Surprisingly, I was up before sunrise this morning. I was standing at the edge of the Grand Canyon, watching the sun come up. There was this beautiful cloud formation, making it all just exquisite. I love my life.
Places We've Been
Getting Ready To Go To Flagstaff
We will be leaving the North Rim at the end of next week, headed first to Flagstaff. I made a reservation for us at Greer’s Pine Shadows RV Park. We had wanted to stay at J and H again, but they close for the winter on October 14th. So, I called Greer’s last night and made a reservation.
We’ll be in Flagstaff for five days. We want to do some touristy things while we’re there. One thing I know for sure is on the list is the Lowell Observatory. We may drive down to Sedona one day to look around down there. I want to, no, I HAVE to get a pedicure and a hair cut. FabGrandpa wants to go to the Game Stop store. We’ll probably go out to eat a couple of times. But mostly, we’re just going to take a break.
At the end of the five days, we’ll be going to Phoenix. Our friends, Charlie and Lynn, are managing a Christmas tree sales lot, and we’ll be working for them starting around November 15, getting the lot ready for the opening day the day after Thanksgiving. We’ll be there on the sales lot until December 24th. It’s going to be a lot of hard work, I know, but we are looking forward to it. We’ve never done that kind of job before so it will be interesting.
So, that’s the plan. If you were in Flagstaff for five days, what would you want to see?
The End Of The Trail
I have been doing some hiking here at the Grand Canyon. You may recall my trek out to Widforss Point, the day we went on the Uncle Jim Trail, or the Cliff Springs Trail. But the mama of them all, the one true test of a hiker here at the Grand Canyon has not been mine to experience until today. I am proud to say I am no longer a virgin to the North Kaibab Trail, the one that the rim to rim hikers take. So, OK, I didn’t go very far. You have to start somewhere, everyone does. Today, my friend and co-worker, Sally along with the campground host Bob, and I went to the first bend in the trail.
(Sally and me on the North Kaibab Trail)
Sally and Bob have hiked the North Kaibab before, so they knew I could do this little piece of it. And I am very grateful to them for encouraging me to try it, and for going with me today so that they could be my “brains” and make me turn around when they knew I would want to continue.
(Bob the camphost on the trail)
They called it the “500 Steps” because from that bend in the trail, it is about 500 steps to the top, to the end of the trail. The going down was very easy, but I have to tell you, I felt every pound of the fat on my body going back up. Next week we are going to go to the Coconino Overlook. I can hardly wait!
(me at the end of the trail)
Grand Canyon Star party
Ever been to a Star Party? Well, last night we went to one here at the Grand Canyon. George , a volunteer here at the North Rim, hosted this party over by the rim of the canyon. What a beautiful night!
Of course there was food first, and we all got a chance to practice our social skills. I took chicken and rice so there would be something I knew I could eat. MMMM, lots of good stuff . I have to find Andrea and get her recipe for spinach artichoke dip.
Then as the sun was setting we went over to where George had his huge telescope set up, and we all star-gazed. We had been down to the lodge a couple months ago when he had his telecope set up there for looking at the moon. Wow, what a great view it was, too. But last night, we were viewing Jupiter and Venus. You could see Jupiter’s moons all lined up. It was gorgeous!
Here I am with the campground hosts, Bill and Dee, and Adam. He brought his telescope, too so we could all take a look. I have never seen such huge telescopes. And you know, aside from the Big Dipper and the moon, I have always had trouble finding the different stars and constellations up there. I am truly in awe of anyone who can read the sky like that.
Here is Jim taking a peek at Venus. And look at that fabulous sunset behind him! While we have had some really great sunsets here, this one is definitely one of the best.
One last view of that great sunset. I am really going to miss this place when we leave here. And not just for the canyon and the sunsets, either. The peole we work with here truly are the best!
Autumn On The North Rim
Yesterday I forgot to take my jacket with me when I went out to the entrance to go to work. I’ll never forget again. As I drove in I could see the storm coming. It started raining, then it got cold, so I made a fire in the woodstove. A while later, the rain stopped and it warmed up, so it was too hot in the building. Oh, well. Live and learn.
After the storm, the sunset was gorgeous. I saw some deer cross the road, then come running back to cross again. I wondered if there was a coyote out there. There has been one hanging around in that area for a couple of months. The people coming through the gate have told me they have seen it, but I have not caught even one glimpse of it yet.
Today, we drove out to the Kaibab National Forest, down to Forest Road 610. The aspens are almost at peak color, the sun was shining, and the sky was full of big puffy clouds. It is amazing how big the sky is out here.
The road started out pretty smooth, but the last four or five miles were pretty rough. We passed an area where fire workers were cutting underbrush and stacking it. There were at least seven trucks out there. They do a great job of controlling the fuel wood so that if a fire were to be started by a lightening strike it would not spread far or burn too hot.
This last picture was taken from the beginning of the Nankoweap Trail. The drive out to the Nankoweap Trailhead was about 13 miles. We had planned to hike a little way down that trail, but it got steep really fast, and we know our limitations, so we turned back. We were a little disappointed because we wanted to go out there, but it is always best to be safe.
Hiking The Cliff Springs Trail
If you ever get to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, the Cliff Springs Trail is one you are definitely going to have to hike. FabGrandpa and I went on that trail today. The day was beautiful, with blue skies, a gentle breeze and the temperature around 65 degrees.
(The beginning of the trail)
The trail starts at the Angel’s Window overlook. It is a half mile to the springs, but you can go beyond that point if you want to. We went about a mile out, then turned around and came back. The views were breathtaking, absolutely beautiful.
(A huge boulder at the side of the trail)
The springs are more like a “drips”, as the water was dripping out of the cliffs onto the ground, making a small pool. Lots of plant life was taking advantage of the moisture there, so it looked cool and green. I can see why ancient Indians sought out this place in the summer as a respite from the boiling sun down in the canyon below.
(The cliffs, wow!)
The drive up the Cape Royal Road to the Angel’s Window Overlook is about 30 miles from the entrance to the park. There are four or five paved parking areas on the drive up so you can take advantage of the awesome view up there. At the end of the road is Cape Royal, where you can take a paved hiking trail out to the gorgeous viewpoints. You can see the Colorado River from this trail.
(Looking up. The cliffs hung over life a roof in places)
I’m going back up there in two weeks, because the Aspens are just starting to change to their blazing gold color, and I want to get some pictures of them at their peak. Of course, I’ll be putting some pictures up here for you to see.
(Looking across the canyon to the other side)
In other news, Becca and Ken have moved into their new apartment in Denver. She has already found a job, just two miles from home at the Williams Sonoma. She worked for them in Norfolk for years, so it was just a matter of interviewing with the manager there. Today they went sightseeing in their new hometown. I can hardly wait to make use of their guest room!
(Taking a rest on a stump)
The FabGrandson Owen had his first birthday on Friday. Judging from the pictures his mother sent me, he loved his birthday cake! And his Dad, Seth, told me he is feeling better than he has ever felt in his life since having his surgery for sleep apnea. His exact words “I feel high just from breathing”.
(Cliff Spring. Indians came here as early as 1100 A.D.)
Emily has gone back to school to get her master’s degree in education. She has her hands full with her teaching job, her own school homework, and her son, The FabGrandson Spencer. He is in first grade and doing pretty good this year.
(Another view across the canyon)
And my stepdaughter, Becky just got back from Mexico on a business trip, a two-day training class. Lucky dog!
(Click on this picture to see the tiny little people up ahead of us, to get an idea of the size of these cliffs)
(In some places, the cliffs where so low you had to crouch down to walk on the trail.)
(A gnarled tree on the edge of the canyon at Walhalla Overlook)
(A bee on a dried thistle flower.)
Creamed Corn with Red Peppers
We drove down to Kanab again Monday afternoon. FabGrandpa needed some soup and some fruit bars, and I needed some veggies for this week, so off we went. It had been raining, storming, thundering and lightening for a couple of days, but on Monday the weather was clearing up, and the sky was beautiful. So was the desert:
We had lunch at Escobar’s, a little Mexican place off the main drag, then headed over to the Foodtown. I found a Boston Butt pork roast on sale for $1.79 per pound, some fresh sweet corn, a red bell pepper, and some yellow squash. We brought our treasures home, where I got out the butcher knife and sliced off a few pieces of the roast. I breaded them with rice flour and fried them like pork chops. Boy were they ever good!
The next day, I poked holes in the rest of the roast and stuffed them with garlic, and put it in the crock pot while I was at work. I think it was the most excellent roast, ever! So, tonight, we had leftover roast with fried squash and creamed corn with red peppers.
The first time I made creamed corn with red peppers was when the refrigerator quit working last month. I had the last bits of those sweet Italian red peppers that I bought in Maryland last fall, and some corn, that I did not want to lose. I cooked them up together and it turned out to be very good.
Here is the recipe:
3 ears fresh sweet corn
1 red bell pepper
1/2 stick butter or margarine
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup milk
Shuck the corn and scrape the kernels off the cob. Wash and chop the red bell pepper. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, then add the peppers and saute for a few minutes. Add the corn, milk, salt and pepper. Turn the heat down to low. Cook, stirring often, until the corn is done.
I took a picture of it, but it did not turn out very good, and made it look very unappetizing, so you won’t see it here. Sorry. But, you will not be disappointed if you try this. Yum! Oh, and the best part: It’s gluten free!
Fun Monday-Where I Blog
Janet from “The Planet of Janet”, one of my bloggy friends, wrote about her blog space today for Fun Monday, which is hosted by a different person each week. This week, Gattina of “Writer Cramps” is the host. I have never participated in Fun Monday before but thought this was a good time to start. So, here it is folks, the place where I blog:
Here it is, my space at the dinette table. Since I live in a travel trailer, there is no separate room for an office. The kitchen/living area/office/TV room is all in one space. But, it is quite comfy, and the coffee is always just a step away.
Here, you see FabGrandpa’s office space, which, by the way, is right next to mine. He doesn’t blog, he doesn’t e-mail, he doesn’t pay bills by computer. No. All he does is read the news, check the weather, and play Halo. Loudly. Until I tell him I can’t take it anymore and please put on your damn headphones!!!!!
Here is a view of my blog space from the outside. This is my home, fulltime, and I have to tell ya, I love it. We have lived in this one for a year and a half now. It is bigger than the first one by two feet. We lived in the first one for 6 years. 
Here is a picture of where we are right now. I took this picture yesterday. We had thunderstorms most of the weekend, with loud, crashing thunder, that seemed to roll all around the canyon before it stopped. Even on a cloudy, stormy day, the canyon is awesome.
And, just because I love this picture, I am sharing it with you. This is at the picnic area on the side of the road, right across from the entrance to the employee residential area. Yeah, some people just see weeds, but I see beautiful wildflowers. What do you see?
