Antelope Canyon

After another (and thankfully the last) night in our Tiny Desert Home, we headed to Page Arizona to see Antelope Canyon.  

Antelope Canyon - Wikipedia

But first we stopped at a gas station and noticed some unusual activity to the east.  After some light refreshments we walked over and discovered this roadside gem called Big Lake Sand Cave

Page Arizona Caves: The One Hidden Behind the Shell Gas Station

Page Arizona is full of interesting and picturesque caves and canyons.  We added Antelope Canyon at the last minute, so I didn't know what to expect. Most of my photos are taken looking up at the sky.  They did try to cram as many people through the canyons as possible.  But they did an admirable job of NOT making us feel like cattle.  

This was the view once we hiked out of the canyon.  

Here are the waiting busses that shuttle tourist to the canyons all day.  A Native American guide is the only way to see the canyon located on Navajo land.

After a late lunch we headed to Monument Valley.  The drive was beautiful and fascinating.  We arrived just after sunset.  These photos are just along the drive.

The Grand Canyon

I never had any burning desire to go to the Grand Canyon-but we were so close to it-that I felt like we had to take a look. It was indeed GRAND.  The scope is truly unimageable. These photos show just a tiny section of the 277-mile-long canyon. And, if you run out of gorgeous vistas to admire, the people watching is pretty good too.  I was shocked at the number of foreign visitors.  I didn't realize that the southwest is such a popular tourist destination.  I watched a French toddler nearly run over the edge of the canyon.  And a German girl loudly facetime her entire hike.  Of course, there were plenty of Americans being loud too...I mean why stop work when you can easily handle a business call on the rim of the Grand Canyon.  It seemed like a place for quiet introspection-but often felt more like Disney World.  I do however hope to go back.  I feel terrible that Derek had to sit this one out.  

I think what amazed me the most on this trip was the constantly changing topography.  From desert scrub brush, to sand, to cacti, to mysterious moonscapes, to pine forests, to red rock, to buttes, to canyons.  It seemed that every 20 miles brought a new landscape.  

Out West

I was fortunate to recently go on a once-in-a-lifetime (but I think I'm going to try to do it again) trip "Out West".  I joined a friend for a 9-day trip to see as many sites as we could cram in (along with a little shopping).  We landed in Phoenix and headed North.  Seeing Saguaro Cacti is always a treat when you live on the East Coast.

Our first stop was for frybread.  Not pictured but enjoyed.  Our second stop was Montezuma Castle National Monument.  Montezuma Castle National Monument (U.S. National Park Service)

After stopping in Flagstaff for dinner and groceries, we arrived in the pitch dark to our lodging for the next two days.  We stayed at Grand Canyon Oasis High Desert Camp.  The light of day would reveal an RV campground dotted with "Tiny Houses"

This is a tiny house.  It was very very tiny

We laughed hysterically at the situation we found ourselves in.  I won't say I didn't consider abandoning the place for a hotel.  The fact we were not indeed close to any hotel made our options very limited.

We agreed that 

1. Tiny houses are very Instagramable but not very practical

2. This would be so fun if we were 20 (but not so fun at age 50+)

3. Ladders are not for people who have to use the bathroom in the middle of the night

4. Neither of us had any desire to EVER live in a tiny house.

I was on East Coast time and up before the sunrise.  I decided to explore while my travel companion slept.  I wandered the "resort", almost invited myself to someone's RV for breakfast (they were cooking outside) and I found an entrance to the adjoining national park-so I went for a short walk.

Yep, this is a national Park.  Coconino National Park I believe.  And it had a disappointing number of visible rattlesnakes.  But I did find some tumbleweeds-which was also pretty exciting.

 Next Stop the Grand Canyon

Ecuador and The Galapagos

In no order and with no captions, I present Jill's Summer Study in Ecuador and The Galapagos