August 9: Grand Views All Around
Today was all about trying to soak in the splendor of the Grand Canyon – 277 square miles of red, pink, orange, purple and brown layers of rocks carved by the Colorado River. This spectacular example of erosion is considered one of the world’s seven natural wonders and I can see why.
Heading south from Tuba City this morning on highways 160 and then 89 I felt like I got a little bit of a bonus ride. Hints of the majesty of Monument Valley spread out before me – vast vistas of orange and red sun-burnt earth as well as pink, red, and purple buttes on my left and right. Although smaller in size than the formations from yesterday they were breathtaking, nonetheless.
From there I headed west on Desert View Drive, also known at highway 64. This route snakes along the south end of the Grand Canyon and offers multiple paved lookout points as it meanders towards the larger visitor center for 25 miles.
For me personally, I prefer to enjoy natural beauty on my own, rather than in a large group of people. From past trips to the Grand Canyon, I have found that the views from the lookout points on Desert View Drive are just as impressive as the ones at the visitor center and a lot less crowded.
My strategy today was to pull over at the Navajo Point Lookout and hike along the edge of the rim for a while, earning myself a private spot in the shade with a tremendous view of the north rim and the carved riverbed below. I ate a picnic lunch and spent hours gazing at the multi-hued rocks, admiring the hawks spreading their wings in flight just above me, and appreciating the quiet and solitude of the moment.
From there I took my time slowly driving along Desert View Drive, pulling over at a few more overlooks, and taking some pictures of the bike with the canyon behind it. I did stop briefly at the visitor center and walked out to Mather Point before heading south on highway 180 to Flagstaff.
My steak fajita dinner tonight at El Tapatio was excellent – the meat and vegetables were served in a rich broth, the steak was moist and flavorful, and the onions and peppers were cooked enough to be tender but not too soft. I ordered a side of freshly-made guacamole with chips for my dessert. What a great day!
