Several years ago as I was embarking on a fairly outstanding journey ( read about that here: 10,000 Reasons ), my mom left me with these parting words “Enjoy it for me, I would LOVE to hike the Canyon, but I’ll never get that chance.”

Fast forward about a 1 year- I’m not even sure what brought up it up, but somehow the discussion turned to the Canyon again and  again Mother said “I would LOVE to hike the Canyon, but I’ll never have the chance.” So I said “if you are serious, lets set a date and go hike it.”

Plans kinda evolved and here we are almost a 2 years since that first conversation. Kerry and Emily, my parents and I flew across the US to meet Deborah and her CO friend Nate.

What a time we’ve had, traveling hammer-down 7 of us jammed in a minivan, surviving spring break traffic, 15 degree temps and a snowstorm, and just enjoying being together. We sure miss Julia and Sherman!

The snow was gorgeous and I can’t help but be excited every time I get a chance to travel on historic Route 66.

I thought maybe the snow would enamor us at the Canyon, but it quit several miles before we made it to the rim, but the Canyon didn’t need the snow to be breathtaking, I’d forgotten. Wow.

We hiked the South Kaibab Trail. We took our time and just enjoyed the view and the experience in the clear morning air. As always, I can’t comprehend how huge this place really is. And in typical fashion, we took lots and lots of pics to properly capture the event.

Eventually we made it to Ooh Aah point, which lived up to its name. Wow! Wow! Wow! There was still so much to see, but we made the informed decision to start the trek back up the hill. Slow and steady. We still had many things to cross off the itinerary before the day was  done.

Look closely-you can see people snaking back and forth along the canyon wall on the trail.

Kerry became “Pippi Longstocking the Thing Finder”, and spied a backpack down off the trail a little ways, so Nate the Mountain Goat scrambled down side of the cliff and returned with the treasure. Proper investigation came up with the name and contact info of the backpacks owner, as well as prescription sunglasses and a huge ring of keys- so once we scaled the side, a phone call made the owner’s day- he was ecstatic with the thought of the return of everything. And probably the heroic efforts of our guys, got his son (who had kicked the backpack over the edge) back in his daddy’s will. 🙂

And so quickly it was over, and we had to take a victory pic. What fun! Family is the best gift ever.

The Grand Canyon brings out a lot of similar emotions as the ocean does. It’s so completely mammoth and mysterious, it’s hard to wrap your mind around. Yet it’s an amazing challenge to try to understand and discover. And to just stand on the edge with hands upraised and worship the God who not only provides for the little squirrel basking in the sun way off in some distant crevasse, but cares about me to the point the hairs of my head are numbered. Wow. With that kind of a Guidance Manager-why would I worry?

Blessings to you, as He provides for you too,

Kendra

P.S I’m trying to decide if I’m going to let Mother read this quote from John Wesley Powell:

You can not see the Canyon in just one view, as if it were a changeless spectacle from which a curtain might be lifted, but to see it, you have to toil from month to month through its labryniths.

Well, we tried. But sounds like the quest has just begun 😉

Bonus Pics:

Random pics from along the way. The scenery is so fascinating. Father looks at the miles of rocks and says “I could take my track hoe and work all my life and not make an acre of this farmable.” And yet so many people thrive. And horses. So many wild horses.

The Venetian was a resort Deb heard about. It came complete with canals and gondolas and a shopping mall all on the 3rd floor. We wandered around and got rather lost before we piled in the van again and left.

AZ highway

Hoover Dam