What? Cooling Off?

Only an hour north of Phoenix on I-17 and we're catching some rainstorms on the plateau. Temps dropped down to 75 degrees before starting to climb again! What a tease!

Heading to the Grand Canyon for the annual anniversary visit. This makes 11 years since we stood on the rim of the Grand Canyon to say "I do". So glad we had a few close friends & family there to share the special moments!

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It's HOT in Phoenix

Wow! We left New Orleans at 98 degrees and landed a few hours later in Phoenix at 115 degrees! So dry! So hot! Need water!! Driving north to the Grand Canyon and maybe it will be cooler!
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Pawn Stars

So we're back in Vegas with time to kill before heading to the airport and we decide we're going to visit Gold & Silver Pawn, home of the Pawn Stars. There was a line around their building waiting to get in!! Yah, maybe next time!

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Time to Head Home

We've left the canyon to head back to Las Vegas and fly home later tonight.

Looking back, the Grand Canyon Association Members' Gathering was the best members'-type event for any of the clubs we belong to. I can relate to the work that goes into such an event and the people at GCA who worked together to make this happen did a fantastic job. Special "kudos" to Sunny Murray for the major role she plays in this event! Very well planned and organized!

And the post-event celebrations weren't bad either! LOL!
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Hermit's Rest

A shuttle bus ride out on West Rim Drive at the Grand Canyon will stop at all of the observation points before reaching the end of the line - Hermit's Rest. We took part in a field trip/mini hike down the Hermit trail to learn about the Grand Canyon in stone. We locates fossils and identified other types of marine and plant life that lived when the Grand Canyon was covered with water as part of an ocean.
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Coffee on the Porch

Its just not the same without the people who have shared this special place with us. Don't worry, we're suffering through it for you!

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Grand Canyon is for Lovers!

There is a stone heart in the retaining wall at the Grand Canyon just past the El Tovar Hotel that was placed there in the early 1930s by a young man who worked for the Civilian Conservation Corps (predecessor to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers). He was in love with a young woman who worked as a Harvey Girl and placed the heart in the wall where it could be seen from her dormitory. How sweet is that?

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Today's Breakfast View

Triple awwww......

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More Rim Views

Hopi House Gift Shop, Verkamps Visitor Center Museum Gift Store, and a canyon view

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Rim Views

This is the view down into the canyon from outside our room. Also a nice view of the El Tovar Hotel on the rim across the way. The rim trail climbs up as it winds past the El Tovar.

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Breakfast view

Double awwww.....

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Room with a view

This is the view we have to suffer with... Awwww....

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Nearing Williams, AZ

We got good views of Bill Williams Mountain - with snow still on the peaks. And check out the Chevy Volt we're running behind. He's doing 85 & our Toyota Corolla is keeping up!

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Snow Cap Residents

These are a few of the permanent residents at the Snow Cap. I wonder if they have relatives in the movie industry!

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Inside the Outhouse!

While at the Snow Cap, we needed to use the potty. Take a look at the public outhouse! At least there was running water!

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Made a stop in Seligman, AZ

Of course we HAD to stop at Delgadillo's Snow Cap Restaurant! (I use the term "restaurant" very loosely!)

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While we were in the air...

We took some pics of the Meteor Crater, San Francisco Peaks, Oak Creek Canyon, Hoover Dam & Lake Mead. Here... see for yourself!

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This is where we'll be...

Sitting in the chairs outside of our rim-view cabin. What a view we'll have!

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Shhhh! We're Sneaking Back to the Grand Canyon!!

We're making plans 1 week out to fly to Las Vegas, NV and drive over to the Grand Canyon for 4 days of rest & relaxation! Also hoping to attend the Grand Canyon Association's Members' Gathering which is being held May 20-22, 2011. The temps are forcasted with highs to be almost 60 degrees and lows in the low 30s. We "might" do a day hike on Grandview Trail while we are there. It will depend on how the weather plays out. It doesn't matter - we'll be at the canyon!! We're so excited!!!