The Elusive Kaibab Squirrel

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  Jacob Lake, Arizona, United States
Friday, October 5, 2007

We're back...after 4 days at the Grand Canyon! On Monday we left Flagstaff and drove to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, where we spent the next 2 nights. We got there just as it was getting dark and we walked up to one of the view points on the rim and I got my first look at the Grand Canyon- it's HUGE!! I mean, everyone knows that the Grand Canyon is big, but I don't think I was expecting it to be THAT big. I thought that once I got there I would be clicking away with my camera, but once I saw it I didn't feel like any pictures I could take would do it justice at all. I did get a few good sunset pictures, but I found it really hard to capture the scale of it- I guess you just have to see it for yourself.
The next day we went to an IMAX movie on the Grand Canyon- Silas was talking about how he had seen it when he was a little kid and he was hoping that it was going to be the same one. Turns out it was the same movie he had seen when he was a little kid- although his favorite scene was missing. But it was still pretty cool. Oh yeah, and before we were even in the park, Silas was talking non-stop about Brighty-the Grand Canyon mule. (remember the book?) In every gift shop we went in we searched for Brighty goods, but weren't able to find anything.
On Wednesday we headed over to the North Rim and on the way we stopped for a short hike into Cathedral Wash- a hike Silas had done several times when he was a little kid. We started out on flat ground and as we hiked down the wash, the canyon walls became higher and higher until it opened up at the Colorado River. We took a quick dip in the Colorado River (which was freezing!) and then headed back out. After that we stopped at Jacob Lake for gas and to get some supplies and we discovered that it was also home of the world's best cookies! We bought 2 each (pumpkin/ choc chip and German choc. for Silas and a ginger snap and a pumpkin/choc chip for me) and almost broke into tears when they were gone. We decided that we were definitely going to stop there on the way back through for some more...and we were going to ration them this time, none of this eating them all at once crap!
We got to the North Rim and it was POURING! So we hung out in the lodge for a while and charged the computer and stuff. We also found a Brighty statue in the lodge and Silas posed for some pictures by it. It finally stopped raining and we walked out to some of the scenic overlooks and then it was off to the showers. I counted and was a little disgusted to find that this was only our 6th shower of the trip!! Yuck! But after being on the San Juan for a week and being covered with dirt and sediment from the water- I never really feel dirty anymore...
Once we were all showered and clean we went looking for Fire Point- a place that Silas and his family used to camp that's right on the rim of the canyon. Silas had done some research online and found directions, which turned out to be pretty accurate and we found the place without any problem. It was definitely the nicest camping spot we've had yet- right on the rim, out in the middle of nowhere with no buses full of annoying tourists yelling at their kids and wives yelling at their husbands, "You're going to take the picture from THERE? Isn't that twig going to be in the way?! Why don't you take it from over here?!"
Silas got out his guitar and played for a while while we were waiting for the sunset. It was just so relaxing out there and it was really nice to be able to see something like that by ourselves. It started to get really windy after that and it continued all night and it was still blowing like crazy when we left this morning. When we got ready this morning we headed straight back to the lodge at Jacob Lake for some more of those awesome cookies! (we bought 8 this time!)
Allison

All of my childhod memories of the Grand Canyon are from the North Rim, so I was excited to check out the South Rim. Like Allison said, the canyon is so immense and beautiful, it is impossible to capture it with a camera...or with words. Seeing it sure puts things in perspective, though. It makes the the everyday worries of life seem very insignificant. The South Rim was a zoo, though. Tourists everywhere! It's hard to absorb the view with people nudging you out of the way to take a picture. I was glad to head to the North Rim where I knew Allison and I would be able to escape the crowds and enjoy the canyon a little more. On the way, we stopped and did one of my favorite childhood hikes, Cathedral Wash. It's a real narrow canyon, with lots of easy climbing parts. At the end, is the mighty Colorado River as it winds through Marble Canyon. We went for a freezing swim, and then drove up to the North Rim. After purchasing our delicious cookies at Jacob Lake, it was really dark, so we just drove up a gravel Forest Service road, parked in a meadow, and camped there for the night. In the morning, we woke up to rain. We went to the North Rim visitors center, and sat the rain out in the warm Grand Canyon Lodge, where we charged our electronic gadgets. We bought a couple of $5 coffees and a Brighty the Grand Canyon Mule patch (Yes! We found Brighty goods!) and then took much needed showers. The drive on a gravel road through the Kaibab National Forest to Fire Point was beautiful. It's autumn on the North Rim, so the aspens were all bright yellow, and the leaves were flying through the air in the wind. Fire Point was just what I was hoping for! A quiet, lonely little piece of the Grand Canyon that Allison and I had to ourselves. The rain had stopped so we immediately went for a Kaibab Squirrel hunt, but couldn't find any. I was hoping Allison would get to see one since they're only found in this little pocket of forest in Arizona. They can be identified by the large furry tufts on their ears. Anyway, after a peaceful night, we drove down the Kaibab Plateau this morning and are headed to Zion. Looks like more rain might be ahead.
Silas

Post your own travel photos for friends and family Pictures

The Grand Canyon	The Mighty Colorado	Allison & South Rim sunset	Silas on the South Rim
South Rim sunset	Swimming in the Colorado	Silas in Cathedral Wash	Allison in Cathedral Wash
Toe inspection	Morning in the Kaibab	Rainy North Rim	Allison on North Rim
Allison on North Rim 2	Silas & Brighty	Road to Fire Point	Camping at Fire Point
Allison at Fire Point	Silas playing guitar at Fire Point	"Goin' down in a blaze of glory" (Bon Jovi)	Sunset

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