Big Hole

The day turned into a beautiful one after the last two days of running around and patching things up. If felt good to get on the road and just let your mind wonder while your eyes took in the different scenery. We headed off this morning to the Grand Canyon which was about 80 miles northwest. We took a scenic route which involved climbing over a mountain. The views were great. Tall mountains with evergreen trees reaching towards the peaks. The backdrop of white clouds against a blue background completed the picture. We felt our ears popping as we climbed up to about 8000'.

Surprisingly when we arrived at the Grand Canyon we were still pretty high up. I think it was about 7,000' above sea level.

How else to describe your first glimpse into the massive hole but overwhelming. You really have to stand there for a minute and just take it all in before you can say anything because the size is so big. It's one thing to hear about it or see it on TV but to actually approach the edge of this massive canyon is incredible. You're looking down a vertical mile while the canyon stretches to 11 miles across and even in some area's close to 18.

When we arrived the sun was still pretty high in the sky so everything looked washed out. The colors were not very bright.

As the sun started to set in the western sky behind us the shadows started to emerge and you began to see the different shapes and depth. The shadows of the clouds cast their presence across the landscape in front of you as it glided quietly across the cratered landscape.

We found ourselves sitting along the Rim Trail and just hanging our feet over the edge while we took it all in. I can understand why the Indians felt this place was special because you can't help but sit quietly and stare for miles around you and feel something special. Each person feels connected to this place in their own way. The sun cast different shadows and the colors started to become brighter and you were able to watch this magical postcard change right before your eyes. They say that this Grand Canyon took millions of years to create but everyday the canyon changes from the light dancing across the peaks and valley's right before your eyes. Merriam-Webster describe the word "Grand" as: large and striking in size. They must have thought of the Grand Canyon when they defined the word.