BT 4.0: Car wheels on a gravel road

We left Sedona, Arizona on our quest to reach the west rim of the Grand Canyon. I read a Weekly Reader in April of 2007 (with some students) about the opening of the Grand Canyon skywalk and have have been plotting our visit ever since. I am not one for travel research, so my "plotting" consisted of lots of Google image searching and YouTube videos about the skywalk. Last night (less than 90 miles from the west rim and less than 12 hours until we are set to depart for the skywalk) I decide to hit the official skywalk website. I've got major sticker shock! My loving husband talks me out of me talking us out of going and we proceed with our hasty research. It turns out that the west rim is only accessible by a 9.2 mile mountainous, gravel road. AND, you can't take anything on the skywalk (no cameras). Despite my sticker shock and trepidation about the drive and camera rules I headed to bed with visions of "glass bridges" floating through my mind. We'd been talking to the kids about it for 6 months so they were primed for the adventure. It was quite a process making it there. The Matrix held up like a champion but it was a cruel drive on the gravel. Once we arrived we were then shuttled by bus to the glass bridge (by a driver who decided to bestow his knowledge of venomous snakes on us including how long you'd have to live if you were bitten. Take that small children!) Then we had to put on booties to cover our shoes and then we had to go through a metal detector and then we had to put all of our belongings in a locker. Finally we made it to the bridge! We got a few pictures taken by the photographers and then explored. None of use felt nervous about stepping on to the bridge but it was added entertainment watching those who were a little hesitant about the excursion. Some people clung to the side of the bridge and others tiptoed (as if that would prevent a bridge collapse). No buyer's remorse here. We all had an amazing time and it was a beautiful way to see the Grand Canyon.

Yesterday was full of travel. We did stop at a lake near Prescott, AZ to canoe and were told by a 19-year-old that it was too windy for kids to go on the lake (at a whopping 15 mph). Odelia got to see a Saguaro cactus, which was on her "to do" list for Big Trip 2012. Tomorrow we leave for Kanab, UT. We'll stay there for five days. We're going to try canoeing again tomorrow morning at a different lake but they've already called to warn us that the winds will be "high" at 18 mph. We'll see if the almighty canoe people ax our plans again.

The windy lake.
Watson Lake, AZ

The dock at the windy lake. Notice the tilted posture necessary to fight through the gale.
Watson Lake, AZ

Throwing rocks at the windy lake. I don't know how he kept that hat on with all the wind.
Watson Lake, AZ

Milo found a shell.

Odelia took off her shoes.
Elona put on Odelia's shoes.
The lake was windy.
The end.

We played an excellent game of keep away in this field. As we were leaving Milo noticed that two (of three) of his charms on his new bracelet were missing. We all searched the field for 15 minutes and found one of them, though Milo will tell you it's not the doughnut one "which is my favorite". If anyone has a spare doughnut charm laying around...

Saguaro Cactus somewhere in Arizona.
Odelia calls them "Pokey Things"

Milo believes they shoot their needles at you if you get too close.

Joshua Trees
Hey B, My a@$ hurts.

This was above the drinking fountain at the visitor's center at the Grand Canyon. Those greedy masses of water consumers flocking to the desert to pay extreme prices for your beautiful skywalk certainly shouldn't get a free drink.