Grand Canyon day. The quick preview from last night make the anticipation that much stronger. First things first though. Breakfast. Most important meal of the day, right?
You can’t go wrong with the Golden Arches. Quick and consistent. They even have good coffee now. Thank you Paul Newman. Overpriced? Sure, but what isn’t around here. And any worse than South Station or at a Rest Area? We have to be somewhat efficient to be at the GC Airport on time for our helicopter tour.
I highly recommend the helicopter tour the Grand Canyon. Especially, if you have only a small window of time at the GC. The whole adventure does not take a lot of time. There is a quick safety video, which is mandatory. It’s is the equivalent of your flight attendant demonstration at the start of every airplane flight. They weigh you to assign your seat. They strap a silly looking flotation device. It is a yellow, over sized fanny pack with strings. Only the snorkel, face mask, and flippers are missing. The tour is just amazing. Coming out over the edge of the GC is breathtaking. The boys really got a kick out of it. They took it all in and developed a healthy appreciation for the size of this place.
We spent the rest of the day walking and sightseeing on the South Rim. We drove up to Mather’s Point. Fortunately we had found the gem of the GC area, RJ’s Stage Stop. Reasonably priced, they offered sandwiches, coffee, breakfast, and trinkets. We got our memorabilia at very decent prices. We ordered sandwiches and drinks, which they packed nicely for a hike. So up at the South Rim we wandered with a backpack full of water, lunch, and sunscreen. We took lots of pictures, for ourselves and other people. The amount of guests is staggering. What is truly amazing is that besides the popular look-outs, you don’t feel crowded at all. In fact, contact with other tourists is almost sparse, once you start walking. But I digress. We did offer to take group photos for other folks and asked the same in return. People were great about it.
The boys got a first-hand look at Darwinism at its finest. People ignored the rules, posted on signs. They ventured off the walkways. They crawled out onto some precarious ledges. The footing was suspect. The wind was stronger than you might think. All to take that picture with no railing, or with the ledge effect. It’s no wonder so many people fall to their deaths at the GC each year. The learning? Some people are really dumb. Let the culling begin……
The boys earned some down time to watch TV and play games in the room. Demi and I earned pool time. Win/Win.
The boys also got a lesson in economics. Supply and demand. Or beggars can’t be choosers. The boys got sandwiches for dinner. Demi and I got a pre-made salad and a rotisserie chicken. No eating utensils. Old school medieval hand eating. Tough times call for drastic measures. At least it wasn’t a Donner Party.
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