2nd May - Reports of my death are greatly exagerated .... (and Grand Canyon, Arizona!)

Apologies to Mark Twain for borrowing the quote but thought you'd be fed up of Steinbeck.

Isn't it strange how soon we get used to things, when I used to travel overseas for a living a phone call a week seemed like keeping in touch - take Wi-Fi away now and it's as though the world has ended - sorry but BT wanted all my personal goods and my firstborn to allow me anymore mobile data.

Any way on to the travels.......

There is no way that passing some 54 miles south of one of the natural wonders of the wold I could drive on without spending some time there.  So I drove north from Flagstaff up to Cameron mostly in the shadow – metaphorically as there ain’t much shadow at all in that part – of the San Francisco Peaks and then west along the South Rim of the Canyon to the Grand Canyon National Park. On the way in I saw 2 large Elk grazing amongst the trees which really just set off the day.

What can I say about this place, what can I show that won’t be bettered by a reasonable coffee table book or no doubt be done or has been done by  David Attenborough. It is magnificent.

 

 

 

 Got there early, before the crowds and at a time when the temperature was still thinking about getting up and thankfully the wind had gone off to bother someone else.  It was so peaceful.

Taking a shuttle bus out to the first stop away from the relatively new Visitor Complex I then walked most of the rest of the way out to Hermits Rest on the western edge of the Park’s South Rim, taking the bus only on one of the long road only stretches. I am amazed that there are so few barriers so that you can get to the absolute edge in most places – given the American warnings of legend that you don’t dry your cat in the microwave – it is so refreshing to see they rely on the law of evolution here – the idiots who get too close don’t reproduce – or do anything – anymore.

Met some really nice people – the English accent and the fact that I always seem to be carrying a strange black bag around – is a great conversation opener. As regards that bag – you may have noticed it – one of the concerns I had prior to the trip was security but I admit that hasn’t been a problem. I had no choice anyway than to leave most things on the bike when I looked around but felt slightly uneasy leaving all my personal and bike documents, laptop etc. too hence the bag.

 

Met a couple from Canada who are also coincidentally bikers and are from Thunder Bay on the north shore of Lake Superior in Ontario. Of little interest to you perhaps but as Thunder Bay is on my route back across the great Plains and miles – and I mean miles – from anywhere, a reassuring contact.

You've got to appreciate this guy's camouflage ...

The C0lorado River.....



 way, way down....

and Froggy!

 

You see some sights at places like this don’t you, hey look at me in my thick Kevlar lined motorcycle jeans in that sun, but most people dress in their interpretation of what is appropriate for those conditions. Big boots with shorts along the lines of a Morecombe & Wise sketch – I’ll explain to my American friends when I see you – hats that would look at home in the Foreign Legion, back-packs and cargo shorts with everything necessary for desert survival stuffed in pockets or hanging from loops.

Then there is the inappropriate – approaching me and drawing looks from those around – I saw two “ladies” of a certain age in bikini tops, one a little black and gold lame number – barely covering skin the colour of a “just chop it’s horns off” steak. As they passed I picked up their broad scouser accent – another American explanation due - we Brits don’t travel well do we.

When I got back to the bike I met three guys, 2 brothers in law and one of their sons. Thought there were 2 trikes among the three bikes until I noticed that one “trike” was in fact a normal bike fitted with what the owner described as “training wheels for seniors”.

 

 

 

 And they were just that, what we’d call “stabilisers” - weird. He was though my age so what’s with the seniors bit!

 

So, another brilliant day – and what’s more, me and Smokey have at last come to an understanding – think though if I’m honest he’s still a bit miffed with me eh!

 

Hurry up, I can't hold my stomach in much longer...