G.A.S.P.

The next day (11-10), I rode from Cameron to a campground near Grand Canyon Village. I came into the park at the East entrance, and rode along the rim for about 25 miles to the village area. The first view of the canyon was still as breathtaking as it was 35 years ago when I first (and last) saw it. This is truly one of Mother Nature’s greatest creations, unmatched by any other canyon in the world. I will use the words "spectacularly awesome" to describe Grand Canyon (I have been saving that particular combination of words just for here). You really have to be here to fully appreciate the immensity of this place. Words and photos just aren’t enough, but I will do my best anyway.

At one of the overlooks, I found some information regarding the "discovery" of the canyon by Europeans. In 1540, an expedition led by Francisco Vasquez de Coronado was exploring what is now the American Southwest, and Hopi Indians guided a party of his men, led by Garcia Lopez de Cardenas, to the South Rim of Grand Canyon. Legend has it that Cardenas uttered "Que cagada - del canyon" (Good grief - what a canyon) as he approached the edge of the rim.

Early in the day (before I got into the park), I saw about a dozen ravens in the middle of the road a couple of hundred yards in front of me. I thought this must be some major road-kill, but when I got there, it was just one squirrel (duly counted). Slim pickins in the desert. A couple of miles later, there was a single raven flying around me (beside, behind, above). I’m sure it was "caw, caw" that he was saying, but after a while, it started to sound like "die, die."

Later, in the park, I almost ran over a deer. There was one big one beside the road that bounded off into the woods as I approached. As I was looking for him in the trees, a smaller one darted right in front of me. Those words "fine and imprisonment, or both" flashed before my eyes, but I missed it by about 15 feet.