Before I say anything about today’s adventure, I want to express our amazement with how the Parks Department has upgraded the Grand Canyon making it accessible to every American and foreign visitor.  We had forgotten that our GC is one of the seven wonders of world until this trip which probably explains why English is not heard very much anywhere in the park.  There are visitors from all over the world who come to see this great treasure.  The park has something for everyone and if its not on your bucket list, you may want to think about adding it, (except maybe our friends with a fear of heights).

View along the way to Bryce Canyon from Grand Canyon

We were on the road by 5:15 this morning because we had a 1:15 pm tour in Bryce Canyon and heard there was construction delays on one of the roads.  Besides, we were up anyway!

Our Bryce Canyon adventure was a mule/horse ride into the canyon and back out.  It has been 50 years since I did any serious horseback riding and, truthfully, I was a little apprehensive about getting back in the saddle at all, much less down into a deep canyon.  But Jim had done it back in the 1980s and wanted to do it again so why not.

Jim and I each got a horse instead of a mule.  According to the wrangler, Jim’s horse, Buckets, was lazy and my horse, Blaze, was mean.

MG on Blaze, take notice he was tied up till we were ready to go

Not a good beginning in my mind.  Then I remembered why I gave up riding; it’s a long way up to the stirrup to get into the saddle from down here where my legs start and end!  Nothing like making a scene right off the bat.  Once in the saddle, I could see what they meant by mean.  Any time a horse or mule came near Blaze he would pull his ears back flat like he wanted to kick or bite.  Oh boy!  Do I really need this?

Off we go, with Jim in front of me and as the group of 35 or so split up, I wound up being the last in our group.  We were given strict instructions not to fall behind and to stay about 3 feet away from the horse in front of you.  I could watch Jim continually have to kick Buckets and encourage him to keep up, while I was trying to keep Blaze at a distance so he wouldn’t bite or kick anyone.  We started down the trail into the base of the canyon and the wrangler said they are trained to walk the edge of the trail but don’t panic because none of the animals are suicidal.  Every time we got incredibly close to the edge I just repeat, “your not suicidal remember”, which got me down with only sweaty palms.  About half way down, Buckets had to relieve himself again and came to a full stop.  The wrangler behind me told Jim to get him moving again because he just went and was just wasting time.  Well OK!

The views were spectacular whenever I took my eyes off the trail and Jim got some really good pictures.

View of the canyon from the top rim as we entered the Horse Trail

About half way around the canyon floor, we realized the mule in front of Jim was powered by natural gas which lingered long enough for us to ride through it.  That was also the point when I realized Buckets must be an older male horse with prostate issues.  In the meantime, Blaze and I had bonded.  After about 45 minutes my bottom was sore and I was wishing we had done this before I lost those 10 pounds.

Coming back up from bottom of the Canyon

The red towers in the canyon are called hoodoos created by the erosion over time from the elements.  They have very different and distinct shapes and they are given names to help identify them.  The only one I remembered seeing was called the Queen and hope it was not named after Queen Elizabeth because it was ugly.

On our way back up the canyon trail, I noticed Jim was dropping the reins and letting Buckets do all the work while he took pictures.  Blaze on the other hand was getting really tired and I had to keep kicking him to move but my legs had gone numb which made it hard.  I can’t tell who was happier to get back, me or Blaze.  I will admit, the wrangler had to help me off and I could not walk for awhile until the feeling came back.

On the drive to the hotel, we passed the Red Canyon where you had to drive through two rock tunnels and  took in some awesome views.

Tomorrow we drive to Ventura to celebrate my Grandson’s and my birthday.  We will be writing more when we resume our adventure on the 14th.  Come back, promise!

Just how long does it take for your internal clock to reset?  It just doesn’t seem right to me to be staring at the ceiling at 3:30 or 4:00 a.m.  We were in the 24 hour McDonalds at 5:30 this morning eating breakfast and that’s just WRONG.

This early start did give us a jump on many of the other park guests and there were times during the morning when it seemed we had the entire Grand Canyon to ourselves.  We took the “tips” brochure’s advice and went to the far end first because most people don’t read and start at the visitor center.  As we walked along the rim, the sun was getting higher in the sky and changing the colors in the canyon from dim to vivid and making each view different.

Morning view of Canyon from South Rim near Canyon Village

 View of Bright Angel Trail into the canyon

Along the path we came upon a rabbit drinking from a small puddle created by the rain yesterday.  He drank until it was gone and then moved on.  While we were in the park, we’ve seen lots of elk, a few wild horses, lots of squirrels and a mule deer.  We’ve been told that during this dry time, the rangers put out buckets of water for the animals.  One of the birds that seem to be in abundance is the Raven.  They look and sound like black crows but they are the size of a small cat.  Evidently, they are considered very intelligent and can open a zipper on a backpack faster than you can shoo them away.

July starts the rainy season in the Canyon and not a minute too soon based on how dry everything looks.  Unfortunately, with the rain comes the lightening.  Grand Canyon sees 26,000 lightening strikes per year, second only to Orlando, Florida but up here, that lightening means fire most of the time.

Tonight we took a Sunset Canyon tour and watched the sun casting its shadows on the canyon walls with the backdrop of storm clouds from the north rim.  Here are some of the pictures but bear in mind, the camera never captures the incredible views the eye can witness.

Light from Sunset reflecting on the Canyon wall

Sunset over Grand Canyon

Back in the 1980’s, Jim and I were both in Sedona at different times and we each took the Pink Jeep tour while here.  I believe when they say, “you can’t go home again” they mean nothing stays the same so don’t try to relive the past.  We learned that lesson again in Sedona.  Oh how it has grown!  In 1988, the original owner of the Pink Jeep Tour company sold to the current owner and it has expanded into a major tourism giant expanding into other areas including Grand Canyon.

View of rock formations from Downtown Sedona

Back when we took our jeep rides, they were smaller, no roof, open jeeps that went into the desert and explored the rock formations and vegetation in what could only be described at a “roller coaster” adventure.  The Pink Jeep tour of today takes you into the mountains using the old logging road of the 1930’s (which is no longer paved or smooth) giving you the sights and commentary of the formations and vegetation along the way.  Not better or worse, just different.  Plus, at $100,000 each, the jeeps are bigger and probably safer.

We saw the various rock formations:  Snoopy, cow patties, kissing rock, board room, etc.

Dried up river bed in canyon

Old wagon trail from 1800’s used to go over mountains

Kissing rocks 

 View from top of mountain we climbed  approximately 7000 feet

Our guide was particularly fascinated with the agave plant and the idea that if a cowboy fell off his horse onto the plant, he would be seriously hurt.

Agave Plant

On our way out of town, we stopped at the Chapel of the Holy Cross built in 1957 right into the red rocks.

The cross seems to jet out from the rock and almost looks like the chapel was an afterthought.  When we arrived, we grabbed the first parking spot we saw, only to realize that meant we would be hiking to the top where the Chapel entrance was located.  Not our first or last mistake of this trip, I’m sure.

We departed Sedona and headed to Grand Canyon driving through some much needed rain.  We checked into our hotel and headed for the Park since it was only 4pm.  Since we have a National Park Seniors Pass, we can get into all National parks without a fee so, why not.  Actually, we are having trouble getting our body clocks reset to this time zone.  We were wide awake at 4 am this morning!

The south rim of the Grand Canyon has also undergone some major changes since the 1980’s.  So much to do and the parks department has made it easier with free shuttle buses to all the major sights.  Anxious to get started, we walked to Mather and Yavapai Points before we realized we were outwalking our energy level.

Mather point – South Rim Grand Canyon

The walk back to our car was slow and deliberate especially after we noticed our Fitbits told us we had each walked over 25,000 steps and climbed over 177 flights of stairs.

Elk as we were exiting park

Dinner was just designed to provide sustenance so no pictures.  Sorry Fellow Foodies.  Between the bumpy jeep ride and the walking, this is definitely an Advil night.

Tomorrow:  Grand Canyon all day and 6 pm tour.

After spending nine hours driving from Spring to Amarillo yesterday, today was not any easier.  The trip consisted of I-40 all the way with nothing to see but flat dry brush speckled with “authentic” Indian souvenir signs and occasionally some wind turbines.  The good thing was he temperature was very pleasant, but still, how would you like to watch this for 7 1/2 hours?

Then we crossed into Arizona and the temperature began to climb until it reached 100 degrees.  We began to see pretty mountain configurations and more towns and green vegetation.  This is when we realized Arizona does not participate in daylight savings time so our phones set back another hour making the trip according to the GPS another hour longer.  Ugh!  Sunrise in Sedona is 5:30 am.

Sedona is a pretty little town with a population of around 11,000 in 2016 and only 5 miles wide.  Everything on Main Street is constructed to blend into the landscape and even the golden arches are low and inconspicuous.  There was an interesting restaurant within walking distance from our hotel and we decided it was a must, given we had been sitting for 10 hours.  We walked into the Relic Restaurant and we were immediately transferred back to 1946 which was when this General Store and Gas Station was converted to the Rainbows End Restaurant and has been continuously operated as a restaurant ever since.  Of course, it has been upgraded and modernized enough to keep it attractive but it still has the charm of an earlier time.

In 1965 the movie The Rounders with Glenn Ford and Henry Fonda had scenes filmed here.  More recently, like in March 2017, an episode of Dead Files was filmed here and in 2016, a Paranormal TV show declared this building officially “haunted” by spirits from the days when it was a stagecoach stop.  With a history like that, we were concerned with the quality of the food, but we can honestly report the food was outstanding and not just because we hadn’t had a decent meal since we left our son-in-law.  For my fellow foodies:  Jim had Tilapia and shrimp (he gave me the shrimp) over mashed potatoes and spinach and I had Salmon with asparagus.  Here are the pictures.

MG’s meal of Salmon

Jim’s meal of Tilapia

Tomorrow is our pink jeep ride through the desert surrounding Sedona.  Don’t miss those pictures.

We arrived in Waco close to noon and thought we would experience one of the food trucks mentioned in the website at the Silos.  After all, its Monday and its been raining all morning so the crowd  will probably be a lot smaller than normal.  Boy, did we underestimate the popularity of Chip and Joanna Gaines and their TV show.   We circled the area a few times before we found parking and then walked towards the two big unfinished silos signifying the location of this newly created destination.

I was so excited.  There were the silos with the newest refurbished bakery just in front.  It was one of my insomniac nights when I watched the episode where they came up with the idea to renovate this building and Joanna tested the recipes for the cupcakes on Chip and the kids.  We were so close, when we noticed a tent touting a city tour of Waco, including several of the houses remodeled on the show.  The company is founded by the single man who returned to Waco after a modeling career in New York.  His is the bachelor pad with the basketball court in the back if you remember the episode.  The grounds of the Silos was wall-to-wall people so we opted for the tour hoping the crowd would thin by the time we got back.

You could have knocked me over with a feather, when the tour guide said he wanted to say a short prayer before we started the tour.  He is a recent Baylor Graduate doing these tours part-time while he studies for the real estate exam.  Our driver was an artist and lifelong resident of Waco.  Both of our escorts attend the same church as Chip and Joanna and the young man who is part owner of the tour company.

Back in 2012 we were in Waco as part of our first big trip before the Magnolia phenomena hit the city, and we definitely see a difference it has made.  The Silos and the Magnolia Market are now one of the major employers in the city ranked up there with the hospital and a major energy company.  It is a destination place for people from all over the world and touts tens of thousands of visitors each week.  If you come to Waco to see the Silos, be sure to take this tour.  Not only did we see several of the houses remodeled on the show,

but we also had a chance to go into Clint’s Harp Design Co. (the woodworking shop on the show).

We also stopped for coffee and ice cream (homemade with all natural ingredients sourced from local providers) along the way.  Because Waco is half way between Austin and Dallas and a University town, big named entertainers often stop here and put on shows and this place becomes their venue holding about 500 in the back.

After 2 1/2 hours of our tour, we were brought back to the Silos where the crowds had diminished a bit and we had a chance to walk through the store and, of course, try the cupcakes and cookies.

The original Silos that stored cotton

Joanna Gaines retail store

M

Food trucks at the Silos

Nice day and worth the side trip.  Heading home tomorrow and looking forward to it.

After three days of doing the tourist thing, we were ready for some time at sea just being on the ship.  Cruise ships have so many activities planned, it’s easy to find something you like every minute of the day if that is what you want.

Unfortunately, that’s when you realize you are just one of 3,000 people on the ship.  The pool was like standing in a flooded elevator; shoulder to shoulder even if you didn’t want to be.

Adult Pool

There was a separate “Adult Pool” if you wanted to be away from the activity but it had its share of parents trying to separate themselves from kids for a few hours.  There was also a “quiet place” called Serenity for those who didn’t care about the action and just wanted peace and quiet.

Since we have such ready access to beaches and a pool, we felt no compulsion to take on the mass of Texans looking for sun and water.  We managed to amuse ourselves with lots of other onboard activities while still nursing our sensitive digestive system from the Honduran food.

Eventually, all good things must come to an end and so did our cruise.  We left the ship with lots of fond memories, a few souvenirs and lots of laundry to be done.  From Galveston we drove back to Houston to spend a few days with Debbie and her family.

Ryan & music teacher playing the Marimba at Church service on Sunday Aug 6th

Playing games at Debbie & Kerry’s place

Tomorrow morning, we leave for Waco, Texas to check out Magnolia Market and all the things we have seen on the HGTV show Fixer Upper.

We signed up for three excursions; one in each of our ports.  We first arrived in Cozumel, Mexico, which is an island off the mainland and famous for its diving.  We took Jeeps that had their soft roofs rolled back to tour parts of the island that included a Mayan ruin, a lighthouse and a beautiful beach complete with snorkeling.  The trip was a lot of fun but it was HOT.  I even enjoyed showing off my agility getting in an out of the back of the Jeep through the window like my teenage grandson.  It also included lunch and we were very careful to only eat things that were cooked  which did not include salad or fruit.

Mayan ruin, was a bunker used when bad weather came

Beach on the Caribbean where we snorkeled

View from Lighthouse

We stopped at a crocodile preserve and one of the kids lost their flip flop in the water.  No one was willing to even stick a hand down to pick it up with this guy swimming close by and not knowing what else was just under the walkway.  Before returning to the ship we stopped to get something to drink and Jim found this Kodak spot that reminded him of a commercial you see on TV.

The next day, we docked in Belize to tour the port city and visit a Mayan excavated site that had several structures and lots of interesting history.  Actually, the area is a national archive and highly protected, including the monkeys living in the trees.

Tour of Mayan ruins

High Temple

Jaguar Temple

My impression of Belize is it’s trying to develop into a major tourist destination to improve its economy.  What we saw was not unlike many other islands with extremes on both ends of the economic scale.  Given their independence was only secured in 1981, they seem to be making strides but are still in a fragile state.   More lunch provided including the national food of stewed chicken, rice and beans and potato salad.  Actually very tasty after walking uphill to various ruins and actually climbing to the top of one of the tallest.

The third day was to Mahogany Bay, Honduras which is leased by Carnival.  The terminal is definitely designed and maintained using U.S. standards.  Actually it looked like something you would see on Maui.

This excursion took us to a nature preserve founded by the family of the one-time only  doctor on the island called Gumbalimba.  This place is definitely a Disney want-to-be.  It is beautiful and home to many species of plants and animals with no restrictions on their comings and goings.  As we walked by this huge yellow and green plant, it reminded me of something I had seen before.  When I asked our  guide, he informed me it was a spider plant, but its U.S. cousin must not grow this big.

Gumbalimba is home to many Macaws (National bird) free to come and go at will, but dependent on the food supply provided, so they don’t go far.  They do let you take pictures with them sitting on your shoulders or head.  I opted out when they told me they go to the bathroom every 20 minutes.  That would not mean good luck to me.

The preserve is also home to the black iguana and protected by the country because it is only found in Honduras, as well as other species of iguana more common to the area.  The highlight was the monkeys, who we were warned, had total control if you chose to let them sit on your shoulder.  If they take your hat or glasses, they then belong to the monkey.  Do not try to touch them or pet them.  But no one said anything about them going to the bathroom and both Kerry and Debbie learned that lesson the hard way.

From the preserve, we had access to a beautiful beach with more snorkeling.  No lunch included this time, but a restaurant available if you were hungry.  We were!  We ate, not taking our own advice from previous days, only to regret it the next day.  Oh how quickly we Americans fall into a false sense of security.