Our "Grand" Grand Canyon Spring Break Adventure, Pt. 3: Lots Of Big Holes In The Ground

Lots and LOTS of pictures await you in this blog post!

 

We woke up on Monday, March 14th, after another cold slumber. However, we were in better spirits than the day before; possibly because we were to pack up our tent and head back to civilization at last! Aren't we total wimps?

Anyway, Nathan and Lorelai got up very early (at first light, in fact), because they planned to hike to the rim of the Grand Canyon and watch the sunrise. There's something not everyone can say they've done! (Of course, I suspect many others had the same thought; Nathan told me later that Mather Point was quite crowded when he and Lorelai arrived, but they managed to find a nice view all the same.) I wanted to go along, but instead I stayed behind at the tent, because Celeste & Aurora were still sleeping inside. I was a little disappointed watching my husband and oldest child hike off for a "special" moment, but I reasoned I could pass the time by making breakfast and packing up the tent (eventually...when the kids woke up).

But as it turned out, there was a cool surprise at the campsite as well...

 

We got a visit from some of the local wildlife! I'd started to set up the camp stove, fumbling a little in the cold, when I looked up and saw an elk standing about 15 feet away from me. It was calmly munching some plants in a campsite south of me. Then another elk appeared and walked right next to our campsite, taking a drink from a storm drain very close to our car. And then I saw even more elk! They were picking their way carefully through each campsite, nibbling on trees and grass, and acting completely unconcerned at my presence.

For such large mammals, the elk moved in near total silence; that was probably the most impressive thing about them! Because it was so early in the morning (just before dawn), most people were still asleep in their tents and were completely unaware of the "elk invasion." I spent several minutes trying to get my camera to work so I could get a few pictures; thankfully, the elk were in no hurry. I was fascinated by their fearlessness; none of the "human stuff" bothered them a bit. It was obvious they'd lived their lives near the Grand Canyon and spent lots of time around people, to the point where they had ceased to worry about our presence. The only time I saw an elk panic was when it stuck its nose against a tent, and someone from the inside pressed back against the wall. Then it decided it had had enough, and went on its way.

I stuck my head into our tent and frantically whispered for the girls to come out and see the elk. Aurora flat-out refused, but Celeste made it out in time to get a good look. It was a really cool moment, and I'm glad I got to share it with someone else in the family.

After that, it was time to prepare breakfast, feed the family, and then start striking the camp. Since we didn't build a fire that day, we allowed the girls to sit inside the car (with the heater on...hooray!) while Nathan and I slaved outside, packing everything up and loading the trunk. We were a little annoyed at their laziness, but we couldn't be too mad at them; after all, we also felt pretty drained from the cold and lack of sleep.

However, our time at Grand Canyon National Park wasn't quite done yet. We still wanted to do a little more walking along the rim and get some different perspectives. So once we'd cleared our campsite, we headed west of our original location, and drove to Yavapai Point, where a small Geology Museum was located (our kids alternately called it the "Geography Museum" and "Geometry Museum." They don't know their branches of science all that well yet). Despite being much smaller, the Geology Museum had some informative displays, like this 3D relief map:

It also had some stunning views of the canyon. After seeing everything in the museum, our family walked for a while along the rim trail at Yavapai Point. There was a bitter chill wind blowing, but the great views made it all worth it.

We got some of the best photos of our trip near Yavapai Point. It was thrilling to be out on this dramatic outcropping, and look off into the canyon's vast expanse.

Hee hee...this was my favorite of our "falling down the Grand Canyon" pictures (yes, we took a lo of them. Admit it; you'd do the same thing).

 

I wish I could be more eloquent on the beauty of the Grand Canyon, but words do not adequately describe it. Pictures help, but the canyon is so big it can't be fully appreciated (or even comprehended) by us tiny humans.

 

 After taking in Yavapai Point, we turned around and headed east, on the road that would eventually take us out of the park. On the way, we stopped at one or two other viewing points, the most notable being the Desert View Watchtower.

The watchtower itself isn't actually all that old (about a century or so), but it was deliberately built in the style of the ancient Indian pueblos that used to dot the area. Either way, it was a striking building both inside and out...plus it offered another nice view of the canyon.

We lingered for a while at the watchtower, knowing it was our last stop before leaving Grand Canyon National Park. Our feelings were mixed; as city slickers, we were happy to be heading back to civilization. However, we really enjoyed the beautiful forests & trails surrounding the canyon, and we'd loved all the hiking and rock-climbing we'd gotten to do. Despite some of our grumbles, we really did enjoy the Grand Canyon; it was a great experience that we do not regret. Although if we come back again, we might want to try and do it later in the spring!

After an hour and a half of driving, we were back in Flagstaff, where we would be staying the night. Before going to the hotel, we stopped and ate lunch at a Del Taco. Cheap Mexican fast food still tasted like heaven to us, after living in the woods for a couple of days. However, we were all pretty ripe at this point, and I suspect our stench may have bothered the other patrons!

When we arrived to check in at our hotel, we found out we were too early, and they wouldn't let us in! Bummer! So, we decided to go visit a place that Nathan has been curious about for years, and that was only a 45-minute drive away:

Meteor Crater! Yeah, the name pretty much sums it up. It's a big crater, and it was made by a meteor millions of years ago. And...yep. That's pretty much it.

It's definitely a scientific curiosity for some (NASA scientists spent quite a bit of time here decades ago), but it is also a cash cow for the visitor's center we visited. They know they've got you when you drive for 45 minutes through an absolute wasteland (seriously, I can't even remember seeing a house or fence the whole way in), and when you arrive, there is literally nothing else to do except pay money to go look at a big hole in the ground. Kind of like what we did at the Grand Canyon, except this hole is teenier (if "teeny" is an appropriate word to use for a meteor crater).

Nathan and I were appalled at the ticket prices; it cost more for our family to go look at this meteor than it did to enter Grand Canyon National Park and camp there for two nights! But we had nowhere else to do, so we swallowed hard and paid up. From thenceforth, the Meteor Crater was known as "Nathan's Folly" in our family. Worst of all, the usual guided tours into the crater (included in the ticket price) were cancelled on the day we visited, due to the strong winds. Ugh!

Nathan, in front of his Folly.

At least we were treated to a multi-media presentation inside the cozy theater at the visitor's center. And at least there was a bit of space memorabilia kicking around to keep the kids entertained.

This particular pod never actually fly into space, but it was one of NASA's working replicas they often kept on-site. And near the pod was a "Wall of Honor" with the names of all the US astronauts, down to the present day.

Celeste was thrilled to discover the name of Sally Ride, who was the first American woman in space. She'd learned about Sally Ride in school, so that made her happy.

So, after several very windy minutes of checking out the meteor crater, we piled back into our car and headed back to our hotel, where we were blissfully reunited with civilization. Beds! Warm showers! Clean clothes! It was heaven. We were all so filthy!

After cleaning up (and letting the girls unwind with some television), we walked a little ways down the street to a 50-style diner for our dinner. It was comfy and cheerful (even if the service was a little slow), and we ate a lot of dinner. Living in the wild for a couple of days has a way of making one hungry.

Since it was March 14th, it was also Pi(e) Day (a holiday beloved by math nerds/fans of delicious pastries), so I couldn't let the day go by without a piece of pie...

Yes, the kids helped me eat it.

After getting everyone back to the hotel, you'd think it would be time to hit the sack, right? Well, my adventuring wasn't done yet! Not only was our hotel located right on Historic Route 66, but it was mere minutes away from Lowell Observatory, a place I have long wanted to visit. Since this would be our only night in Flagstaff, I decided to take the opportunity. Unfortunately, I'd be taking it alone...everyone else just wanted to go to sleep. I couldn't blame them (heck, a part of me wanted to go to sleep as well), but the astronomy-loving part of me couldn't resist the chance to look through a big telescope.

And I got that chance! The Observatory was open to the public until 10 pm, and it was surprisingly busy. I didn't even have to pay an entrance fee either (we had a reciprocal museum membership that allowed us free entry). I have visited Kitt Peak Observatory in the past, and it was interesting to compare the Lowell Observatory to that location. It's an older observatory, with smaller telescopes, but they were more open and available to the public than Kitt Peak's. In addition, there were several lectures on recent astronomical discoveries happening in several buildings across the campus. The level of activity, so high and occurring so late in the evening, was really something to see.

Lowell Observatory's main claim to fame (not an insignificant one!), is that it is the place where astronomer Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto, the ninth planet in our solar system (SHUT UP IT'S A PLANET I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU SAY). That, combined with the recent New Horizons spacecraft flyover of Pluto, meant that Pluto was a "hot subject" once again. There was a pretty cool exhibit at the observatory about the discovery of Pluto, and how it was accomplished with the technology available at the time. I found it all fascinating, and wondered if I had missed my calling by not going into astronomy when I was younger.

It was too dark to take actual photos, so here's a poster of the telescope I looked through.

After spending some time in the main building, I ventured out further onto the observatory campus, to see which telescopes were open for public viewing. I didn't have to go far before running into a really long line, waiting for Lowell's famed Clark Telescope, which is over 100 years old. The night was cold and the students ahead of me in line were noisy, but I waited a long time without complaint. After all, I'd just spent two consecutive nights camped out in this chilly air; what harm would a couple more hours do?

When I finally got my turn to look, I was able to see Jupiter, along with its colorful cloud system and several of its moons. It is such a thrill to be able to see this planet "live," not as a picture in a book or on television. It makes me feel connected with the greater universe in a way unlike any other.

There was another, smaller telescope in a building close to the Clark Telescope; this one was focused on the moon's surface. I had a good long look (the line for this telescope was much shorter), and then decided it was time for me to head back for the hotel. What an eventful day, but what a good one! We were all blessed with so many great opportunities. But as tired as I was, there was still one more day to go on our busy trip...