Day 9: Zion National Park to Grand Canyon

After our overnight at Quality Inn, Springfield, just outside Zion National Park, we had a modest breakfast of cereal, scrambled eggs and toast.   Then Bob emptied the ice box, a daily task, and refilled with fresh ice.

We drove south through ever changing scenery, from rocky to desert and then, as we neared our overnight stop, into forest and meadows, reminiscent of Switzerland.    We passed on the way a unique ‘Trainer Tree’!

The trainer tree

Trainers, close up, but don't get too close!

Little house on the prairie???

We checked into Kaibab Lodge – or rather we tried to but the rather dour lady at the desk informed us we were too early.  We had a cup of coffee in the lounge and cruised the shop. The wooden lodge is part hotel lounge, part shop, part reception.  There’s a TV, a fireplace with armchairs and some very old newspapers (probably there to light the fire)! The ‘bedrooms’ are cabins in a row outside.

We drove the 24 or so miles south to the entrance to the North Rim on Grand Canyon through much evidence of forest fires.  Dotted between the burnt trunks, quaking aspens are reestablishing themselves.  We went to the Lodge built in 1937 to cater for the new tourist class after the original lodge burnt down.  We got our first glimpse of the north rim of Grand Canyon through the vast windows of the observation lounge.   We tried to book a table in the restaurant to coincide with sunset, but the world and his wife had had the idea before us.  We checked out the gift shop and then had lunch in a ‘deli’.   This was actually a small café with a limited menu, from which we chose badly and had rather greasy slices of pizza, which we followed with fresh fruit salad to make us feel better!   Mary had soup which she liked and Bob had a sandwich and crisps.

Canyon view from North Rim

View from Angel Point, North Rim

 We took a short walk to Angel Point – a narrow path, with steeply sloping sides, which led out to an overlook.  Lots of people on the path, and some looked very scared!  I admit to a few nervous moments and a great deal of looking down and not to the side!  But every now and then it was possible to clutch onto a rock and look around.   From the vantage point, and from other viewpoints we walked to later, scattered around the north rim, we looked out over the vast canyon with its many side canyons.   It’s a vast scene, almost too large to take in.  We had glimpses here and there of the Colorado River winding its way through the canyon floor.   We took masses of photographs, too many to fit in here and I know we'll enjoy looking at them when we get home. 

Colorado River in the distance

On one walk we came across a woman exceptionally strangely dressed for walking stony paths in a national park and amused ourselves by watching her pose coquettishly for her rather older companion and speculating on the relationship!  Bob amused himself!

Shorts with flappy bits and high heeled mules - perfect! 

Bob having a giggle...

We paused on our way out of the park to watch the sun go down and toasted the day with scotch, concealed in picnic teacups to avoid censure!   Bob drove us back to the Lodge avoiding the many mule deer that had come down to graze on the meadows alongside the road.

Monarch of all she surveys! 

Sunset, North Rim

Sun set, North Rim 

 Back at Kaibab Lodge we checked into our modest, basic cabins (!) before making our way back by torchlight to the Lodge where we had a similarly modest, basic supper!  

Note the broken blind, the pine panelling and the only two sources of light in one corner of the room.
It was toasty hot though! 

Turkey dinner for Mary, Bob and Peter (reminiscent of school dinners) and St. Louis Ribs for me – spicy and messy!   My salad didn’t arrive until asked for, nor did the water refill requested.  A rather amateur set up!  

In the dining room we met up with the quiet, but friendly couple we had had breakfast with at Buffalo Sage B&B.  The ones who had amused us by the length of time it took them to get their gear ready for a hike in Bryce Canyon.   And so to bed!