Mission accomplished

This morning, we got up and wandered a little.  We found a coffee shop on Route 66 called Brewed Awakening.  It was a good stop with some interesting people watching and some good scenery.  We were biding our time.  The restaurant where our prepaid breakfast would be served was about to empty out entirely when the next train to the Grand Canyon took off.  We walked in just as the boarding process started, and we had a lot of breathing room in the dining area.  

After that, we picked up a few souvenirs, then headed back to the room for one last pass.  Cas calls it a “stupid check” when he walks through and looks for any items we may be leaving behind.  There are some items that did’t make the cut, though.  His umbrella was beyond saving.  It’s okay- he has other rain protection options at home, and the one that came with us on this trip really worked hard until its last moments.  There’s a photo of the bent-up metal pieces somewhere in Wednesday’s photos.  We were sure to bring with all the stuff that needs to make it back home, though.  After our stupid check, we went down to the lobby and finally got the opportunity to take the fireplace selfie we’d wanted since we first saw it on Monday.  There always seems to be a crowd, and true to form, we had to wait for a few folks to disperse.  Nevertheless, we got it.  Fireplace selfie accomplished!  

Cas scheduled our shuttle travel to give us a window of time mid-day in Flagstaff.  We did have to lug our bags wherever we went, but the bonus was that the place we went was across the street from the Amtrak station.  It was a Mead Hall.  There was honest-to-goodness mead, horns to drink out of, if you wish, and a bearded fellow serving drinks who claimed he would answer to the name Bjorn.  

I had to take a series of photos in front of decidedly viking-ish things to show my older brother, whose summer travels will take him to Norway.  I was trying to remember all of the characters and plot points of Beowulf, but if I’m being honest, it was never a favorite.  

From the Mead Hall, we hopped into another shuttle and made our way back to the Phoenix airport.  We’re waiting to board, now, with suitcases full of dirty clothes and mud still caked on our boots (which are bagged up inside the luggage).  It’s time to pack it in and head back.  We actually have some work to get done before school starts back on Monday, but while we were at the Mead Hall, we booked the flights for this summer.  Be sure to tune back in somewhere in late June for our journey to Washington DC!

In the meantime, check out all the photos from this week’s adventures: https://photos.app.goo.gl/4BZaPckogdVf4gtX7

Sunrise, Sunset

This morning, the body snatchers came.  They collected my husband and replaced him with a nearly exact replica.  The only difference was that the replica wanted to wake up before sunrise and leave the room to go watch it happen.  I can’t say that I was upset.  It was fantastic to see the sun rise over the Grand Canyon with Cas- or with that very nice Cas look-alike..  

That was a great start to the day.  We went from there back to the room so we could shower and get ready for the adventures that followed.  We got our bags ready (hello, porter service), then we set out to see more Grand Canyon sights.  We may have actually hiked or seen more than the rim of the canyon if the weather was better, but we hit a few slippery patches of sidewalk on the way from the lodge to the rim- I figured that was plenty of danger for one day.  I did walk about seven steps onto the Bright Angel trail yesterday, but I stopped when there was a heavy snow-pack, and that was farther than Cas went.  Last night’s forecast promised a “wintry mix,” and I have no interest in fighting that, even with my trusty hiking boots.  

Once we were all cleaned up and our luggage was ready for the porters, we headed out to see different vantage points.  Cas had a plan to take the blue shuttle to transfer to the orange shuttle, then on to the far reaches of where the free shuttles travel.  We went to Yaki Point, Pipe Creek Vista and Mather Point.  We saw hikers start their paths on South Kaibab trail, though we had neither time nor energy to do that ourselves.  The last thing we did was head to a Ranger talk, led by a woman who wanted to discuss water.  How do folks on the South Rim get water?  How do you get water at your house? How is water purified?  It was a little bit interesting, though, it’s likely something we should all pay attention to pretty soon.  

From there, we went to the Arizona Steakhouse for an appetizer and a glass of wine.  The waitress from Tuesday not only remembered us, but she also remembered what wine I had ordered, and offered it again, Not a bad memory for a waitress in a tourist haven.  

She was good.  She got us out the door just in time to get us on the train.  The train was the same experience as the way into the park, but this time, there were a few differences.  Because it was later in the day, the drink menu was a little more robust.  The singer was a girl whose name I didn’t catch, and there where some “train robbers” on our journey.  I assume it was a funny thing to do for the kids in the cars ahead of ours, but they came through our car at the very end of the journey to perpetrate their theft.  If you left some money out where they could see it, it was a good thing.  They would be less likely to run off with your other possessions.  At least that was the gag. I stuck a dollar in my glasses and Cas poked one or two into his new stocking cap.  That seemed to do the trick, as well as pay a little of our share for the show.  

With that, we were back in Williams, once again getting our kicks on Route 66.  We had a drink at a local bar before dinner, then we took a quick stroll after the meal.  It’s time to hit the hay, now.  

Here, for your entertainment, are the two performers we met on the train.  First, I give you Tater, singing a Johnny Cash classic: https://drive.google.com/file/d/18fpEYXinVLZqznacn0MoBMEDdfQ3dLaq/view?usp=drivesdk

And this gem by Dolly Parton, performed by a girl who failed to mention her name: https://drive.google.com/file/d/18MeODPgw6YzuRIKSO32A6rvnvCk-AqMq/view?usp=drivesdk

I’d write more, but I am absolutely wiped out.  It’s bed time.  See you tomorrow in Dallas.  Good night, and as ever, here are our photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/4BZaPckogdVf4gtX7

Here comes the sun

So, we went back to the lodge, played cards, ate chocolate and waited until it was closer to dinner time.  That was the plan, given the crappy weather.  Just about two hours before it was time to sit down and eat, we walked out in coats and hats to see if there was any visible natural splendor.  Timing is everything.  We walked up on a canyon whose clouds were clearing in front of our eyes.  The sun started hitting the canyon walls in large patches, and everything was gorgeous.  Sure, it periodically started raining a little, here and there, but wow, what an experience.  I know all those years ago, I visited on a sunny afternoon, and I suspect most art and photos are from sunny days, but watching the clouds disperse is kind of special.  

We popped into a gift shop for a particularly cold and rainy moment and purchased our obligatory refrigerator magnet.  We document our travels in magnets, and this trip deserves no less.  That put us in the lobby of the El Tovar hotel about a half hour early for our 6:30 reservation.  We wandered, looked around, stole a few glances at the canyon and checked in for our table.  They actually seated us a little early, and we had the most amazing meal.  Our table was oriented so we faced a stone fireplace and a canyon-view window, which we both enjoyed until after the sun went down.  Evidently, Teddy Roosevelt loved the El Tovar when he would visit the Grand Canyon, marking the second spring break where we sat in a Teddy-approved establishment.  Our first Teddy Roosevelt close encounter was at the Menger Bar in San Antonio, where he recruited Rough Riders.  Two Teddy haunts- what are the odds?  We need to figure out where else Teddy liked to go- we seem to have some tastes in common with old Ted.  

At the El Tovar, we had their legendary French Onion soup, we split the enormous ribeye and we shared a flourless chocolate cake with a scoop of raspberry sorbet.  For extra fun, we started with a glass of Lambrusco, which we hadn’t had since our Italy trip, then followed it with a glass of Grand Canyon Cabernet.  Wow.  Just wow.  It was nothing short of spectacular.  I can still taste the chocolate cake as I sit in the room and type these words.  

When we paid the check, we made our way to the free shuttle stop, and we happened to walk right up to the stop right as the correct bus arrived, so we’re back to the safe, warm and wind-less space where we will call it a night.  It’s only 8:30 here, but it’s 10:30 at home, and we’re thinking of trying to see a sunrise (weather permitting) in the morning.  

Today was great, though it had a bit of a rough start.  Act II really erased any hard feelings we may have had from Act I.  (And there weren’t many!)  Tomorrow, we have a good weather forecast and a full morning to tool around until it’s time to take the train back to Williams.  What a great experience so far.  I am glad we had the day we did- it was certainly memorable, and I think it ended perfectly.  If you’re ever around this area, get yourself a reservation for the EL Tovar, though.  It’s reservation only, and the food is oh-my-gosh good.  

Anyhow, it’s time to pack it in for the night.  Here, again, are our photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/4BZaPckogdVf4gtX7

On a clear day, you can see forever

Hooray for sleeping in!  The Maswik Lodge is not a fancy place, but it is a clean, quiet and easy place to rest.  When we woke up this morning, it was without an alarm clock or an agenda of where to go or when to get there.  Good thing, too, because nothing was worthy of rushing around or hurrying today.  Last night at dinner, we picked up a few bananas and breakfast bars on the way back to the room, and that turned into our breakfast today.  That took care of us until our first stop on the free shuttle, which was a general store at the Market Plaza stop.  Our hotel’s information desk guy told us to, “prepare to be price-gouged,” so we were ready for what came.  Cas forgot his stocking cap at home, so he has a nice, new souvenir cap with an interesting backstory.  Today was one of the coldest, windiest, rainiest and crappiest days I have ever spent on a vacation, but we still managed to have fun.  My favorite part was when we got to a stop on the shuttle for the Yavapai Point Geology Museum and walked up to the edge of the canyon for the first time today.  It was like this: 

Turns out there’s a huge canyon below those clouds and that mist.  

We decided at a certain point to pack it in.  Everyone on the shuttle looked miserable- trying to salvage something from a vacation that took a turn- but Cas and I were fine.  We purchased a very overpriced deck of cards and played a few hands in the room just now while eating the fancy chocolate bar that came here with us from Dallas, and we plan to go out to dinner at El Tovar Hotel, where they promise to have fine dining.  Here’s hoping they don’t mind me in my hiking boots while I have a fancy dinner.  They are reservation only, but we managed to snag a spot yesterday when we walked by.  

Cas was talking today about how he nearly pre-booked rental bicycles when we originally made the arrangements for the trip, but he decided to play it by ear.  Good call.  We actually didn’t have any pre-arranged activities for today when we got here on the train, and the weather did its best to reassure us that we had made the right choice.  

Tomorrow actually looks better in the weather forecast, and we’re sure to get in a little more walkabout time before we hop back on the fancy train car back to Williams.  In the meantime, I think a little gap in time between now and dinner is just what we need.  Maybe a nap is in the offing, or maybe we can get in a few more hands of cards.  Can you believe I never learned to play poker until now?  We’re wagering with the pistachios I packed for snacks.  

But in spite of the weather and the generally crappy conditions, we’re still having fun, keeping a positive attitude, and looking forward to some clearer views tomorrow.  

Though today’s images are funnier than they are majestic, here are our photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/4BZaPckogdVf4gtX7

Luxury Parlor Class

This morning started out in Williams, where we knew we had an included breakfast before our train trip to the Grand Canyon.  The breakfast was included because we prepaid.  If you ever do this trip and you have a little bit of an adventurous spirit, skip the included breakfast and head to one of the places on Route 66.  We had dinner at a place called Pine Country restaurant yesterday, and I would recommend that as a good alternative.  We boarded the train’s Luxury Parlor Class car, the Max Biegert, which was apparently named after someone in the train company’s history.  It was very cool.  A woman with white gloves punched our tickets and directed us to our seats- or our little loveseat, more like, since we were seated on parlor furniture in the train car.  We were regaled with her descriptions of the train company’s history, the significant things we were passing by and her stories.  She was also a bit of a bartender, so Cas and I had mimosas to celebrate the journey.  While on our train ride, there was a sheriff who walked by, spurs jingling, a singing cowboy named Tater who brought an acoustic guitar along and a conductor who looked like he had stepped off the set of a Disney movie.  

The coolest thing about traveling Luxury Parlor Class on the Max Biegert car of the Grand Canyon Railroad is that you can hang off the back of the caboose like an old-timey politician campaigning for office.  So we did.  I even made campaign promises to the wind and the trees- Vote for me and I’ll set you free!  (Pretty sure those were song lyrics, but I don’t think the wind or the trees will call me on it.)  

Once we arrived at the Grand Canyon, we took our backpacks straight to the spot where the Arizona Steakhouse is located.  Another thing we prepaid and pre-booked was a sunset tour this evening that included a lunch at that restaurant today.  We had been advised to head straight to the restaurant so it wouldn’t fill up, so we did- but we had to walk over to the edge of the canyon first.  

It has been 21 years for me and a lifetime for Cas, and it was absolutely breathtaking.  You know intellectually before you see it that it is vast, glorious- a thing of natural splendor.  But nothing on this earth can prepare you for how it is to stand there and take it all in.  I have no comparisons in my mind that would help someone who hasn’t seen it wrap their heads around this size, the scale or the stunning beauty of it.  It defies explanation.  We stood there for a bit, took a few selfies, then headed into the Arizona Steakhouse for our pre-paid lunch.  

The food was good, but the portions were far too large.  I ate half of my sandwich and walked out wanting a nap more than anything.  So that’s what we did.  Cas and I checked in to our room at the Maswik Lodge and set a 30 minute timer.  Naps are magic.  

After that, we headed to meet our Sunset Tour bus driver.  Aaron was a big, jovial fellow who was a font of information and corny jokes.  We were to have four stops on the sunset tour, but he cut it to three because of the weather.  The clouds had been threatening rain all day, in fact, and they followed through about halfway through our tour.  Cas and I were the only ones in the group who brought umbrellas, affording us longer periods of time to linger and take in some amazing views without a lot of company.  The trade-off, though, was the cold wind.  There was one stop where Aaron was certain we could all head to a gift show and get a hot beverage.  Of course, we arrived at the gift shop just as the cashier announced that they were out of hot beverages.  Really batting a thousand.  When we got back to the lodge, it was dark, wet and cold.  Sounds to me like time to eat and pack it in until tomorrow.  We had some hot tea here in the room, and I happen to have a few mini-bottles of wine we picked up in Williams, so we’re enjoying the warm room and the warming-us-up beverages.  Tomorrow’s forecast isn’t looking too sunny, but we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.  If the weather stinks, there’s a museum we can check out.  We have dinner reservations all set, and the shuttle buses look to be warm and dry.  Either way it goes down, this canyon sure is grand, and I am happy to be here.  Maybe we’ll sleep in, walk with our umbrellas to the edge of a big ol’ hole in the ground and stare down while drinking our morning coffee.  Maybe we’ll just sleep late.  Either way, it’s a beautiful place to be.  

Check out our pictures: https://photos.app.goo.gl/4BZaPckogdVf4gtX7

If you ever plan to motor west

Travel my way, take the highway that’s the best.

Get your kicks on Route 66.

This has been a long, long day.  We woke up in Dallas at 3:30 am, the second day of Daylight Saving time, to boot.  By 4:30, Dave (our airport ride) arrived.  Thanks for getting up so early, Dave!  We got to Love Field and onto the airplane for the 6:25 departure.  One time zone away was how we figured everything out, but what we failed to account for was that Arizona doesn’t play along with Daylight Saving Time.  I cant say I blame them- it’s pretty hotly contested in places that do play along.  So… we are now two hours off of Dallas time, thinking we were just going to be one.  That gave us a very comfortable cushion of time between the arrival of our airplane and the departure of our shuttle.  What to do?  Hey, did you know there is a small art museum at the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport?  See.  Always something to see and do.  Chalk  that up to my first time visiting a museum with luggage in tow.  

Nevertheless, when it arrived, we were ready to go on the shuttle from the airport to Flagstaff, and once there, we stopped for a cup of coffee.  Oh, and the coffee shop we went to was on the historic Route 66.  That should have occurred to me, too.  I mean:

You see Amarillo / Gallup, New Mexico / Flagstaff, Arizona / Don’t forget Winona / Kingman, Barstow, San Bernadino. 

It was right there in the song lyrics.  Anyhow, the next shuttle (45 minutes later) was one that went from Flagstaff to the Grand Canyon by way of Williams.  We’re in Williams this evening at the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel.  They keep you overnight and put you on a scenic train the next morning to the Grand Canyon.  We have to have our bags downstairs by 8:30 (hello, porter service!), after which we are free to do what we like until about 9:15, when the Wild West show happens just prior to our boarding.  There’s apparently some kind of action- probably cops and robbers, cowboy style- at the caboose before we board.  I am sure it’s for the kids, but I am here for it.  Sounds cute.  

A scenic train to the South Rim sounds awesome, though.  When we get there, we have lunch scheduled, then we check into our lodge.  After that, we have a sunset tour, which I believe is conducted by bus, but I suspect it’s one we can hop off of and look around.  I can’t wait to get there.  It is going to be so cool to see with Cas- I mean, we already got our kicks on Route 66.  Now, we have to head out and see a very famous hole in the ground.  

And here, as you have come to expect, is the link to the photo album.  Thank you, Cas!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/4BZaPckogdVf4gtX7

How it started; how it's going

Let me always appreciate the magic of having a week of spring break as an adult.  It's guaranteed.  It's baked into the cake.  I get this every year I work in schools, so that makes this my 22nd paid spring break as an adult.  It's very cool.  

And because it's been a few decades, I sometimes think way back to how it all started out.  I was teaching a remedial reading class at Thomas Jefferson High School my first year.  It was the 2001-2002 school year.  That summer was a big deal, too, because my paycheck (while not particularly large) kept coming while I was off for the summer.  Sprinkle in a few shifts working at a steakhouse down the road, and I had myself a nice travel budget.  I went on as many trips as I could possibly fund that summer, staying with friends when I could, and driving when it was a reasonable and cheap alternative to flying.  

One of my destinations was my friend Mandy's house.  She lived in Arizona- I'm being vague, because I can't remember if it was Phoenix or Scottsdale.  I stayed at her house, and we rented a convertible to drive to the Grand Canyon.  No, we did not intend to "Thelma and Louise" into the abyss, but it was a pretty day, and convertibles are cool.  

That was the first and only time I have seen the Grand Canyon, and we did what most folks do- we stood at the precipice and took photos.  We were at the South Rim for a few hours, then we went back to her neck of the woods for dinner.  

It was amazing, and I can't wait to get back there with Cas.  We're heading there this week, packing our hiking boots and spending a few nights in a lodge.  For extra fun, we're taking a train from Williams to the South Rim.  I am so excited to go, and I am ready to get started.  We take off early Monday morning and get home late Friday night.  This weekend, we check weather reports and pack bags.  

In the meantime, here is 27-year-old me, standing near the half-wall in a photo that lots of people think is Photoshopped.  I can't blame them for thinking it- it's a great picture, and I did teach kids how to use Photoshop for a pretty long time...  

So, that's the plan.  We go, we see, and we take a gozillion amazing photos.  It should be an epic adventure during the magic that is paid spring break for adults.  All in all, a pretty good life, if you ask me.  Next time we chat, it will be a time zone away!  See you then.