Wednesday, May 1, 2024
Today was our big day. We finally made it to the Grand Canyon!
Around 8:30 this morning, we departed the campground for Williams. After parking, we walked to the train depot and wandered around until we found the spot where a western reenactment was taking place at an Old West town set. We first watched Sawed-off Sam demonstrate his prowess with a whip and rope. Then, the whole Cataract Creek Gang hassled a tourist they plucked from the audience before having a showdown with the Marshall. Immediately after the production, the audience dispersed to board the train.
Departing the Campground
Enterning Williams
Sawed-off Sam shows off his Lasso Skills
Cataract Creek Gang Showdown at the Williams Depot
Jane found herself a Cowboy
After boarding an authentic 1923 Pullman car, we took our seats (20 C&D). As the train began its 2.25-hour journey, our car’s friendly guide, Mark, began a narration about the train, the canyon and the Williams area that continued off and on for the entire trip. We were also barraged with his cow jokes the whole trip. (What do you call a cow that didn’t clear the barbed wire fence? … An udder disaster. What do you call a cow that just had a baby? … Decalfinated. And, so on. ) We visited the cafe car adjacent to our car that served snacks and drinks but didn’t purchase anything. And, we were treated to live music; a fiddler entertained us for a short segment of the trip. As we approached the terminus, Mark gave group and individual advice on what to do during our three-hour stay.
“All Aboard”
Boarding the Pullman Car
Ready for the Ride
Our Guide, Mark conversing with Passengers
Live Music Enroute
We disembarked at the Grand Canyon Railway Train Depot, climbed a series of ramps and stairs, then ducked into the El Tovar Hotel to use the restrooms. Next, we rushed to the rim for our first view of the Grand Canyon, the famous massive masterpiece of erosion. We stood marvelling at the vastness of this natural wonder. Beautiful photographs cannot convey the overwhelming feeling of awe that the in-person experience does. However, after awhile, with great self-discipline, we decided to depart from the rim to eat lunch before commencing our rim hike in earnest.
Disembarking at the Grand Canyon Depot
Train Depot
El Tovar Hotel
El Tovar Hotel Interior
Our First View of the Grand Canyon
“I made it, finally!”
We first hiked to the Bright Angel Lodge to inquire about mule rides to the bottom of the canyon. Well, these overnight excurions cost $1200/person, are already booked into the summer of next year, and are allocated via a lottery system. We decided to eat lunch in the lodge’s Harvey House Cafe. I had a pepper and cheese tamale on rice and Jane had a southwestern vegan burrito with fixings. We both enjoyed our meals and departed the cafe eager to see more of the Grand Canyon.
Pre-hike Lunch
We began our rim hike by walking west from the Bright Angel Lodge through the nearby Kolb Lookout Studio (where handicrafts and souvenirs were on sale) to ledges that afforded beautiful views of the canyon. Then, we backtracked and continued east on the Rim Trail to Mather Point, hiking a total of 3.2 miles.
The hike was magnificent! He had continuous views of the canyon whose features constantly changed along with the changing lighting and shadows from the clouds. We took hundreds of photos though none convey the actual rim experience. One section of our hike was on The Trail of Time. This section portrayed two-billion years of the canyon’s history. There was a marker every meter representing a million years along this 2.8-mile long section. Pennies were inserted in each of these markers. (We later learned that the Park Service had intended for these markers to provide drainage but tourists can’t resist filling them with one-cent coins.) Signage along the way allowed us to ponder the temporal and spatial magnitude of the wonderous scenery we were enjoying.
At Mather Point, we turned off of the Rim Trail, boarded a free bus, and rode the blue route back to the Train Deport. We had time to revisit the restrooms in El Tovar Hotel and puruse its gift shop before reboarding the train for our return trip to Williams.
——————— Along the Rim Trail ———————
On the return trip, Mark continued his intermittent narrations and cow jokes. We again had live entertainment, this time a singing cowboy accompanying himself with an acoustic guitar. Although weary, we couldn’t find a comfortable position for napping. As we neared Willians, we spotted members of the Cataract Creek Gang on horseback and the train was forced to a stop as they boarded. Yep, a train robbery was in progress. It took awhile for the masked gang to progress through the train to our car but they stole a dollar bill from me and a handful of coins from Jane; they gave Jane back her two cents.
Shortly after the robbery, we arrived at the Williams terminal and drove back to the campground. In our motorhome, we enjoyed reviewing our pictures, catching up on the news and weather, and a homemade dinner but turning in for the evening after a most eventful day.
Return Leg Entertainment
“We were robbed”