I'm getting emails, "You're so funny, but what about the Grand Canyon!? What did you think?" I think it's big, for one. But before I get to that, let me continue the delay for just a moment for this Mom On The Rocks public service announcement.
If you ever have the opportunity to drive through New Mexico, off the beaten path. Don't. We drove through towns and villages that reminded us of video and pictures of third world countries. And, we didn't have any kind of GPS system with us. I know, 2,700 miles and no GPS? What are we thinking? I suppose it's our version of roughing it. Fret not, Ricardo had access to the same system on his phone. Trouble is, you need phone service in the third world country known as "new" Mexico. Outside of the airport in Albuquerque, really, the entire state is a state of Tent City. Bill Richardson has some work to do. Maybe I'll write a letter.
Between that and coming out of the mountains with more winding and turning and up and down, I was depressed and nauseated. Oh thank God, there's I-40W! Whew! We made it to Flagstaff with minimal upheaval, and woke up to drive to the Grand Canyon. While I drove, the kids watched some show called Skunk Fu they got at a Red Box.
We developed a new road trip pit stop - stop at WalMarts. What, Leslie, weren't you just talking about third world countries and now you're stopping at WalMart? Yes, because what's lowlier than a WalMart bathroom? A convenience store bathroom. Ick. If you find a Walmart off the highway, they tend to be nicer. And we stopped, got a healthier snack than we would at a convenience store, went potty, and then got a movie at the Red Box. You can return them at any Red Box location, so it's the perfect roadtrip plan. And, the we get to get out and walk around a bit, even if it is at WalMart, it works.
SkunkFu is some cartoon. Sad to say, I didn't screen it. But while driving, I rocked out to the title sequence music. It's fun, I'm thinking of downloading it. So, the content can't be all that bad, right?
We stopped to get Max a knee brace. We put on a brave face for him knowing what he didn't, perhaps he blew out his knee, let's test it out while hiking in the Grand Canyon, and then after that, we'll consider a doctor. What's the litmus test for whether your six-year-old son having his own orthopedic surgeon anyways?
Ricardo wraps his knee in an ace bandage and we get on the road to the Grand Canyon. Twenty minutes later Max apologetically says,
"Uhm, Mom, I can't feel my foot."
I crawl back and unwrap the ace bandage. Max breathes in relief that indeed, there IS blood flowing back through his leg again.
Behold, we arrive at the Grand Canyon. We drove through a pretty thick national forest. So, it kind of makes it like Disney World when you're waiting in line, somehow they find a way to wind you through the lines all while hiding the destination for the surprise effect when you finally get on the ride. Driving through forest, and then BAM! A large large LARGE crack in the earth. A mile deep crack in the earth. So deep in fact, you can't see to the bottom. You THINK you can, and then you realize there's another canyon under that canyon. Whew!
The kids were ecstatic. Max's knee was suddenly fine. They were so excited, they were wiggling and dancing and singing and amazed. For about 10 minutes. Then it was, "It's just dirt, Mom." Well eff you kid. Put down that Grand Canyon shot glass and walk out of the gift shop, then. Brat.
Really, they thought it was cool. I made them take all the pictures they could handle, and we walked around, got all the right angles. We traded picture takings of the whole family with a family from New Jersey. After we left, the kids asked what country they were from. We had lunch and then explored more nature. The kids had fun spotting squirrels. And by "spotting" I mean, the squirrels know where the food is, they know nature and where to find the food...the Navajo Pretzel with processed cheese from the guy from New Jersey. They're like seagulls at the beach, I'm guessin.
I collect crosses from just about every trip we go on. So I looked for a cross at the Grand Canyon. But it turns out, the Native American community isn't much into Christ and the cross so much as peyote and turqoise. So, no cross for me.
We walked around some more, and then when the kids declared they did not want to hike into the canyon, not for one little bit, we said okay. I probably would have made them do it, appreciate every last bit of the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, however, I knew the next day we'd be looking at the canyon from down below in a river rafting tour, so I just went with it. We took them to a gift shop with their allotted allowance and let them pick something out and left. That was it.
We gave the kids a disposable camera each. It was cool to come back and see what they thought was picture worthy. Here's some of Max's interpretation of the canyon:
Here's Lucy's:
I'm impressed at what the Grand Canyon looks like through their eyes (cameras). In a few years, it'll be fun to go back to the Grand Canyon, and hike down to it. But for now, the first ten minutes took all of our breaths away. It was worth the drive for just that.
That's how I roll.
Nice!