This past weekend, since my schedule is beyond flexible until I get a job interview, I went on a short road trip with my parents to Kingman, Arizona.
Kingman was my hometown until the summer of 2000; Dad pastored Calvary Baptist Church there when I was born. The church has recently finished a renovation of the auditorium, and Dad was asked to preach that Sunday evening.
However, I admit that the above was not the main motivation for my going with them. I enjoyed spending time with family friends who knew me back when I was the church baby, and I enjoyed seeing how the renovations make the auditorium seem much larger and more open, and I enjoyed listening to my dad preach. However, honestly, the main pull was what Mom and Dad were planning to do afterwards.
Kingman is approximately three hours away from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.
Despite being a native Arizonan through and through, the last time I had been to the Grand Canyon was in the summer of 1994. I was two. Needless to say, I have zero memories of that particular visit.
Monday morning, we packed up the van and headed north. The plan was to eat lunch when we got close, spend the afternoon at the canyon, and stay the night in Flagstaff before heading the rest of the way home on Tuesday.
The weather had other ideas.
At the first lookout we could see a couple rock formations sticking out above the blanket of clouds. The second overlook, we could see nothing. Fog had rolled in and filled the mile-deep canyon to the brim.
After a short discussion, our plan was altered. We drove back into the closest town and found a place for the night. We would wait and see if the clouds cleared off overnight; then we would spend Tuesday morning at the canyon and drive the entire way home that afternoon/evening.
It was still raining the next morning. At the first overlook, although we could see the bottom, everything was wrapped in a cloudy haze. At the second lookout, a blanket of clouds covered most of the canyon; although, I could see across to the other side. However, from there, the clouds progressively cleared out until, by the time we left the watchtower at the final stop, the sun was shining.
I've heard it said many times that pictures do not do the Grand Canyon justice, but some things you need to see in order to fully understand.
It was absolutely beautiful, not to mention, enormous. The Grand Canyon averages 10 miles across rim to rim and is 277 long, covering more land than the state of Delaware.
That's what I call a BIG hole!
Despite being a native Arizonan through and through, the last time I had been to the Grand Canyon was in the summer of 1994. I was two. Needless to say, I have zero memories of that particular visit.
Monday morning, we packed up the van and headed north. The plan was to eat lunch when we got close, spend the afternoon at the canyon, and stay the night in Flagstaff before heading the rest of the way home on Tuesday.
The weather had other ideas.
At the first lookout we could see a couple rock formations sticking out above the blanket of clouds. The second overlook, we could see nothing. Fog had rolled in and filled the mile-deep canyon to the brim.
After a short discussion, our plan was altered. We drove back into the closest town and found a place for the night. We would wait and see if the clouds cleared off overnight; then we would spend Tuesday morning at the canyon and drive the entire way home that afternoon/evening.
It was still raining the next morning. At the first overlook, although we could see the bottom, everything was wrapped in a cloudy haze. At the second lookout, a blanket of clouds covered most of the canyon; although, I could see across to the other side. However, from there, the clouds progressively cleared out until, by the time we left the watchtower at the final stop, the sun was shining.
I've heard it said many times that pictures do not do the Grand Canyon justice, but some things you need to see in order to fully understand.
It was absolutely beautiful, not to mention, enormous. The Grand Canyon averages 10 miles across rim to rim and is 277 long, covering more land than the state of Delaware.
That's what I call a BIG hole!
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