Just Around the Horseshoe Bend...

After leaving the Grand Canyon, Sue and I headed toward Page, AZ to visit the legendary Horseshoe Bend (see how I linked the title post to a Pocahontas song? One of the most under rated Disney animated features in my humble opinion)! Now you've probably seen a million images of this unique rock formation surrounded by the Colorado River, so the above image is nothing new or extraordinary. Nearly every spot will give you a great pic, but beyond that, there's not much else to photograph. So what kept me mostly enraptured (as I waited for the sun to set) was the amount of people willing to do funky, and often times, dangerous things to get a photograph! This would include individuals taking selfies perilously close to the edge to whole families dangling their legs over ledges.

The funniest and often most problematic visitors are those who's personal boundaries differ from your own. I've had folks come within inches of my tripod legs while attempting creative and bizarre poses. They seem oblivious to their surroundings, so determined to capture that perfect moment. I've learned to take it in stride and keep a hand on my gear. The last tragedy at Horsebend involved a 15 year girl who plummeted to the bottom from undetermined causes. It's a sad tragedy I wish on no one...

While in Page, we stayed at the Baymont by Wyndham hotel for the unbelievable rate of $109.00 per night (which included a full breakfast buffet in the lobby). During check-in, I was told our room was wheelchair accessible and a bit larger/wider than normal. I didn't request a handicap room so I offered to give up the room for a standard one. The front desk agreed but wanted to charge me $156.00 a night. I respectfully declined!.

Once we were checked in, Sue and I headed into town looking for a place to eat. After looking at Yelp reviews, we decided on mexican food at El Tapatio's. Being in the Southwest, I figured we were in for a good meal, but whoa, the cuisine here was amazing. The guacamole dip contained huge chunks of avocado (not the mashed up type you find at the grocery store or fast food joints) with just a light touch of spices! I had their burrito deluxe which was good for lunch and dinner.

Antelope Canyon was on the agenda for the next day. I booked a photographer's tour which allowed me to bring in a tripod. Located on Navajo land, this location is truly a sight to behold. Carved out by water, the blend of light and colors are a testament to God's creativity. While I loved the sights, taking photos was not an easy task. The pathways in some areas are very narrow, and there can be 4-5 different tour groups running visitors through the canyon at any given time. Fortunately, the competing groups were very courteous to other guests, and allowed me time to take some long exposure shots. My guide would set me up at key points and hold back crowds. I nonetheless felt a bit stressed as I did not want to hold up anyone else for very long. Nonetheless, it was totally worth the effort and I'm happy with how the pictures came out.

                                           Anyone notice the heart shape in this pic?

                                               Falling Sands from Another Time...

The canyons were formed by erosion mostly due to flash floods. During monsoon season, rainwater can be intense, picking up speed and sand as it winds its way through the tunnels. The last major flood occurred in 2006, lasting 36 hours.

The entire tour lasted a little over 2 hours with our guide driving us back to campgrounds at its conclusion. 

As an added bonus, the trip included stops at the Historic Navajo Bridge and Glen Canyon Dam. Both are intricately linked to the Colorado River. Originally named the "Grand Canyon Bridge" upon its completion in June of 1929, the Navajo bridge was officially renamed five years later by the state legislature. It is currently tied as the ninth highest bridge in the USA.

Without the Glen Canyon Dam, I'm pretty sure Page would not exist as a town in Arizona. Built to share water rights among Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico, and Utah, this dessert area was found to be most conducive to building the 710 foot dam. Constructed between 1956 to 1966, the dam forms Lake Powell and is one of the largest man made reservoirs in the country.

The Grandest of Canyons

How long has it been since I visited here? I don't want to even venture a guess, but to just say that life got in the way. Since the last post about my Tokyo Disney trip (which I hope to finish one day), I've lost my mom and Juneau (my husky dog)...two incredibly important parts of my life. I'll maybe write more about it, but that's for another time. 

I don't want my first post back being a downer, so what better way to return than with another trip report? My wife Sue and I were blessed to finally visit the Grand Canyon in Arizona a couple of weeks ago. GC has been a bucket list destination for me ever since I saw the diorama inside the tunnel of the Disneyland train ride (see how I was able to get a Disney park into this post...LOL) back as a child. That view of the canyon with animals, foreboding weather, and light effects mesmerized me almost as much as the dinosaur scenes. I was bummed the train was closed on my last visit due to incoming Star Wars, but a journey to the real thing was a revelation!

No disrespect to the Imagineers, but the real GC is beyond magic! You truly sense a creative and intelligent hand involved behind this magnificent vista.

We flew out of Hawaii on a Friday evening, catching the red eye which landed early morning in Las Vegas. After an obligatory stop at In-N-Out, we drove the 3 1/2 hours to the canyon. Being an island born boy, I really enjoyed the drive, soaking in the southwest scenery that seemed to pop right out of Pixar's Cars. 

The first three days were spent on the South Rim...the more popular  tourist destination thanks to the warmer climate and lower altitude. While we didn't journey into the canyon (maybe next time), we did do our fair share of hiking paths and park buses. We were blessed with an incredible sunset on our last night while at the top of Yaki Point. I had initially headed to the lookout at the top but the colors turned out pretty drab. Calling it a bust, we headed back down a bit disappointed. As we got off the bus, the sky began exploding with color and I quickly set up my camera so we could do our "selfies"...LOL!

We also visited the Desert View Watchtower designed by Mary Elizabeth Jane Colter...a major player in the architectural design of the park. It wasn't based on an actual structure, but modeled after several buildings found in that area from times past. Besides the usual visitor center, there's a small gift shop that sells some of the best coffee ice cream I've ever tasted. Definitely worth a stop if you're in this vicinity of the south rim.

From there, we drove over 200 miles to get to the North Rim.  another pleasant drive that found us alone on the road for the most part...passing more "Cars" like scenery. As we began to ascend, the climate got much cooler and wetter...with snow very evident in parts of the landscape. It took a few hours to get acclimated to the more rustic lodgings and quieter pace. Less amenities and tour options, but this area is your choice if you prefer a more laid back and less hectic pace. 

I made it a point to shoot the milky way out on Bright Angel trail the next evening. We had scoped it out earlier in the day and both Sue and I were uneasy with the sheer drops on either side of the path that provided no rail guards. However at night, with only a head lamp to light the way, I couldn't see any of the steep drops so I was fine. While sitting in the dark at 2:00 am, alone without a soul in sight, one thinks about a lot of things. My two main thoughts were "Are there any rattlesnakes?" and "Am I crazy shooting at this hour?". My wife often questions my sanity when the alarm goes off at midnight for one of these photo excursions...haha!

Earlier in the trip, our meals were mostly from general stores and snack shops due to lack of options and time. Sue came to the point where she didn't want to look at another sandwich, so the fine dining at the Grand Canyon Lodge was much welcomed! We were able to have an amazing breakfast and dinner there. I played it safe and opted for one of the best pasta dishes I've ever eaten while Sue went with the Braised Bison. She was kind enough to let me try and let me tell you...it was melt off the bone delicious! If you look closely at my breakfast order, you'll notice the plate was made of recyclable and environment friendly material.

We also did another obligatory selfie on the South Rim...so standby....here you go!

The two nights on the North Rim turned out to be a day or so too short. We really loved the cool weather and much smaller crowds. If you plan to visit GC, make sure to explore both rims!

Photographs Copyright 2019 by Len Yokoyama