Checked out of the Grand Canyon Lodge, seemingly a hotel for folks with very short statures, and headed up about 30 miles of AZ-64 to the Grand Canyon. It is indeed grand but also quite crowded at this time of year. Fortunately, we have a disabled parking placard so we were almost always able to park in a really nice spot just a few steps from all the scenic features. It is fortunate that I have the placard because the last couple days of extended squatting on puny hotel johns has not done my arthritic knee and hip joints any good and walking is getting to be a painful challenge.

Nevertheless, the Grand Canyon is truly stunning from the South Rim. The South Rim is lower than the North Rim some 10 or 12 miles away on the other side of the Canyon but the views are still spectacular. Peg and I have been to the North Rim a few times but this is Peg’s first foray to this edge of the Canyon.

We initially drove West along the South Rim, skirting the enormous bluffs dropping thousands of feet to the Colorado River. At the West end of the road accessible to private vehicles, we pulled into a small parking lot adjacent to the venerable and gorgeous El Tovar Hotel. There we struggled out of the car and over to a nice wood bench on the brink of the South Rim. The Colorado River, some 4,000 feet lower and about 3 or 4 miles laterally, can be spotted but only in select spots because the entire flow passes through what looks like a tiny crack from up on the edge. Not wanting to pay, wait and ride the Park Shuttle to points further West, we turned East, stopping at all of the pullouts on the Canyon side of the road. Along the way, we noticed groups of ravens giving us an aerobatic show using the massive thermals slicing up the cliffs for propulsion. We even stopped at a Park Service pit toilet which was, frankly, taller and more comfortable than the john in last night’s hotel room.

We left the park by the east gate on AZ-64 and eventually made it to US-89 where we turned South and took an hour’s drive to Flagstaff. Tonight’s lodging was our only deviation from mostly classic motels and some hotels. This evening we checked into a B&B called Peak’s Wildernest on the outside edge of town. Initially it looked a bit funky but inside it was quite nice with lush carpets, gorgeous and comfortable furniture, big digital TVs in each room and a back porch offering peaceful solitude and nice scenery. It’s cost was comparable to an inexpensive hotel, but much more comfortable and the host was very accommodating.