Blogging again about the Grand Canyon last Saturday, October 23...almost a week ago. I guess it's taken me this long to get home and process so great a space and experience.
I was rather surprised when I saw myself in this photo, taken by one of my fellow travelers. Looking like quite the happy explorer in her element, I wondered, what makes some of us explorers, and what makes some of us settlers? And have we squelched the explorers in ourselves to settle? What are we settling for? Is it worth it?
What makes some of us go down one path, and others stay put? I have stayed put for most of my life, quite against my own longings...which I've heard are quite ridiculous. Do you have any ridiculous longings you're ignoring? Then, I invite you to come along and join the adventure!
These Canadians were just returning to explore more of the trail after putting on warmer clothes. (It's in the low 40's now.) The Grand Canyon is quite an international spot drawing folks from all over Europe and as far as Australia and Japan.
The views at this particular spot are quite spectacular and are aptly named,
Grandview Point and Trailhead.
Loved the lacy vista here through the trees...
...zooming in to see the gorge within, doesn't it make you want to go down and check it out? to ride the river and stare up at the canyon walls? I must come back!
How small one must feel down there...like an ant!
Up here, I want to fly out over it all...
See the tree and that little bush on the yellow rock, on the right?
I'm on the rock now...
...just this side of the rock the little bush is on. There's a rather large gap between the rocks to get out there with trees in between. I wasn't sure I'd make the leap!
...so I stayed on this first rock. Happy to zoom in and out from where I was standing!
The brave little bush has the best views...
...I rather admired his sense of adventure and determination.
Lone bush...maybe some of us are designed to grow on the edge of life!
I could do a bush calendar! I got rather carried away...something sweet about this little guy. I guess if we could speak "bush wisdom", it would say: "Travel light and never settle too permanently. If you're going to settle down somewhere, make sure you have a great view and a HUGE back yard to explore!"
Looking strait up that gorge!
Now I'm running after another Maxfield Parrish moment...
...scurrying as quickly as I can, further down the trail...
...for more grand views.
The light hitting this rock makes it appear like a sinking ship in the ocean.
Some cute Georgian men stop and take my photo...posing with my favorite gorge.
We take turns taking each other's photos on the edge...
...and being silly pretending to have fallen. (Georgia man in hat.) Then some young whipper-snappers scamper by us fearlessly, making us all feel rather old and sheepish!
Here's the other Georgia peach...loved their accent and sense of humor. Quite the Georgia gentlemen. I may have to visit Georgia next!
This fellow is from the New England area, I think...he left his wife up at the top and is off exploring by himself.
I didn't go much further than this as I didn't have the right gear, shoes or water for the day. I would have loved to join the band of 80 year old ladies who trotted down past us to the basin floor! Wow--they put us to shame!
We knew that climbing back up was going to be a chore in this thin atmosphere.
And we huffed and puffed and laughed about it all the way back up!
But it was so worth the views and the adventure...
You never know who or what will inspire you along the way.
Ain't life grand...at the Grand Canyon!?
Thank God, I got out of the settlers cabin...and into my explorer's hat!
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