The Dry Heat Expedition (Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Disneyland)--UPDATE 6/12 (KSC and DTD)

[Cinderella's Fella]

Rhode Island?

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Hawaii?

Nope. Saw that one on our very last day, as we drove to the airport.

Rhode Island?

Ding ding ding! We have a winner! Randall, you are now the proud recipient of an official Captain_Oblivious No-Prize.®

 

[Cinderella's Fella]

Nope. Saw that one on our very last day, as we drove to the airport.



Ding ding ding! We have a winner! Randall, you are now the proud recipient of an official Captain_Oblivious No-Prize.®

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Mmmmm...bacon.

 

[afwdwfan]

The morning hike looks pretty awesome. Too bad Julie and Drew had to miss out on it. It probably worked out the best for all involved though.

The call to skip the North Rim makes a lot of sense to me. A lot of extra driving to see it, regardless of how good the kids have been up to that point. But Drew. Wow. That kid looks proud of his work!

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

The morning hike looks pretty awesome. Too bad Julie and Drew had to miss out on it. It probably worked out the best for all involved though.

That's why we bring the camera along, right?

The call to skip the North Rim makes a lot of sense to me. A lot of extra driving to see it, regardless of how good the kids have been up to that point. But Drew. Wow. That kid looks proud of his work!

Yeah, he does. That look says, "I am the MAN!"

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Captain’s Log: 23 July 2014.

12:15 p.m.—Ok. We cleaned up the mess as best we could. And someone’s going to be sitting on paper towels for the rest of the day. This parenting stuff is a glamorous business, I tell ya.

PB&J has been consumed, so let’s check out the bridge. The original Navajo Bridge was completed in 1928. Rather than regurgitate the stats for you, here’s the dedication plaque:

The original bridge is now a pedestrian bridge, while a newer structure was built to handle vehicular traffic on Rt. 89A. The new bridge was built to match the original span over the Colorado River. Here you can see the twin arches: new bridge on the left, old one on the right.

Are we walking out there? Darn right we are.

I’m surprised at how green the Colorado River looks. Lots of algae, I guess? It also appears to be flowing somewhat low, much like the water levels we had witnessed back and Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam. Sure looks purty with all the red-rock cliffs surrounding it, though.

Note: this part of the river flows through Marble Canyon. I’m not exactly sure where the Marble Canyon stops and the Grand Canyon starts, but they basically run into each other. Geographically speaking, we are relatively close. And yet we still have 2 more hours to drive before we can officially enter the park. At this point, I don’t mind the drive as long as Drew’s diapers hold up.

"Leave it as it is. You cannot improve on it. The ages have been at work on it, and man can only mar it. What you can do is to keep it for your children, and for all who come after you, as the one great sight which every American... should see." –Theodore Roosevelt, dedicating Grand Canyon as a National Monument.

“The wonders of the Grand Canyon cannot be adequately represented in symbols of speech, nor by speech itself. The resources of the graphic art are taxed beyond their powers in attempting to portray its features. Language and illustration combined must fail.”—John Wesley Powell

“I believe in evolution. But I also believe, when I hike the Grand Canyon and see it at sunset, that the hand of God is there also.”—John McCain

“In fact, just about all the major natural attractions you find in the West- the Grand Canyon, the Badlands, the Goodlands, the Mediocrelands, the Rocky Mountains and Robert Redford- were caused by erosion.”—Dave Barry

3:07 p.m.—I found all of those quotes on the internet, so they must be true.

It’s been a long haul. Several hours in the van and desert heat. Intermittent glimpses of civilization. Unscheduled bathroom breaks. And two delays for road construction, where the road was down to one lane for several miles and we had to wait for a pilot car to lead us through the work zone. Eventually, we made the turn from U.S. 89 to U.S. Route 64, drove several miles through more desert, then climbed a mesa, entered scrubby forest, and now…

We’re here.

3:15 p.m.—The first stop inside Grand Canyon National Park is Desert View overlook. It’s an entry point for the park, so there’s a small village here—visitor center, gift shops, gas station, immense parking lot. A path leads down to the overlook where you can get your first glimpse of the Grand Canyon. Julie and I are excited to see the kids’ reaction to seeing it for the first time. She has me run ahead a bit with our video camera so I can record the moment for posterity.

The kids make their way down the path, and I’m set up in perfect position to witness the full reaction. They reach the overlook and take in the view.

Sarah says, “Huh…cool.” The boys grunt.

Seriously? That’s it? We flew over 2,000 miles for that reaction? I think Chevy Chase was more impressed in National Lampoon’s Vacation.

It dawns on Julie and me that the kids are now self-conscious enough to keep things under wraps when the camera is rolling. Sigh…they grow up way too quickly. Anyway, here’s what we saw:

Gorgeous, huh? Julie and I are actually slightly disappointed. Why? Well, remember that we’ve been there on 2 prior occasions together. On both previous trips, we’d seen glorious views and color for miles. This view seems really hazy to us. Later, we’ll find out why—several forest fires somewhere on the North Rim are creating smoke that generally dims the view.

But we’re only slightly disappointed. Even in a haze, the Grand Canyon truly is one of the most majestic sights on earth. We’ll talk a little later about the scale of it, and we’ll have plenty of pictures, but the cliché is true: you can’t capture the scope of this place in photographs.

3:25 p.m.—Nearby is the Desert View Watchtower, a creation of architect Mary Colter that was completed in 1932. She was hired by the Fred Harvey Company to create a series of hotels and lodges to attract visitors to various western locations. She was one of the few female architects working at the time, especially in such rugged conditions, and was known for using rustic and natural features in her work to complement the natural scenery. Five of her buildings still stand at various places along the South Rim.

You can go inside the Watchtower and climb up to various viewpoints on each floor. The inside is decorated with all sorts of Native American art.

3:30 p.m.—I don’t care if the kids wouldn’t perform on camera. They’re excited to be here. They’re having a great time climbing all over the Watchtower. Then again, after 5 hours in the car, I’m sure just about anything would be entertaining.

3:45 p.m.—We climb back down and start heading back to the car. Along the way, we spy a couple of California Condors soaring about. These birds used to populate the area before coming very close to extinction. The National Park Service has undertaken a painstaking campaign to breed them and send them back into the wild to re-populate the area. So far, they’ve been successful. The condors are fairly ugly up close, but are breathtaking to watch in the air. With a 9.5-ft. wingspan they stretch out and soar gracefully over the canyon.

4:10 p.m.—We stop at Moran Point, another overlook on the drive into the park. The road to the Grand Canyon Village is a little over 30 miles from the park entrance. It feels like it keeps going and going, running parallel to the canyon rim, and yet we’re still only getting a small piece of the entire length of the canyon.

Oh, and it’s still hazy.

But there is a random Indian chief here. So we have that going for us, which is nice.

Getting a little bit clearer. Maybe.

Maybe the kids are now more impressed with the view—no, wait. They found a tree to climb instead. Nevermind.

4:45 p.m.—We made it to the main visitor center. Being that it’s later in the day, we worry about traffic and parking. The Grand Canyon is the most-visited National Park in the United States, after all. But it turns out we needn’t have worried. The parking lot is absolutely massive. On the downside, there aren’t any trams like at Disney World.

We decide to go inside and check out the visitor center. But before we do, we look at several signs and exhibits outside the main building. One in particular catches my eye. It’s a series of instructions/warnings about hiking into the canyon. Given all of the beautiful pictures we’ve posted thus far, I think it’s appropriate to leave you with these. Remember, folks: hiking into the Grand Canyon is no joke. Be prepared.

I know, I just can’t seem to end a journal entry without a gross bodily function photo. As always, you can’t get this kind of crackerjack-quality trip reporting anywhere else.

Coming Up Next: Anybody interested in sunset photos?

 

[afwdwfan]

Grand Canyon, huh? Cool.

Sorry you didn't get the reaction you wanted from the kids. I'm sure they were impressed on the inside. I've still not seen it myself. Maybe a road trip to the southwest needs to find it's way onto the agenda for sometime during the next couple of summers.

Ok... is there any back story on the Indian Chief? Anything at all? I'm just trying to figure out if it is legit, or if it is just some guy off the street doing it in hopes of earning a personal invitation from Daniel Snyder to watch a game from the owners box?

I love the warning signs for hiking the canyon. Especially the last one. Despite everything wrong with that picture I just can't help but think that tomorrow when he wakes up, he's really going to regret the fact that his shirt is laying on the ground next to him instead of protecting him from the sun.

 

[Rozz]

Ready for the sunset photos!

Fantastic vacation! I would not have had the stamina to take either of our children on a trip like this when they were six months old and they were pretty much sleeping through the night at that age. A five hour car ride would have been a whole different story!

I’ve made some notes from your report for possible western trip we’ve thought about taking. The Hampton Inn in Utah near the Zion National Park made the list.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[KatMark]

Mark, great update. We really need to go see the Grand Canyon (yes, we've never gone).

What a wonderful picture of all the kids in front of the Grand Canyon sign.

Sorry the kids didn't show excitement. I think they get to a stage where they are "tired of pictures" or "don't want their parents to know they are actually having fun" because it's not cool.

The canyon figures, despite the haze, are outstanding.

I love the pictures of the kids in the tree and then the individual ones of each of them. But where's Drew?

Love the condors.

You and your body functions!

 

[Flossbolna]

WOW! Your TR is really amazing because every update you can post even more impressive pictures! And I am not talking about the bodily functions pictures!!

I am also very impressed by your kids that they did not revolt in the car during the long drive! It seems that they have as much fun traveling as you and Julie!

I also love the picture of the twin bridges! My engineer father's love is steel bridges and while I never understand which ones are the ones that are special to a engineer, to me these two look like great specimens!

 

[Dugette]

Love all the gorgeous scenery! The bridge view with the red rocks and, of course, the Grand Canyon. Also, cute pic of all your kids by the sign.

I flew home from a work trip to Phoenix yesterday and was lucky enough to have a window seat with a great view on a clear day and a pilot that liked to point out the sights. So, I was loving seeing things like the red rocks of Sedona, Barringer Meteor Crater, Monument Valley, and Shiprock. However, cool as that was to see from the air, nothing can compare to seeing amazing landscapes in person, on the ground. Just breathtaking. Love the pics - I really need to get to the Grand Canyon someday.

 

[franandaj]

I swear that I posted here earlier today, but evidently that post was eaten by the interweb.

Your pictures are gorgeous even with the haze. I know exactly what you mean about pictures not doing it justice because even with how lovely your pictures are, I have been there so I know how you just don't get the scope of it with a camera. I hope to go back someday and do it right.

Love the pictures of the kids pretending they don't think its' cool. Now I remember! I posted about how even if they don't seem like they are in awe of your trips, they will look back on how you have planned out such cool trips for all of them all these years and they will remember family vacations with a fondness and awe.

I wonder if as you take the boys on trips once Sarah has left the nest, she will want to come back just to experience the coolness of what you have to offer as a family even if she is a cool adtult. I hope that you keep the magic going for Drew. He will love it once the other kids have left the nest and he is left with the parents, although I wouldn't be surprised if they all want to still come along, because you make the coolest memories. You two are great parents!

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

Ok. We cleaned up the mess as best we could. And someone’s going to be sitting on paper towels for the rest of the day. This parenting stuff is a glamorous business, I tell ya.

The original bridge is now a pedestrian bridge

Now that is just entirely too cool! I’ve gots to get me out there.

Are we walking out there? Darn right we are.

I’d be driving up that way to dope slap you if you didn’t.

I’m surprised at how green the Colorado River looks. Lots of algae, I guess? It also appears to be flowing somewhat low, much like the water levels we had witnessed back and Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam.

Especially considering the name means “To turn red” or “blushing”
We’ve chained up a mighty beast there.

Sure looks purty with all the red-rock cliffs surrounding it, though.

I found all of those quotes on the internet, so they must be true.

It’s been a long haul. Several hours in the van and desert heat. Intermittent glimpses of civilization. Unscheduled bathroom breaks. And two delays for road construction, where the road was down to one lane for several miles and we had to wait for a pilot car to lead us through the work zone. Eventually, we made the turn from U.S. 89 to U.S. Route 64, drove several miles through more desert, then climbed a mesa, entered scrubby forest, and now…

You do the Hokie Pokie?

We’re here.

Here? Already? Cool!
Oh wait, where’s “here”?

That's here!
Holly ****… that’s freekin’ awesome!

(I ain’t a kid anymore, and everyone already thinks I’m an idiot…
so I don't have to act reserved.)

Nearby is the Desert View Watchtower, a creation of architect Mary Colter that was completed in 1932.

Who’s work also inspired much of the place represented by your own avatar.

I don’t care if the kids wouldn’t perform on camera. They’re excited to be here. They’re having a great time climbing all over the Watchtower. Then again, after 5 hours in the car, I’m sure just about anything would be entertaining.

“Look! Road kill!“
“Out of my way…”
“I saw it first!”



Actually, I can’t imagine anyone not wanting to clime all over that tower.
Regardless of the drive time.
Like most everything else in your pictures here, that’s just plain awesome.


Oh, and the Condors flying over the canyon…
Mesmerizing stuff there.

But there is a random Indian chief here. So we have that going for us, which is nice.

A bit of back story on that one might be good.
Makes me think of the costumed folks prowling Times Square these days

Maybe the kids are now more impressed with the view—no, wait. They found a tree to climb instead. Nevermind.

Priorities Man!

Besides, you’ve done your job here. They’re all going to be compelled to come back.
They’re going to want their kids see this too. And on that trip…
They’ll be of the right age to really take in and appreciate it.
And their kids will look at it and say: “Cool, I guess…”
And then you get to laugh at them

It’s all part of the circle of life.
(or some other cliché)

I know, I just can’t seem to end a journal entry without a gross bodily function photo. As always, you can’t get this kind of crackerjack-quality trip reporting anywhere else.

It is essential that an author understands their intended audience.
Or is it the other way around?

Works either way I suppose.

 

[that's nice]

12:15 p.m.—Ok. We cleaned up the mess as best we could. And someone’s going to be sitting on paper towels for the rest of the day. This parenting stuff is a glamorous business, I tell ya.

Good thing you had paper towels. How was the smell for the rest of the drive?

The original bridge is now a pedestrian bridge, while a newer structure was built to handle vehicular traffic on Rt. 89A.

So, ummm, let the people walk across the old bridge that was built in the 20's? Seems safe.

The new bridge was built to match the original span over the Colorado River. Here you can see the twin arches: new bridge on the left, old one on the right.

Oh, that's it? I was expecting to see this:

I’m surprised at how green the Colorado River looks. Lots of algae, I guess? It also appears to be flowing somewhat low, much like the water levels we had witnessed back and Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam. Sure looks purty with all the red-rock cliffs surrounding it, though.

Water is probably not moving all too quickly. Low water level, stagnant water, hot temps=algae paradise.

At this point, I don’t mind the drive as long as Drew’s diapers hold up.

Hope this doesn't foreshadow any upcoming updates.

3:07 p.m.—I found all of those quotes on the internet, so they must be true.

I agree. Here are a few more quotes I found on the internet...

“Oh, so they have internet on computers now!”

“The Internet is a giant international network of intelligent, informed computer enthusiasts, by which I mean, "people without lives." We don't care. We have each other...”

We’re here.

Look at how happy that baby is!

The kids make their way down the path, and I’m set up in perfect position to witness the full reaction. They reach the overlook and take in the view.

Sarah says, “Huh…cool.” The boys grunt.

Seriously? That’s it? We flew over 2,000 miles for that reaction? I think Chevy Chase was more impressed in National Lampoon’s Vacation.

Gorgeous, huh? Julie and I are actually slightly disappointed. Why? Well, remember that we’ve been there on 2 prior occasions together. On both previous trips, we’d seen glorious views and color for miles. This view seems really hazy to us. Later, we’ll find out why—several forest fires somewhere on the North Rim are creating smoke that generally dims the view.

Wow! Look at those views! Even with the haze/smoke it looks amazing!

You can go inside the Watchtower and climb up to various viewpoints on each floor. The inside is decorated with all sorts of Native American art.

The art is really cool. Was there anyone there explaining what the drawings meant?

But there is a random Indian chief here. So we have that going for us, which is nice.

Did you go over and strike up a conversation with him?

Getting a little bit clearer. Maybe.

Looks great!

Maybe the kids are now more impressed with the view—no, wait. They found a tree to climb instead. Nevermind.

At least they look happy.

Remember, folks: hiking into the Grand Canyon is no joke. Be prepared.

Good to know. Makes plenty of sense.

Walking down is faster than walking up.. OK. Got it.

So let me get this straight, if I get a horrible sunburn, put my jean shorts on backwards, and drink too many chocolate milks I'll vomit all over the trail?

As always, you can’t get this kind of crackerjack-quality trip reporting anywhere else.

 

[dgbg100106]

lovely update...

The first time I saw the Grand Canyon I was 16... I was so not impressed, which is why now that I am many years over 16 that I will go back and take my DH who has never seen it. I know we will appreciate it much more now. The kids will look back and remember these times, I promise I do!

The pictures of the kids in the tree are really nice and I was wondering where Drew was, he will look back and feel left out, I think you should get those photoshop skills from page one and get Drew in that picture.

The haze is there but it does not take away too much, it is still lovely.

Can't wait to see it all.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Grand Canyon, huh? Cool.

http://youtu.be/BQJH5tZLGis

Sorry you didn't get the reaction you wanted from the kids. I'm sure they were impressed on the inside. I've still not seen it myself. Maybe a road trip to the southwest needs to find it's way onto the agenda for sometime during the next couple of summers.

I think it mostly had to do with the kids being aware the camera was rolling. I guess I need to be more subtle.

As Teddy Roosevelt said, it's one of those things every American should see. Don't worry, there will be plenty more pictures/discussion to come.

Ok... is there any back story on the Indian Chief? Anything at all? I'm just trying to figure out if it is legit, or if it is just some guy off the street doing it in hopes of earning a personal invitation from Daniel Snyder to watch a game from the owners box?

No clue there. We saw the guy, and he seemed to be posing for pictures with people as they came up to him. Not sure if they were paying him or what. He left soon after we got there.

I love the warning signs for hiking the canyon. Especially the last one. Despite everything wrong with that picture I just can't help but think that tomorrow when he wakes up, he's really going to regret the fact that his shirt is laying on the ground next to him instead of protecting him from the sun.

Judging from the color of his skin, I agree! It amused me to no end that somebody from the National Park Service had commissioned an artist to draw a guy puking his guts out on the trail.

Ready for the sunset photos!

I'd better get these replies done, then!

Fantastic vacation! I would not have had the stamina to take either of our children on a trip like this when they were six months old and they were pretty much sleeping through the night at that age. A five hour car ride would have been a whole different story!

I really think kids are more resilient than we give them credit for, and I think we restrict ourselves sometimes unnecessarily when we have young ones. Sure, they need naps and snacks and rest, but you can plan for those things.

I’ve made some notes from your report for possible western trip we’ve thought about taking. The Hampton Inn in Utah near the Zion National Park made the list.

Thanks for sharing!

I hope this helps and you can make it out there someday!

Mark, great update. We really need to go see the Grand Canyon (yes, we've never gone).

It's totally worth the effort! I'll talk more about that a little later.

What a wonderful picture of all the kids in front of the Grand Canyon sign.

No one is screaming at anyone else = win.

Sorry the kids didn't show excitement. I think they get to a stage where they are "tired of pictures" or "don't want their parents to know they are actually having fun" because it's not cool.

Exactly.

The canyon figures, despite the haze, are outstanding.

It'll get better. At least a little.

I love the pictures of the kids in the tree and then the individual ones of each of them. But where's Drew?

We didn't let him climb the tree. I know, we're meanies.

Love the condors.

Let's see if you're still saying that when you see him up close.

You and your body functions!

Hey now, these are helpful service announcements!

 

[Cinderella's Fella]

Mark, I was just wondering how long was this trip?

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

WOW! Your TR is really amazing because every update you can post even more impressive pictures! And I am not talking about the bodily functions pictures!!

Not even a little bit? And I worked so hard to frame that barfing picture properly.

I am also very impressed by your kids that they did not revolt in the car during the long drive! It seems that they have as much fun traveling as you and Julie!

I'm so proud of my kids! They travel really, really well.

I also love the picture of the twin bridges! My engineer father's love is steel bridges and while I never understand which ones are the ones that are special to a engineer, to me these two look like great specimens!

There's something about an arch that makes a bridge look really majestic. I bet your dad would love these.

Love all the gorgeous scenery! The bridge view with the red rocks and, of course, the Grand Canyon. Also, cute pic of all your kids by the sign.

It's nice that they make an area where you can pull over and take pictures by the sign.

I flew home from a work trip to Phoenix yesterday and was lucky enough to have a window seat with a great view on a clear day and a pilot that liked to point out the sights. So, I was loving seeing things like the red rocks of Sedona, Barringer Meteor Crater, Monument Valley, and Shiprock. However, cool as that was to see from the air, nothing can compare to seeing amazing landscapes in person, on the ground. Just breathtaking. Love the pics - I really need to get to the Grand Canyon someday.

It's cool that the pilot was doing that for you. We did see the Canyon from above, and it's need to get that view of it as well. But you really get overwhelmed by the size of it when you see it at ground level.

I swear that I posted here earlier today, but evidently that post was eaten by the interweb.

That was the one where you promised to mail me monthly checks, right?

Your pictures are gorgeous even with the haze. I know exactly what you mean about pictures not doing it justice because even with how lovely your pictures are, I have been there so I know how you just don't get the scope of it with a camera. I hope to go back someday and do it right.

The most striking thing about the Grand Canyon is its overwhelming size--the fact that it just seems to keep on going forever and ever. You just can't depict that in a photo.

Love the pictures of the kids pretending they don't think its' cool. Now I remember! I posted about how even if they don't seem like they are in awe of your trips, they will look back on how you have planned out such cool trips for all of them all these years and they will remember family vacations with a fondness and awe.

I sure hope they will! Otherwise, that'll be a lot of money we wasted.

I wonder if as you take the boys on trips once Sarah has left the nest, she will want to come back just to experience the coolness of what you have to offer as a family even if she is a cool adtult. I hope that you keep the magic going for Drew. He will love it once the other kids have left the nest and he is left with the parents, although I wouldn't be surprised if they all want to still come along, because you make the coolest memories. You two are great parents!

Aww...thanks, Alison! You made my day. Maybe I should be mailing you checks instead. Anyway, we'll keep traveling as much as we can. Hopefully when our kids are grown they'll want to do the same for their kids...and hopefully we'll still be welcome to tag along! I'd love to be able to foot the bill for some trips the way my parents have occasionally done for me.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Mark, I was just wondering how long was this trip?

If I recall correctly, it was 12 days total. July 19 - 30.