November 16 & 17

I know I keep saying this, but the USA is just massive! The distances between places are staggering—hundreds of km’s of nothing stretching further than the horizon. Watching it slip past the truck window, I’m grateful to be living in these times. I wonder how miserable the pioneers lives must have been, bumbling along with horse and wagon. Enduring harsh winds, scorching heat, and freezing nights.  Then, after months of gruelling travel, little water & food only to arrive somewhere as impassable as the Grand Canyon—then what?  Though it’s not such a distant past, as town after town we drive through have skeletal remains of chuck wagons.  

Grand Canyon: Revisiting the Edge of Awe

Our first visit here was back in 2021.  Our initial attempt to journey through South America. Quiet then because of covid.  Today it’s the cold weather keeping the crowds away. 

The view is as breathtaking, the sights are truly awesome. Two ravens are playing tag, flying so close to the cliff walls like it’s a game. We don’t linger long, the biting wind had us snapping quick photos before retreating to the truck.  At the Visitor Center we sit in on a rangers talk about the California Condor—a species of bird brought back from the brink of extinction. We learned how to distinguish them from turkey vultures high in the sky.

Walking the South rim, the clouds roll in over the North rim. It’s a short visit, once again, late in the day, the sun soon sets behind us, casting that golden light.

Leaving via the East Gate, we found a quiet spot to camp for the night.

Morning was a sharp -5°C, I don’t want to get out of bed. Kids are in deep sleep, I don’t have the heart to wake them yet. We’d sleep with the window cracked for fresh air, but i’ve woken with a chill & slight headache. The altitude isn’t doing us any favours—we haven’t slept well.

Tim, is now concerned over second new sound from Bruce, this one now coming from the air system. 

Painted Desert & Petrified Forest

It’s roughly 350km from the Grand Canyon to our next stop, and third National Park, Petrified Forest. Another long drive and late entry. The Painted Desert alone was worth the drive. The late afternoon light brings out the vivid hues of red, yellow, blue, and lavender.

Blue Mesa was our favourite, a significant landform of spectacular blue, purple, grey, and peach banded badlands.

Petrified logs are scattered everywhere, evidence of a long gone, once tropical forest, where the trees were already old!

Our camp for the night is the parking lot of a Rock & Gem store.  Dry camping, zero services, campers must be completely self sufficient.  They allow us to camp with hopes that we will buy our own piece of ancient tree-rock.  There are several other campers here too, perfect for one night.  The temperature plummets as fast as the light fades, we’re in for another cold night beneath the Arizona desert starry skies.  

Continuing East, our next stop is at the NRAO where we learn about the science of radio astronomy….