire so we headed to the restaurant so we didn't have to fight with cold food and high winds. The food was average. The tortilla soup was very spicy to me, but the chipotle sauce on the chicken was as bland as cream of chicken soup. Very odd. They said they made things mild due to the many cultures that pass through, which I understand, but then why was the tortilla soup very spicy. Not spicy enough for Lea. She added pepper sauce from the "Grand Canyon Sauce" on the table. As for many cultures we tried to count languages and we got (and some are educated guesses) We got to about 7 languages, but all I can remember now are Swedish, Japanese, German, Italian, and Spanish. There was one family yelling at their pre teen kids and I said "I don't know what the words mean, but I know what they are saying!"

Camping! Did I mention it was windy? And it got so cold. I was so worried it was going to be 110 at the Grand Canyon and it got so chilly. I had packed some warm weather gear for Montana, but we broke it out in Arizona. Lea went to bed cold and got well bundled, I thought I'd be fine and woke up freezing. The cots are fairly comfortable (did I mention I broke one of the cots that are older than Dan at Kaitlins?).

I didn't take the time to rotate this photo. It kind of shows how I felt. I did not sleep great. I was too close to the tent side (there is plenty of room so I should have scooted over, but I would have had to get out and it was very cold so I suffered) — I was close to the wall and the wind would blow just enough that it would thump my arm like someone tapping me to wake me up.

Lea bundled up and ready for bed. Mining helmet ready to guide the way in the dark.

This is how Lea ended up once she fell asleep. I bundled her back up in her sleeping bag to make sure she didn't freeze. But this is a sleeping Lea.

Coffee, coffee and hot chocolate! Hair not brushed, few hours of sleep, chilled to the bone. After egg and pancakes and the sun started shining on the trail life was better. Same restaurant as dinner, Bright Angel Lodge. Breakfast was much better than dinner.


Lea filled out her Junior Ranger guide at breakfast. These are symbols that Lea would leave for other campers. First line: EYE + Beauty = I see beauty. Second Line NO FALLING OVER THE EDGE. Third line: Moon + snowflake = night is cold! (I had some influence over the last one).

We have coffee & hot chocolate in us so we're ready for adventure.

Between the street sign and the seat at the right is an elk. I think you'll have to take my word for it, but that finished Lea's Junior Ranger bingo!

Squirrel! He was not afraid to go take lunch from the Germans next to us.

Canyon Blue Jay

Jay at the canyon

Raven. They are really big! I was surprised.

Neal Family at the end of the Red line bus line. At Hermit's Rest. I got a little crabby at this stop because I didn't sleep well. However we all got past it. We also went half way on the red line the night before to Hopi Point to see the sunset, but I forgot my camera. The sky did not light up, it was a bit hazy so the sun sank with more of a whimper than a bang. Also I just sat and enjoyed myself with my family as the sun sank over the cliffs. Lots of people taking photos VERY near the edge. Lea picked up on what I was saying and would give a little speech to us (not to other travelers fortunately) about how you wouldn't catch her next to the edge, she wouldn't go that close and that was NOT good decisions.

Hermits Rest. I think the telescopes were put in before the trees grew so tall.

Bear Trap. Dan had a convesation with a park ranger about how the bear trap worked and details about it and different kinds used. This has smooth metal bars that trap the animal, where ones with jagged teeth would tear the animal and ruin the pelt or cut through the leg so the animal escaped, but much worse for the experience. Probably soon to become condor snacks. Anyway, I liked that Dan had such an interesting conversation about it so I made him take a picture with it. He did not like the idea and thus the look on his face.

Hermits Rest. Now a gift shop. Designed by Mary Colter who in 1929, mere 10 years after women gain the right to vote. Mary Colter had many buildings at Grand Canyon and designed them to blend with the scenery and look like they belonged. She was commissioned by Fred Harvey — of Harvey house hotels that really settled the Grand Canyon. People would ride the train and they offered 4 day expeditions with women in fancy outfits who had to have college degrees to give guided tours. Then to hotels were built. It was all because of the train. But I found it fascinating and important to share with Lea that women were such a force in making the Grand Canyon a destination.