Day 78 7/15/2015
Underway at 8:15am (Utah time MDT)
after stopping at Honey’s Mercantile & Grocery in Kanab – needed milk.
Kanab is at 4000 feet elevation.
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| Waiting in line to get in the park |
Heading toward the North Rim along 89A
to Jacobs Lake then 67 South to the rim.
Although it was only about 100 miles, it took nearly 3 hours due to
sightseeing and steep winding roads.
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| I always wanted to see the canyon from here. |
We were surprised that there were no
large animals anywhere in the large open meadows along 67, this was the type of
habitat where we saw elk and bison earlier this summer but a lone deer in the
2000 forest fire burn area was the only thing larger than a ground squirrel
that we saw today.
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| Hard at work watching the view. |
We did see spectacular mesas and
canyons all along our route. Arriving at the North Rim at about 10:00am
(Arizona MST). Our response to first
site – WOW! North Rim is at 8300 feet.
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| Watch your step |
Nothing could have prepared us for the
breathtaking site of the canyon in person. All the pictures we have seen (and
the ones posted here as well) just cannot convey the majesty of the Grand
Canyon – see it for yourself and you’ll know what I mean.
 |
| You just have to see it yourself |
We decided to take what is probably our
last opportunity to have lunch in a spectacular old National Park Lodge. It did not disappoint. (Thanks Jimmy)
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| Our obligatory selfie. |
Leaving the canyon, we had to backtrack
50 miles along 67 to route 89A where we began dropping on a 6% grade for 20
minutes until we leveled out on the “Vermillion Highway” at 4000 feet again.
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| View from the dining room |
Driving through the Navaho Nation, we
were struck by the poverty and decayed infrastructure along the highway. No industry, no jobs and little hope.
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| Heading down the mountain into Navaho Nation |
We reached the Vermillion Cliffs and
began another steep climb to 6000 feet and then down again to Lake Powell at around
4400 feet.
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| Restrooms and showers at Lake Powell |
Lots of climbing and
downgrades before landing at the Waheap Campground and RV Park on the shore of
the lake. A fitting conclusion to another spectacular day.
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| View from our campsite at Lake Powell. |
Odometer: 85630 Miles Today: 214 Total Miles: 8341
