North Rim Grand Canyon pt.2

Wouldn't it have been nice back in the day to see this without all the haze? 

I came across two women who were having a real bad time with the sheer drop-offs.

Both instances they were on their way back.

One was hanging on her husband's day pack following along with her eyes closed.

The other woman was severely traumatized.  I heard her husband say to her  "It's okay now, we're past the worst part."  She leaned against the rock face on the side of the trail bending over on the verge of tears.  To me the trail wasn't that bad but that's not to take away from what they must have been feeling on their own level. They must have experienced that feeling of being sucked off into the void.  I know the feeling as there have been some places for me that got my attention 

if you recall from the blog here. 

Parking was at a premium.  The lot was small and tight.  Portions were closed due to construction, naturally!  On my first pass through I went into a lot that had no outlet and no room to turn a small house around.  I had to back out.  Fortunately no one else came in.  I made another pass.  I couldn't believe my good fortune.  This spot had opened up and I had a straight shot out when leaving.  

Good thing as I wasn't going to do a third pass through. 

 I am so glad I don't have one of those monster coaches.

What is wrong in this photo?

I guess if you're an old fart from Texas you can park your monster coach wherever you want .

Dad!  

Why do you keep bringing me to these tourist infested places!  

I don't like it one bit!

Take me home, now!!

All that effort to get a picture of her with the Grand Canyon in the background and...

there's NO background!

North Rim Grand Canyon pt.1

It is a forty-five mile drive south from Jacob Lake to the North Rim.

Hey Beans!  You can...oh never mind.

The North Rim has its own special qualities over the South Rim.

I feel though the South Rim holds the more expansive wide open views though...

...which is to me breath taking every time I go there.

You can see the smog and haze in these photos.

I guess some days are pretty bad.  This day there were stiff winds which may have helped.

There were far less people here than at the South Rim which I feel due to its remoteness.

Cleaning Day

Jacob Lake, Arizona

Before leaving Jacob Lake I took advantage of the facilities at the nearby Kaibab Camper Village.

It costs $40-45 dollars to stay here.  That's with full hookups: electricity, water and sewer.

$20 if dry camping such as tents or cheapskates like me who don't need hook-ups.

They tout themselves as the only place to camp with hookups north of the Grand Canyon. 

They also have cabins at $50 and $105.

Beans loved prowling around here.

Laundry was $2 a load.  $1.50 for the dryer.  

I had the heat set on HIGH.  Some items came out still damp.  

I set things out in the RV to finish drying.

They're not getting another $1.50 out of me!

  

Next was cleaning me.  

$2.25 for five minutes.  The water was HOT.  Better it than the clothes dryer.

If you think this is kind of nasty looking, I've seen and used much worse.

No complaints from me.

Feeding a Cat

Jacob Lake, Arizona

In the nearby visitor center is this beautiful mountain lion on display.

I couldn't afford him as a pet.  

It costs me enough just to feed Beans. 

When Beans wants some food she meows softly, will tap me on the arm if I'm sitting at the table and then shyly rub her head on the corner of the seat.  Just yesterday I noticed the corner where she rubs.

This is after a couple of years worth of asking to be fed.

She's worn the finish from the wood!

So as you read this we are on our way to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon 45 miles away.  

We'll just stay the day then return back to our camp at Jacob Lake for the night.

Should be an interesting day.

Jacob Inn Gift Shop

Jacob Lake, Arizona

Nice shop.  No people.

Lots of Native American crafts.

Okay, I don't believe this.  

Even if it were true, fifty plus years later and it hasn't sold yet I don't think it is ever. 

Mr. Jemez has probably long since died waiting for his pottery to sell. 

Check out those prices for these "authentic" Navajo made rugs.

This Navajo rug was priced at $3300!  A guy was sitting in the chair reading a book.  

Yeah, I want to buy this rug after an untold number of butts have been in contact with it. 

Strange Plant Neighbors

Jacob Lake, Arizona

These plants are growing where we are camped.  

They are only in the open areas needing sunlight like we do for our solar panels plus being warm.

The leaves are furry.

The other unique feature is that they are only growing in recent burn areas.

This one is the tallest at six feet plus, taller than I.

The chipmunks climb the less taller ones for the seeds in the blossoming ends.

Their weight causes the stalk to bend over to the ground and the chipmunks hang on for the ride.

I've tried to get pictures of this with no luck.

Injury Update (no gorey pictures)

A couple days after the crash I was cleaning up getting ready for bed.  I was having a hard time scrubbing the dirt off from my foot.  I put on my glasses to see why.  It was then I saw that my ankle was swollen and discolored.  Huh! Guess that's why the "dirt" won't come off.  It was bruising.  

Its doing fine.  Just going to take a long while for the new skin growth to come in.

Some odds and ends photos

Our last evening before leaving the Bryce Canyon area.

Driving up the road to the high altitude of Cedar Breaks Beans was meowing, left my lap and got up on the dash.  I think the change in altitude was making her ears pop and she didn't like that.  

I guess animals experience the same thing as we do with rapid changes in altitude.

At the beginning of my 'Eureka moment' trail at Losee Canyon was this mushroom. 
Just something you wouldn't expect to find in this rocky dry environment. 

  

One of those trees living in a less than ideal location.

No words needed. 

Jacob Lake

Everything around here is named "Jacob Lake" this and that.  

I wondered where the lake was.

One day riding around I came across Jacob Lake by accident.

This barely even qualifies as a pond!

So as disappointing as Jacob Lake was here is a picture of Beans enjoying the morning sun.

Jacob Lake Fire Lookout Tower

Jacob Lake, Arizona

Three some miles from camp stood the fire lookout tower.

Some history first before we go up the tower.

You are responsible for your own stupidity.  

Got it.

In case you ever wanted to know what the top of a sixty-foot tall Ponderosa Pine looked like.

124 steps.  

I couldn't do the final 9 steps for the trapdoor to the lookout station was locked.

That was fine with me because I wasn't enjoying this.

I felt like this invisible force was trying to suck me right off into the void.

Although the longer I stayed up there (by sheer force and willpower mind you) 

I gradually became a little bit more comfortable and could relax some...kind of.

There wasn't anything noteworthy to see except a lot of trees.  Looking to the north were the Vermilion Cliffs but the haze pretty much obscured their beauty.

Okay, I've had enough.  Time to go down.

Whew, glad that's over.

A friend once suggested that this would be the ideal summer job for me.  I don't think so.  

I couldn't accept the responsibility.  I'd be afraid I'd miss seeing a fire.  

And then try to tell them where it is...nope. 

Imagine installing that solar panel!