This was another state that we've only made once but we tried to pack a lot into the two weeks we were there or traveling. The trip included the funeral of my nephew but I won't go into detail on that. We spent some time with my sister's family and others who had come for the somber occasion. The year was 2012, the month was August, and the temperatures were sizzling. At least part of the trip had these great views.
Now that's a sunset!
We also had the chance to visit our son and daughter-in-law, now married almost three years. But since we were in Arizona for the first time we all decided to visit the Grand Canyon. I mean, that's one everyone does, right? My son and I came up with the plan to check out the Grand Canyon West Skywalk that was fairly new, a steel and glass horseshoe that extended out over the canyon. It didn't look to be too far from the other Grand Canyon entrance so we headed out on the road early that morning. I don't remember who was driving but when we saw signs for the upcoming Hoover Dam we figured we might have missed our turn. Sure enough it was a couple hours back. But since we were so close to Hoover Dam we decided to push on another half hour. It is amazing to see the sheer size of the dam close up and we of course drove over to the Nevada side since that counts as visiting Nevada (much like me going to the New York and Canada sides of Niagara Falls counts for both places).
Hoover Dam
The Dam Angels
As we drove out of this tourist site we saw signs for Las Vegas saying it was less than an hour away but the wife was upset and we'd ruined her day already. Little did she know what was ahead. We got back on the road and found our turn to get to the Skywalk and within a short time that paved road gave way to a rutted dirt road. We drove on that for an hour or more and finally found what we were looking for. Sort of. First of all, we discovered this was Indian land. Second, we found out this was not a quick free walk out on a glass horseshoe. Third, we had to go through a tour of Native American history. Fourth, a bag lunch was included at the end of the tour. Fifth, you had to leave everything behind before going on the Skywalk because YOU COULDN'T TAKE ANY PICTURES! For that you have to ask the photographer onsite to take them for you and charge you a bunch more money. If I sound cynical, you are right, and I think a lot of us have a right to feel cynical and even angry for being taken advantage of. And sixth, it cost $80 per person! In 2012 dollars which would be $130 in 2023 money! My son and I refused that highway robbery and told the wives we were leaving, which infuriated my wife even more. So the trip to the other canyon entrance took over six hours of angry silence. Would I have gone on the tour anyway, if I could go back? No, not ever, but I should have researched that Skywalk a bit more. My wife called this "The day of which we will no longer speak" and it continues on in family lore.
Better yet I should have headed to the Four Corners Area where it is the only place in the country that four states meet up in one spot. Utah joins Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico with a copper disc marked out in quarters (the mathematical equation, not the coin money). Technically you could cover all four states with one foot. That photo opportunity alone would get me to head down in that direction. Although, I was horrified to find out that they have chosen to charge $8.00 to see a gold disk on a rock. What a crock! No, not the footware, it's the horror. Well, I guess I would have paid for one person, namely me, to go in and get a couple pictures on the disc. That is unless they make you leave your camera behind while they charge you for a professional photographer to do it.
Beyond the barbed wire fence lies the elusive Skywalk
The cow seems unfazed by the dust devil
At least we had a hotel reservation right near the main Canyon entrance, so the next morning we headed into the National Park. This definitely was worth the price of admission. We were on the southern edge of the canyon and we probably walked just a mile or two after dealing with the August heat. Pictures just don't do the view justice and you just can't get it all into the camera frame. But it is at least a reminder of being there.
It really is immense
The initial areas near the entrance had hand rails to keep you from the edges but farther away you were on your own. Every year you hear about someone falling to their death at the Grand Canyon and I can see how easily it can happen. The picture below is one place I watched for awhile as others looked over the edge or sat down on the point. As it cleared out I gingerly crept out to the safest place I could find, as far from the edge as I could. It doesn't look that bad as you look at the picture but my legs were shaking the whole time I was out there, especially when the wind picked up. My wife took a bunch of photos to prove I was really out there. A big thanks to all those who encouraged me out there, and I appreciated that applause on a safe return. I don't think I would do it again.
No rails on this stone point
We started back to my son's home later in the day and drove through Sedona and the stunning red rock formations. Again, we took enough photos to wallpaper a house but this was the first time we'd been seeing all of this beautiful landscape. There was a park that we drove into and walked around the lake. Many more pictures.
You may wonder if we saw any cactus plants. Well, wonder no more, as they were everywhere. It's possible that there are some places where they might be considered a nuisance but they were always interesting to see. It's hard to imagine how they can live coming right out of the rocks, but they are a hardy bunch.
We spent time together with family and checked out both Tucson and Phoenix. My wife made an excited announcement that we were passing an IKEA store that was between those two cities, in Tempe. I don't remember if we made a stop, but it was the only IKEA store in Arizona in 2012.
More cactus
Let me comment on the heat as I close this post. Everyone told me that it's a dry heat in Arizona so it would be fine. When I mentioned that to someone there they told me that in August they are in monsoon season so it could be very humid. In fact on our trip to the Grand Canyon we ran into a rain storm that turned into rapid streams of water on the roads and in the ditches. When the rain was over it all dried up within minutes but it sure got humid. So I can't give you any sense what what dry heat even means. I imagine hot is still hot. We saw 117 degrees one day and it was incredibly hot. I can see how you could easily fry an egg on the hood of a car. And no, we didn't try it. But our air conditioning went out on the trip and we are thankful to have found a shop that would fix it before our trip home.
So after a couple weeks of investigating some of Arizona it was time to head back to Illinois. We sadly said our goodbyes to family and drove off into the sunset. For reference, the New Mexico post precedes this time in Arizona.
Arktander
(aka David Andreasen)
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