A Big Hole in the Ground
I've decided to write in my notebook before transcribing it online, again. Even if it doesn't produce the style I want, it produces writing that's a bit more substantive. And the internet is so damn expensive that I can't afford to dilly-dally.

So Tuesday morning, we left the Las Vegas area for the Grand Canyon. Four hours later (and having passed Lake Mead again), we arrived at our destination. To be honest, it was kind of disappointing. I mean, the first look I took of the canyon was totally awesome and superlative-inducing, but at each subsequent viewpoint, it became more and more of just a hole in the ground.

I guess I should clarify that because of my dad's increasing age, physically arduous tasks were out of the question. So we couldn't do too much hiking, particularly with significant altitude changes. Instead, we stuck to the edge of the South Rim, which led to similar viewpoints. The next time I visit, I plan on hardcoring it and camping in the canyon. And I'll show favor for the other parts of the canyon, particularly those less popular. If there's anything I hate, it's sticking to the beaten path.

We stayed in a nearby town, which had nothing but a couple restaurants and a handful of motels. The next day, instead of sticking to the Grand Canyon, we headed towards Flagstaff, AZ. We saw a lava field, a remnant of a nearby volcano. It was really cool-looking, but for whatever reason, I didn't take any pictures (I took tons of the trite Grand Canyon, though).

I'm getting a little bored with myself, so I'm going to just pick things up next time.
- posted by roger @ 1:55 PM