Sheesh! What a Big Hole in the Ground!

After Sedona, we were bound for the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. We were all pretty excited. Our RV park was the Grand Canyon Railway RV Park in Williams, AZ. Williams is an old town that was established as the railway hub for the visitors to the Grand Canyon. It has a lot of historical significance, but over several decades, struggled with economy issues. Eventually, due to the love affair with the automobile, the railway system to the Grand Canyon was closed. But in the mid 1980's a farming couple pooled all of their resources and invested $15 million and restored the art deco train cars and resumed passenger rail travel to the South Rim. We were booked for the 9:30 AM train and had to stop in at the local cowboy town and watch the "Shootout" before boarding the train. The Cataract Creek Gang made us laugh at their light-hearted approach to some serious "cowboy issues" like bank robbery, mammas in jail for prostitutin', and low-down horse thievery. We had met a few of the cowboys the evening before in town where they have a shootout in the streets every evening at 7PM. It was a ton of fun. Here is a tip of the ole ten gallon hat to Mingus, Tucker, Ben, Red Tombstone, and of course, The Marshall.

The train ride was a unique experience. Aidan enjoyed it, mainly because there was a lavatory in our car. He had an odd disorder that required him to spend a tremendous amount of time utilizing the "facilities." :0) We traveled at the breakneck speed of 35 MPH and arrived at the South Rim in not a minute less than two hours and fifteen minutes (it is a one hour trip by car), but not before being serenaded by Red Tombstone on the harmonica and accordian, and being robbed by the remaining members of the Cataract Creek Gang. The Grand Canyon Railway is the only train that stops to LET the train robbers ON the train. The experience was very entertaining.

The anticipation continued to build as the train deboarded and we climbed the forty-six steps to the walk to the South Rim. We had seen a glimpse of the canyon from a distance while on the train, but approaching the edge for the first time left me breathless. There are few words to describe this natural wonder: immense, fascinating, stunning, vast, deep, endless, frightening, colorful, awe-inspiring, spiritual, beautiful in every way. Pictures cannot capture the enormity or beauty of this place. It is something I have read about, seen pictures of, and watched documentaries on for years, but to see it in person is a surreal experience. There is a panoramic view for as far as they eye can see with condors diving and gliding among the peaks and valleys and layers and textures of rock as old as 1.8 billion years old. Billion. The mind cannot fathom that length of time. Billion. At a time when the earth was a dynamically volcanic, methane-filled, rock-building giant, the first layers of the Grand Canyon were laid down. Eon after era, more and more layers were built containing fossils of unknown, yet strangely familiar, creatures. Covered by shallow seas and a rushing river, the water began carving out the chasm we see today. It is not easy to comprehend the immensity of it, nor the intricacies of it, but all people should see it. I have seen it. I have felt it. I have devoured its essence. I feel like one more piece of the puzzle has slipped into place. I have gazed upon the miracle of the Grand Canyon.