Day 7 (January 8th) Flagstaff to the Grand Canyon to Kingman Arizona
We woke up early in Flagstaff and immediately commenced the daily troll for coffee. The Yelp! app on the iPhone has been a big help in locating coffee and narrowing our choices, greatly improving the probability of finding something good. This is the first time I've travelled with instantaneous access to maps and my own global positioning. "Getting lost" is quickly becoming a concept of the past. It's definitely a different way to travel, and I am so far inclined to think the pros outweight the cons.
Yes, there is something useful in knowing how to handle the disorienting and slightly scary feeling of being lost. Being forced to approach people, navigate and find resourceful ways to cope. All very useful skills. But I've done a lot of traveling in the US where I had little choice but to eat a lot of bad food. And I've probably just narrowly missed some great places because I didn't have enough info or personal connections to find the great local haunts. We spend far less time driving around in circles, necks craned in search of a restaurant or grocery store that looks vaguely healthy or at least edible and not overpriced. I tend to think more info is good. You can still choose to turn it off and drive aimlessly, stopping when you want, talking to who you want, sampling unYelp!ed spots...Plus there is still adventure to be had, even with the iPhone in hand. We've already discovered that Google Maps is not infallible - consider our Super8 search on the second night. Somewhere along the way I heard a guy saying to his friend "IPhone? I call it the Lie Phone." I think I know what he was talking about.
The coffeeshop we found was called Macy's. I would highly recommend it to anyone in or visiting Flagstaff. It meets all my requirements for a great coffeeshop, plus some very enticing extras. Great coffee, welcoming and laid back atmosphere, interesting/diverse crowd and vegetarian and vegan snacks! Go there.
So, next on the schedule - the Grand Canyon! I have to say there was a part of me that felt a little silly about making the All-American Family trip to the Grand Canyon. Just another tourist sucker? But there was no way I was going to get this close to it and not see it. When I was 2 years old, my family made a cross-country trip by car from Jacksonville, Florida to Carmel, California. I was too young to have any memories of it, but I wonder if there isn't a lingering impression somewhere in my limbic system of this colossal and imposing landscape.
Heading north out of Flagstaff the vegetation and geography changed pretty drastically from what we'd been seeing through New Mexico and Arizona. All of a sudden we were driving through towering evergreens and snow-covered fields.
We arrived at the southern rim of the canyon around midday and headed straight for the visitor center. The amount of information and variety of choices of hikes was a bit overwhelming. We decided to first just head out to the nearby lookout. There were a decent number of people around on this brisk January day, but it wasn't mobbed. It was just circumstantial that we were making this trip in winter, but I think it turned out to our advantage. It's nice to see these places without crowds.
The walk from the visitor center is short and easy. Very user-friendly. And for your minimal effort you are rewarded spectacularly.
One hike nearby interested both of us. The South Kaibab trail doesn't just follow the outer rim but actually heads down into the canyon along a ridge. The trail info estimates four hours to hike to Cedar Ridge and back which is about three miles roundtrip and descends around 1000 feet. It was already the afternoon and we would still need to get food to bring along before we started. Neither of us was sure if we should do it. We decided to ask the staff's advice back at the visitor center. The young woman who talked to us was very encouraging, but strongly suggested we buy crampons before heading out because there was still ice and snow along the trail. I was convinced.
Here is a view of the ridge we were going to hike along, from the lookout near the visitor center:
Crampons are devices you attach to the bottom of your shoes to improve your grip on ice and snow. The ones we bought were made of thick black rubber bands that held pads with silver metal pieces on the soles of your shoes. I wonder how often a pair of Vans has sported crampons:
Near the store where we got the crampons we bought a couple overpriced sandwiches and packed them away for the hike. We parked the car at the center and waited for the bus to ferry us over to the start of the trail. Here is the first view as we began:
Looking down on the ice-covered switchbacks we would soon be navigating:
'
The immensity of the atmosphere between us and the canyon mutes the colors and lowers the contrast of what you see. In drawing class in college I learned that you can soften parts of your drawing as they recede into the distance to create a sense of space called "atmospheric perspective." What we were looking at seemed to flatten into an old, faded postcard. But maybe all those old postcards I've seen of the Grand Canyon weren't faded at all. That is what it really looks like.
The first part of the hike is down along the western side of a ridge. About halfway to Cedar Ridge you emerge around the corner and out onto the top of a ridge. This is known as "Ooh Aah Point" and its the first time you can see the canyon in all directions. It's no joke.
Contrails for Silas:
We were mercifully fairly alone on much of the hike. The winter and the icy trail conditions must've kept most people away. But it wasn't particularly dangerous or difficult.
As we made the final descent onto Cedar Ridge we saw two men on horses below us where the space opened up a bit into a mini-plateau. No one else was around. They passed us going up the trail as we hiked down - we dutifully moved to the inside as the signs had instructed us and waited for them to pass.
Looking back up the way we came - look closely and you can see the two horses and men going up the track:
Cedar Ridge:
I didn't think about pushing him off - not even once!
Yep, I was here:
It had taken us somewhere in the vicinity of an hour to get down to this part of the hike. After sitting and enjoying the views a while we turned around to climb back up to the top.
It took us less time than we expected. Once back on the side of the mountain we passed some hikers on their way out. They asked us where "Ooh Aah Point" was and I told them they would know it when they got there. They laughed and continued on.
After two and half hours of hiking we were both pretty beat. Itching to finally get to California to surf and out of this truck cab, we decided to drive as far as we could that night, get a motel, then get to Huntington Beach as early as possible the next day. Kingman, Arizona was as far as we got. We were treated with yet another stunning SW sunset on our way.
Yes, there is something useful in knowing how to handle the disorienting and slightly scary feeling of being lost. Being forced to approach people, navigate and find resourceful ways to cope. All very useful skills. But I've done a lot of traveling in the US where I had little choice but to eat a lot of bad food. And I've probably just narrowly missed some great places because I didn't have enough info or personal connections to find the great local haunts. We spend far less time driving around in circles, necks craned in search of a restaurant or grocery store that looks vaguely healthy or at least edible and not overpriced. I tend to think more info is good. You can still choose to turn it off and drive aimlessly, stopping when you want, talking to who you want, sampling unYelp!ed spots...Plus there is still adventure to be had, even with the iPhone in hand. We've already discovered that Google Maps is not infallible - consider our Super8 search on the second night. Somewhere along the way I heard a guy saying to his friend "IPhone? I call it the Lie Phone." I think I know what he was talking about.
The coffeeshop we found was called Macy's. I would highly recommend it to anyone in or visiting Flagstaff. It meets all my requirements for a great coffeeshop, plus some very enticing extras. Great coffee, welcoming and laid back atmosphere, interesting/diverse crowd and vegetarian and vegan snacks! Go there.
So, next on the schedule - the Grand Canyon! I have to say there was a part of me that felt a little silly about making the All-American Family trip to the Grand Canyon. Just another tourist sucker? But there was no way I was going to get this close to it and not see it. When I was 2 years old, my family made a cross-country trip by car from Jacksonville, Florida to Carmel, California. I was too young to have any memories of it, but I wonder if there isn't a lingering impression somewhere in my limbic system of this colossal and imposing landscape.
Heading north out of Flagstaff the vegetation and geography changed pretty drastically from what we'd been seeing through New Mexico and Arizona. All of a sudden we were driving through towering evergreens and snow-covered fields.
We arrived at the southern rim of the canyon around midday and headed straight for the visitor center. The amount of information and variety of choices of hikes was a bit overwhelming. We decided to first just head out to the nearby lookout. There were a decent number of people around on this brisk January day, but it wasn't mobbed. It was just circumstantial that we were making this trip in winter, but I think it turned out to our advantage. It's nice to see these places without crowds.
The walk from the visitor center is short and easy. Very user-friendly. And for your minimal effort you are rewarded spectacularly.
One hike nearby interested both of us. The South Kaibab trail doesn't just follow the outer rim but actually heads down into the canyon along a ridge. The trail info estimates four hours to hike to Cedar Ridge and back which is about three miles roundtrip and descends around 1000 feet. It was already the afternoon and we would still need to get food to bring along before we started. Neither of us was sure if we should do it. We decided to ask the staff's advice back at the visitor center. The young woman who talked to us was very encouraging, but strongly suggested we buy crampons before heading out because there was still ice and snow along the trail. I was convinced.
Here is a view of the ridge we were going to hike along, from the lookout near the visitor center:
Crampons are devices you attach to the bottom of your shoes to improve your grip on ice and snow. The ones we bought were made of thick black rubber bands that held pads with silver metal pieces on the soles of your shoes. I wonder how often a pair of Vans has sported crampons:
Near the store where we got the crampons we bought a couple overpriced sandwiches and packed them away for the hike. We parked the car at the center and waited for the bus to ferry us over to the start of the trail. Here is the first view as we began:
Looking down on the ice-covered switchbacks we would soon be navigating:
'
The immensity of the atmosphere between us and the canyon mutes the colors and lowers the contrast of what you see. In drawing class in college I learned that you can soften parts of your drawing as they recede into the distance to create a sense of space called "atmospheric perspective." What we were looking at seemed to flatten into an old, faded postcard. But maybe all those old postcards I've seen of the Grand Canyon weren't faded at all. That is what it really looks like.
The first part of the hike is down along the western side of a ridge. About halfway to Cedar Ridge you emerge around the corner and out onto the top of a ridge. This is known as "Ooh Aah Point" and its the first time you can see the canyon in all directions. It's no joke.
Contrails for Silas:
We were mercifully fairly alone on much of the hike. The winter and the icy trail conditions must've kept most people away. But it wasn't particularly dangerous or difficult.
As we made the final descent onto Cedar Ridge we saw two men on horses below us where the space opened up a bit into a mini-plateau. No one else was around. They passed us going up the trail as we hiked down - we dutifully moved to the inside as the signs had instructed us and waited for them to pass.
Looking back up the way we came - look closely and you can see the two horses and men going up the track:
Cedar Ridge:
I didn't think about pushing him off - not even once!
Yep, I was here:
It had taken us somewhere in the vicinity of an hour to get down to this part of the hike. After sitting and enjoying the views a while we turned around to climb back up to the top.
It took us less time than we expected. Once back on the side of the mountain we passed some hikers on their way out. They asked us where "Ooh Aah Point" was and I told them they would know it when they got there. They laughed and continued on.
After two and half hours of hiking we were both pretty beat. Itching to finally get to California to surf and out of this truck cab, we decided to drive as far as we could that night, get a motel, then get to Huntington Beach as early as possible the next day. Kingman, Arizona was as far as we got. We were treated with yet another stunning SW sunset on our way.