On our way to the Grand Canyon from Sedona, Arizona, we passed
through Oak Creek Canyon. When we stopped at a rest area, I
snapped several pictures to document the trip. Many of those
pictures are provided here.
While visiting the Grand Canyon a couple of weeks ago, my father,
step-son, step-daughter and I hiked to the “mile and a half rest
house” and back out. My wife journeyed with us for a part of the
hike. It was a very grueling journey, even downhill, and it took my dad
and me about 4-5 hours to complete. It was a once-in-a-lifetime trip,
though, and the pictures you’ll see below should prove that.
While vacationing in Arizona, my family visited the Meteor Crater
located between Flagstaff and Winslow. This was a day trip we took
away from the Grand Canyon. Meteor Crater is the site where,
scientists estimate, a 150-foot meteor struck the Earth approximately
50,000 years ago.
During my visit, I took many pictures of the
crater, visitor center, and museum. Some of these are provided
below to satisfy some of your curiousity about the site and perhaps
motivate you to consider visiting it. It will only take 2-3 hours
to view the crater, enjoy the museum, watch the 10-minute documentary
movie, look at the astronaut wall of fame, check out the Apollo capsule,
and browse the gift shop, but it will be worthwhile.
Personally, I
learned a good bit about meteors from my visit, marveled at the size of
the crater (which is immense), and even found some very reasonably
priced items in the gift shop to bring home (items I’d seen offered at
much higher prices in other shops in the Grand Canyon
area).
According to an expert I met at the Grand Canyon during my
vacation there last week, there were approximately 22 California Condors
left on Earth in the early 1980s. Today, the number is more like
110. The fellow I met worked for a non-profit foundation dedicated
to preserving this species. He explained that a captive breeding
program had been established in the 80’s to increase the population and
that part of his work was to track the movement of the birds. Each
bird released by the foundation is tagged with a number and a radio
transmitter to help them track it down.
The California Condor is a
bird that is similar to a vulture. It eats carrion (dead animal
flesh). The bird lives up to 60 years, and has a wing span up to 9
feet wide. Condors mate for life, with both the male and female
taking part in incubating the eggs and raising the young.
Young
condors are almost completely black in color. Some time around
their 6th year, the condors become capable of reproduction and their
heads change color to a whitish red.
I was privileged enough
during my vacation in Arizona last week to see four of the 110
“wild” California Condors at the Grand Canyon. Pictures
appear below (click the “Read More” link below to see them if
they are not already visible).
Last week my family made a trek to Arizona. On our way to the
Grand Canyon, we stopped off in Sedona, Arizona, to sight-see. If
you’ve never been there, and the pictures below are at all interesting
to you, you should make it a point to go. These barely scratch the
surface of the many amazing and beautiful things you’ll see while you’re
there.
Very early Sunday morning, my wife, stepchildren and I returned
from a vacation in Arizona. During our vacation we visited the
Grand Canyon. It was the first time I’d ever been to Arizona and
the first time I’d ever seen the canyon.
Everyone probably says
this, but it’s true: You can’t envision the size of the Grand
Canyon until you’ve actually stood next to it. Even then, you will
stand there looking at it, disbelieving it could be as deep or as wide
as it is. Looking down from the south rim, a person near the
canyon floor is impossible to see, even with my 20/15
vision. The opposite rim you’re looking at is something
like 60 miles away. The depth from bottom to top is measured in
miles. Simply amazing.