t was a gorgeous morning as we started our journey to the Grand Canyon, from Williams, north on AZ 64. It is fascinating to watch the vegetation change as you climb from the dessert country into the high country. When we reached the north rim of the canyon, we were at about 6,800 feet above sea level. Not being used to high elevation, I found myself huffing and puffing after a short walk uphill from the parking lot to the visitor center. From there, we took the trail to Mather Point overlook and then along the rim trail to the Yavapai Point and Geology Museum. The views from Mather Point and along the rim trail are spectacular. The air is so clear and the distances are so deceptive; it seems like you can just reach out and touch the other side. Inside the museum, there is a wonderful display of the canyon’s geological history going back over 1 billion years.

As our detour to Grand Canyon was unplanned and we had an appointment with friends in Henderson, NV the next day, we weren’t able to spend nearly as much time as we would have liked, But we have been to the Grand Canyon before and were glad for the opportunity to see what we could today.

On the way to Boulder City, we took US 66 into Kingman and then US 93 north. We reached Boulder City about 6:30 and found lodging in Hoover Dam Lodge and Casino about 10 minutes from Hoover Dam. Tomorrow morning, we hope to take the tour through the dam before we head to our friends’ home in Henderson which is just a short distance from the dam.