I made my way from Utah passing Salt Lake City and some pretty amazing landscapes. My goal was to drive the 600 or so miles to my site in Az. Unknowing I tried to book a site in the Grand Canyon Park but was told you needed to book well in advance (months) in order to get anything for a week or more.So, I researched at length and found a spot about (rv Park) just outside of the south entrance and literally on two miles from my desired spot in the campground. Well after some extensive “review” research, the place was lambasted and the general consensus was it was the worst place on earth…perfect! A place to stay close by the park. The reviews basically described it as a tire up parking lot in between a strip mall and a homeless community. This should be interesting I thought and while I wasn’t thrilled I was grateful to have a spot on such short notice. Well as good luck would have it, when I entered the park (which I had to drive through to get to where I was staying) I told the ranger at the gate about my situation and she said they one of the campgrounds, which was a “first come first serve”, had a one or two spots available and it was only a mile in. No showers or no hook ups but still a place IN the park. I thanked her and headed off with the notorious Peace Train flapping in the wind wind behind me, hanging on for dear life. I stopped at the campground hosts site and was greeted by an elderly codger, grey beard wide brimmed hat and a friendly disposition (could have been looking in the mirror). He said there were two site left, one at the entrance (which I spotted on the way in, smack up against a dumpster) and the other one he said had a nice pull through… SOLD! I booked it for seven days at twelve bucks a night! (The homeless parking lot was charging $59 per night) I felt like I had just hit the lottery but that has seemed to be my mood this whole trip thus far.

I made camp and drove to the canyon. Desert view was about a half mile away. As I walked the path toward the canyon I could not see much, but as soon as I got to the edge I let out a very loud gasp. More of an emotional sob. I was overwhelmed by what lay out before me. There are really no words I can find to describe the wave of awe that poured over me. It almost did not seem real. I was humbled and excited and felt I was filled with a great spirit or energy, but at the same time a reaffirmed belief that there is something much greater than what I could possibly conceive at work in this universe.