I have taken a really long time to come around and write this post. Mostly because I wasn’t in the right mental space for the past year or so [if you ask around, probably no one has been for quite some time given the state of global affairs]. Furthermore, I hit the much-heard-of-but-never-experienced-before “writer’s block” for most of last year. Not a good thing when you are also a Ph.D. scholar, in need of a job, and are required to produce research papers. But that’s sorted, at least for now.
Back to the adventuremoon!
We set off literally at the crack of dawn the day after.
“Why,” you ask?
Because we had a lot on our agenda for the day and we needed to race against time.
The plan was to drive to Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, from Albuquerque, New Mexico. But on the way there, we had also scheduled in a stop at the Painted Desert and the Petrified Forest National Park. A 28-mile (45 km) drive, the Petrified Forest promised to be a visual feast of nature’s artistic abilities. So there we were, driving away from the rising sun towards the West chasing the trail of lights of that whizzed past us.
Little known to the “sleepy, groggy, woke-up at 4 am” us, there was a United States Federal Government Shutdown that had gone into effect at midnight. We only realized it when we reached Petrified Forest National Park at about 8 am, the time for the gates to be opened. We had stopped at their Visitor Center and were surprised to find it closed. The Gift Store, adjacent to the Visitor Center was (thankfully!) open. The friendly staff there informed us that the Park would remain closed as long as the Government Shutdown was in effect (WHAT NOW!!!).
While we took that information in, I quickly referred to all the news briefings piling up in my inbox. I had switched off all Live notifications to ensure that I had a distraction-free weekend. I had no clue what a shutdown meant, and I expected the entire US to come to a standstill over this, flights to be canceled, supermarkets to go empty, almost a zombie apocalyptic situation ran through my head. But my husband explained what a shutdown means, and it made me incredibly sad as to how one of the largest democracies in the world has made provisions to hold real people’s lives as hostage for politics.
We were also worried about being stranded in the middle of a desert since most of our plans revolved around the Grand Canyon National Park. Thankfully the Gift Store staff informed us: “It should remain open. Grand Canyon is being funded by the State during the Shutdown.” We called up the hotel at Grand Canyon, and they confirmed. The caveat? Most amenities and travel services around the park would remain closed.
Worried and a little disappointed, we walked around to the back of the store. The store itself is an amazing place. They have a treasure trove of various stones and crystals that can be turned into jewelry. Since we couldn’t possibly go to the Petrified Forest, we also picked up a box filled with pieces of petrified or fossilized wood from the Petrified Forest.
Our next stop on the itinerary was the Meteor Crater, Arizona.
The Sky is Falling
By this time, I was quite enamored by the extraordinary way the land shaped up all around us. For miles, all you can see is the road in front of you. Sometimes you can see mountains in the distance, and sometimes right up close. Dotted with little buildings, the road seemed to snake around for stretches of land with no obstruction. I was mesmerized!
On our way to the Meteor crater, we could see in the distance a small mountain engulfed in a white mass of clouds. We realized it was raining there. I was alarmed as The Weather Channel did not indicate rain in our area. It took me a moment to realize that the mountain must be miles away. The visibility level in this region is remarkable.
At the Meteor Crater, we again ran out of luck. One of the best ways to experience the crater was to take a rim tour. However, that day, the winds were howling at 75km/h and there was no way the staff could take a chance of visitors flying and falling into the Crater. However, what we did get to see, still managed to leave us spellbound.
A cavernous crater caused by a meteorite impact approximately 50,000 years ago stared back at us. We could barely fit the crater into one frame with our Canon EOS Rebel T6 Camera lens of 18-55mm. It measures about one mile across, 2.4 miles in circumference and is more than 550 feet deep. We were allowed to step out along the side of the visitor center perched on the rim of the crater, but the wind force was enough to topple us over when standing without any support. I hung to the handrails for dear life but couldn’t let go of the thrill of trying to get as close as possible.
Meteor Crater admission tickets include a guided rim tour, an interactive discovery center documenting the crater’s discovery. Also known as the Barringer Meteor Crater after Daniel Barringer who was the first to claim that the crater was caused by a meteorite impact. To this date, this is the largest impact crater discovered in the United States.
Winter is Coming!
Following the Meteor Crater and satisfied by the fact that at least we managed to visit one place on our travel agenda, we proceeded to drive towards the Grand Canyon National Park. It was about 1 pm. On our way to the Canyon, the temperature started to drop, and the sky took on a darker uglier shade than the bright sunny morning. Then, in the distance, we saw a mountain disappear behind a curtain of white snow (did I mention the remarkable visibility levels). I must stress here that there was no forecast of snowfall that entire week! We made the plan to visit Grand Canyon just two weeks before setting out, and yet, here we were, keeping in the spirit of the adventuremoon. We caught up with the snow in about 30 minutes. Soon the roads became perilous to drive upon and most cars continued to drive in a single file along the middle lane. Many of the vehicles had stopped along the sides of the road. It took us an hour to cover a distance that usually would take about 20 minutes.
- In the distance the snow shower was visible. We were about to catch up with it.
When we finally reached Grand Canyon National Park, the snow had cleared up but everywhere around us was absolutely white. Snow is magical. Having lived in Syracuse, I am at least appreciative of both its beauty and its wrath.
At the entrance, there was no one to ask for an entrance fee. We continued inside, and an enchanted forest seemed to await our arrival. The large firs, spruce, and junipers dotted the street sides. All covered in snow. Suddenly the plain expansive land was gone, just like that. Maswik Lodge was to be our place of stay for the night. As someone who is extremely finicky about places she stays at, I most definitely recommend this place. Located in the middle of a pine forest, one can forget about civilization when living here. It is nothing fancy and yet appealing in a very idyllic sense. Also, the only hotel so far where I have seen a basket set aside for composting. They take recycling and preservation very seriously – I HEART/LOVE/ADORE THAT.
Post a quick freshen-up and rest for an hour, we stepped out to take in the sunset at the Grand Canyon. We drove to the rim trail and, to our surprise, there was no one around. Unfortunately, during this time, due to the government shutdown, the shuttle service was also suspended. But that ended up being a boon for us. We were able to stop our cars at every point along the South Rim throughout our stay at the Grand Canyon and take in this natural wonder from all the different sides.
Our day ended with a spectacular flush of colors washing over the Canyon as the sun set behind us, throwing shadows that lent the Canyon an enigmatic character: one last glimpse of color before it was shrouded in darkness for the night.
The South Rim trail of the Grand Canyon is divided into three distinct sections: The Hermits Rest (West), The Village to Visitor Center, and the Desert View (East). The pictures above are from the Hermits Rest section of the trail. Hopi and Maricopa provide with excellent views. There is a walking trail for hikers that runs parallel and below the main road.
The Foodie's Travel Talks 