Grand doesn't describe it..
When I found the pictures of Mt. Rainier I also came across pictures of the Grand Canyon.
Ever since I was in elementary school.. I have this memory. I had to do a report on a state.. any state. At the time I chose Colorado and while looking up information on the state I learned that part of the Grand Canyon was in Colorado. Thus began my dream of seeing the Canyon some day. I grew older, married, had 2 sons, divorced, moved to California for 10 yrs. Never in all those years did I see the Grand Canyon.
I can remember telling my kids, "When the time comes that I die, I want you to have me cremated. Then I want you to take my ashes to the Grand Canyon and scatter them there, for it will be the only time I ever get there."
I don't know why the Canyon held it's grip on me over the years. Probably because I never got to see so many things such as the Canyon, Yosemite, Giant Red Woods etc. Maybe.. i can't be sure.
When I moved from California back to New Jersey to live with my brother, I sold off much of my life. My furniture, dishes that I had collected over years (blue willow), many of my precious autographs that took me a life time to collect. I pretty much felt like I didn't exist there was so little to move across the country. But, having a desk, and computer and boxes of books and clothes I did rent a truck and asked a friend to drive me and what was left of me, to New Jersey.
We began at 4 am in San Fernando Valley and headed east. When we came to Arizona I asked if it would be out of our way to stop at the Grand Canyon. I guess I pleaded pitiously, because he said it wouldn't be much out of our way.
And so I paid the 20.00 to enter the Grand Canyon. It was a clear but cold day on December 1st 1999. We drove the truck along a rode when suddenly there was an area for cars to pull over and take in the view. He turned the truck into the area and as he parked I got my first glimpse of the Canyon and instantly began to cry. I couldn't get my breath so I sat a moment before getting out of the truck with my camera. I'm not even sure how I managed to get any photo's since during my whole 30 minutes at the Canyon I never stopped crying.
But i did take a few pictures and we drove to the second parking area where I got a few more pictures and picked up two small stones near the edge for a momento. And then we had to leave. I only had 30 minutes there, and the whole time I was overwhelmed at the view.
I've said from that time on that I want to return when I can spend some time there and see both sides of the Canyon and get to meet the Supai Indians that live on the outskirts of the Colorado River by the Canyon. The Havasupai Reservation is located in Arizona, in Coconino County, at the southwest corner of the Grand Canyon National Park.
At age 62 the odds are I won't get there. But I will always hold the dream in my heart .. I wonder if I will ever be able to view the Canyon without crying?
Ever since I was in elementary school.. I have this memory. I had to do a report on a state.. any state. At the time I chose Colorado and while looking up information on the state I learned that part of the Grand Canyon was in Colorado. Thus began my dream of seeing the Canyon some day. I grew older, married, had 2 sons, divorced, moved to California for 10 yrs. Never in all those years did I see the Grand Canyon.
I can remember telling my kids, "When the time comes that I die, I want you to have me cremated. Then I want you to take my ashes to the Grand Canyon and scatter them there, for it will be the only time I ever get there."
I don't know why the Canyon held it's grip on me over the years. Probably because I never got to see so many things such as the Canyon, Yosemite, Giant Red Woods etc. Maybe.. i can't be sure.
When I moved from California back to New Jersey to live with my brother, I sold off much of my life. My furniture, dishes that I had collected over years (blue willow), many of my precious autographs that took me a life time to collect. I pretty much felt like I didn't exist there was so little to move across the country. But, having a desk, and computer and boxes of books and clothes I did rent a truck and asked a friend to drive me and what was left of me, to New Jersey.
We began at 4 am in San Fernando Valley and headed east. When we came to Arizona I asked if it would be out of our way to stop at the Grand Canyon. I guess I pleaded pitiously, because he said it wouldn't be much out of our way.
And so I paid the 20.00 to enter the Grand Canyon. It was a clear but cold day on December 1st 1999. We drove the truck along a rode when suddenly there was an area for cars to pull over and take in the view. He turned the truck into the area and as he parked I got my first glimpse of the Canyon and instantly began to cry. I couldn't get my breath so I sat a moment before getting out of the truck with my camera. I'm not even sure how I managed to get any photo's since during my whole 30 minutes at the Canyon I never stopped crying.
But i did take a few pictures and we drove to the second parking area where I got a few more pictures and picked up two small stones near the edge for a momento. And then we had to leave. I only had 30 minutes there, and the whole time I was overwhelmed at the view.
I've said from that time on that I want to return when I can spend some time there and see both sides of the Canyon and get to meet the Supai Indians that live on the outskirts of the Colorado River by the Canyon. The Havasupai Reservation is located in Arizona, in Coconino County, at the southwest corner of the Grand Canyon National Park.
At age 62 the odds are I won't get there. But I will always hold the dream in my heart .. I wonder if I will ever be able to view the Canyon without crying?
posted by DesLily | 6:33 AM
3 Comments:
Hey, if you ever make it back to the Canyon, let me know and I'll meet you up there, assuming your visit wouldn't be spoiled by sharing it with a relative stranger. I've been to the Canyon three times, I think, but never long enough to get beyond the superficial views from the top (which are spectacular). I'd like to see what the digital camera makes of the place. Meanwhile, though, I love the pics you posted - especially the third one. - Karen
Great post! Two jersey girls who always wanted to see the Grand Canyon. Hope I make it some day soon, you might have made me move it up a notch or two. I also collect ?willow dishes(blue & white -forget the name on the back) (only 4 - use them at x-mas). Too bad you had to leave them all behind, maybe you can get a few new ones. I get mine at Marshalls.
I have never been to the Grand Canyon in my life. Its one of the places that I want to visit before I leave this world. In the 80's when Mount St. Helens Erupted (I think it was 1980) I read about it in school. After that I wanted to visit there too!
Mount St. Helens
Grand Canyon
Niagara Falls
just to name a few!
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