The Painted Desert

Friday June 29, 2012 - Stuck in Flagstaff AZ

 This morning we took our motorhome to a shop here in Flagstaff AZ to have it checked out and see why we were having carburetor  problems again.  Around 1 pm this afternoon we got a call from the mechanic shop.  They are taking the carburetor apart and possibly may have to order a new carburetor.  The gas had been leaking all over the back of the engine and could easily have caused a fire.  There was a big kink in the hose from the gas tank to the generator and that is the reason we could not get the generator to work.  That has been fixed and the generator works now.  We just thank God for his protection and for leading us safely to a shop that has found the problem.  They are ordering a rebuilt carburetor which has a warranty but it will not be in until Monday.

Fortunately, there is a motel right next door to the shop and we have gotten a room here while they are working on the motorhome.  We have a microwave and refrigerator in our room so we just brought some of our food to our room which will save on groceries.  God Is Good!!!

We have taken tons of pictures on our trip but have only posted a portion of them so today I will post some random pictures that I haven't posted yet.  Hope you enjoy.

This was a piece of petrified wood in a shop we were in. 

This is in the painted desert where pieces of petrified wood was laying around on the ground.

A close up of petrified wood spread over the ground.

A view of the painted desert.  The colors were just amazing!

It was a 28 mile drive around the painted desert and petrified forest.

Petrified wood laying throughout the landscape.

Amazing formations of rocks

Miles and miles of beautiful color

More of the painted desert

A close-up view of some of the rocks

More beautiful color in the desert

Amazing colors as far as you can see

The painted desert with vegetation in the forefront

An amazing view of the painted desert

The grand canyon is another amazing and grand thing to experience

There were brilliant colors and formations in the canyon

Vegetation growing down the slopes of the canyon

Another amazing view of the grand canyon

God's amazing creation!!

A trail where you can walk down into the canyon

Another view of a trail down the canyon

Breath taking view of the grand canyon

Another angle of the grand canyon

This has been an amazing adventure and I am very thankful that Lester & I have had the opportunity to experience it.  I am sure we will see many more wonders as we continue our journey back to Bremerton.

Wednesday June 27, 2012 

This morning we had breakfast with Roger, Leta, Julie, Erin, Olivia and Abby.  We then packed up and it was time to leave the grand canyon.  The last four days has been quite an adventure for all of us.  It is an experience we all will remember and it was great to get to spend time with my niece and great-nieces.  But we headed to Flagstaff and Roger & Leta headed back to KS.

 Lester & I will be in Flagstaff for a few days.  We have an appointment Friday morning to have our motorhome checked out.  We are having carburetor problems again and want to get to the bottom of the issue.  We are in an RV park until Friday and hopefully it wont be too serious a problem and we can be on our way again Friday afternoon or Saturday.

From here we are planning on going to southern CA and working our way back up to WA.  Can't believe we have been gone since May 11.  Below are some more pictures of our last day at the grand canyon.

We caught the shuttle to the grand canyon just outside our campsite.  We are waiting for the shuttle on Tuesday morning and Erin, Olivia and Abby decided to catch some z's while waiting for the shuttle.  Guess it was to early for them.

Olivia & Erin wanted to climb this tree which was right on the edge of the canyon.  Grandpa was pretty close to the edge and we had to call them back. 

Here we are overlooking the canyon. 

The view is just spectacular from every angle you look over the canyon.

This is the rapids on the Colorado River.  Lester was able to zoom in and get a good picture.  The canyon is one mile deep.

The Colorado River again.

We thought we saw some boats coming out of the rapids.

One of the signs along the canyon rim

Another view of the Colorado River

A view of the rapids in the distance

View from the top of the rim

This is Hermet's Rest at the west end of the canyon

We are at the Grand Canyon Monday June 25, 2012

We arrived at our campsite just outside the Grand Canyon Saturday.  Yesterday we loaded on the shuttle which is just in front of our RV park and went to the Grand Canyon.  We spend most of the day walking around at the different points where the shuttles will take you.  Last night we stayed and watched the sunset.  It was beautiful.  It is amazing to see all the formations of rocks, the colors and all the different depths of the canyon.  The Colorado River runs through the canyon and from the top it looks just like a small puddle.  There is a Phantom Ranch down at the bottom where you can hike down or ride the mules down and spend the night. The canyon is 10 miles wide from rim to rim and 1 mile deep.  The north rim is 1,000 feet higher than the south rim.  We are at the south rim in Tusayan, AZ.  We are at a altitude of 6,400 feet. 

The Visitors Center at the Grand Canyon and a map to guide you where to go.

Abby, Erin, Olivia and Julie

Lester along one of the paths out to the point

Rocks along the path out to one of the points

Out on the point looking down into the canyon

It is an awesome view

Roger & Leta

This is looking across from where we are standing and other people are out on another part of the rim.

Another awesome view of the canyon

Leta, Erin & Olivia

Abby says "look mom"

Roger, Leta, Lester, Marilyn, Julie, Erin, Olivia & Abby with the canyon in the background

Looking down on one of the trails you can go down.

Wonders never cease

Another beautiful view

Roger, Leta, Erin & Olivia are somewhere down there on the trail

Well, here they finally come

Another breath taking view

Getting ready to watch the sunset

Starting to go down

Awesome view

Almost gone

Amazing colors

This morning Roger, Leta, Lester & myself got up early, had breakfast at McDonalds and took the shuttle to the Grand Canyon.  We got on the red route and stopped at some of the view points.  We even walked down one of the trails for awhile.  It was interesting and I made sure I keep close to the wall because there was no railing.  It was all downhill but then you had to come back uphill all the way.  We got our exercise.

There were 4 elk outside our campsite this morning

This one was right behind a store

This was looking over Bright Angel Trail

Roger, Leta, Marilyn & Lester walked down the Bright Angel Trail

There was a tunnel in the rock on the trail

Walking down the trail

We made it to the tunnel

A lizard on a log along a trail we walked.

The Colorado River at the bottom of the canyon.  Lester zoomed in on it.

The rapids on the Colorado River

Another awesome view of the canyon

There were elk in our campsite when we came back this evening