Sunday, March 22, 2009

The Grand Canyon

Arizona's greatest tourist attraction.

The Grand Canyon.

Or as a sardonic friend of mine once said, upon first seeing it, "Well, it's a great canyon but I'm not sure it's a grand canyon."

It's still an awe-inspiring sight.


There are those who can't seem to get close enough to the rim. (Click on these pictures for a "closer view.")

But wait! There's more! As we were heading away from the Canyon, we spotted these two cow elk. There really are two. The lighter one has her head down.

And, in spite of all those signs in Northern Arizona that say "Watch for Elk" and I had never seen one, these two and several others were peacefully wandering very close to the road. Here's the initial shot.

13 comments:

  1. I've always been surprisingly unimpressed with the grand canyon. Though in honesty I think that is probably the fault of the herds of exceedingly rude tourists who clog the pathways. I get so fed up by the time I actually get a view into the canyon that all I want to do is get in the car and drive away.

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  2. One person's natural wonder is another person's tourist trap. The canyon is both.

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  3. I love the Grand Canyon at night. Of course you don't see the canyon, but the stars in the sky are SO bright and so many it brings tears to my eyes! Hate all the tourists, but do love that Grand Canyon. One of the best places in Arizona!

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  4. Nice photos. I love the elk you captured.

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  5. Hey Cassie, thanks for stopping by. I know I've been at the Canyon at night but I don't remember the sky. May have been overcast.

    Steve - Thanks!

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  6. I think it is a grand canyon. I was in awe. I hiked to the bottom too and as great at that was I never need to do it again. Whew.

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  7. Oh, Joan, you are soooooooo brave! I have a couple of friends who made the hike, too, and they both said they'd never do that again. I think they should give out medals to people who do it. And survive.

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  8. Looking from here is close enough to the edge for me! haha!
    Loved seeing the Elk.

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  9. Meggie, SWMBO has a problem with heights, too. I loved going up and standing on the edge, while she cowered and screamed at me to come back. Little did she know that there was a big flat ledge just below the edge. Heh, heh, heh!

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  10. Honestly, is it even possible to take a bad photo of the grand canyon? I have only seen it flying over head on the way over to the west coast. I have not flown (except in that black hawk)since I got stuck for another week 1500 miles away from my kids while in Florida on 9/11 and have not stepped on a plane since.

    I'll take my chances on driving. Sure there are fewer accidents in the air, but chances are you will not survive a plane crash, and you can survive a car wreck.

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