The Grand Canyon, Thursday 27th August

I went for a walk along the south rim of the canyon. It is truly a huge hole in the ground. No need for text, just photos of this awesome chasm.

 There were condors above and below us as we walked along the rim.

More wildlife.

 Steve's tee shirt.

There is unlikely to be internet until after we leave the US so thats it for a few days. We are due to visit Meteor Crater near Flagstaff and then Phoenix before crossing the b order into Mexico.

Escape from Las Vegas, Wednesday 26^th August

At last we are leaving Las Vegas. It’s a great place to visit once, but its full of people, very noisy from the constant piped music and the hubbub of people and too hot in summer.

Even early in the morning the casino is busy but at least this was the quietest that I had seen the lobby.  Betsy wouldn’t start and Seb was having trouble getting some help to start the bus so there was a delay in our escape.

We were some driving down the highway, past Lake Mead and over the new bridge next to the Hoover Dam but there was no view of the dam as the parapet was too high.

We stopped in Kingman which was an important stop on the historic and famous Route 66 which was completed in the thirties and was the route taken by many Americans heading out to the west coast and made famous in several songs and books such as Rolling Stones' Route 66 and John Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath.

We had lunch in Mr D’z, a retro diner with a traditional menu, milk shakes, root beer, burgers and hot dogs. 

 L to R Paola, Tracey, Meagan, Clare, Becky and Lawrence.

 L to R Sigi, Lisa, Faye, me and Seb.

It was located opposite a major double tracked railway line and  the tracks paralleled the road for the rest of the afternoon. There was a continual procession of trains. None were very long so my new record of the longest train at 190 carriages still stands but there was one train with five locos at the front and another with four locos at the front and two behind.

The modern interstate takes a direct route between towns but we took the old Route 66 road. It is full of nostalgia such as at Hackberry General Stores.

And where there was another photo shoot with Penepole with some friends, driving and this time something to shout about.

Another stop down the road was also stuck in the past.

We passed through Williams and entered the Grand Canyon National Park. We went straight to a lookout over the canyon to see the sunset but we missed the best light and colours.

 L to R, Me, Lawrence, Gabi and Paola.

 Some people were nraver than others (none from our group).

 Group photo, Lisa, Gabi, Zoe, Lawrence, Becky, Faye and Clare.