Point Imperial

Point Imperial -- Grand Canyon National Park, AZ
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, EF 17-40mm f/4L USM, f/8, 1/125s, ISO: 100

I took this shot from the North Rim last year.  The South Rim is better for traveling with a dog because most of the rim is open for them to walk on, but the North Rim is better for people there simply fewer folks around.  We had this spot all to ourselves on our visit.  This photo was taken just off of the parking lot.  I didn't have to work for it at all.  That doesn't seem right, does it?

Photo selection inspired by Geogypsy's Foto Friday Fun 189, image #4744.

Sam & Pongo on the South Rim

Grand Canyon National Park, AZ
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, f/8, 1/60s, ISO: 100

Pongo's biggest camping adventure was a camping trip we took to Grand Canyon last year.  The South Rim is one of the few pet-friendly National Park areas I've found.  Dogs are allowed on leash on the paved trails around the rim.

OK, technically I'm on the trail taking this photo and Pongo and Sam aren't.  You got me.  Still, you get the idea.

We only made a small dent in covering the South Rim trail before Pongo wore out.  I don't know if Pongo enjoyed the views or not but he certainly enjoyed seeing all the wildlife on those short hikes.  Birds.  Lizards.  Squirrels.  Chipmunks. Good times.

Photo selection inspired by Geogypsy's Foto Friday Fun 135, image #0569.

Desert View

Desert View, Grand Canyon National Park, AZ
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, ISO: 100, f/8, 1/60s

Desert View is my favorite spot on the South Rim.  It has clear views of the Colorado River below and the West-facing cliffs light up at sunset.  There's a goofy gift shop built like a watchtower right on the rim.  I like complaining about that silly thing, but it's kind of fun, too.  The reason to visit Desert View is in the name, it's the unparalleled view.

Photo selection inspired by Geogypsy's Foto Friday Fun 134, image #1041.

Bison Crossing

Grand Canyon National Park, AZ

Did you know that there are buffalo at the Grand Canyon?  I didn't, at least not until I saw this sign a few weeks ago.  They're not real American Bison, not full-blooded anyway.  They're bison/cattle hybrids, same as what you'd find at the Bison Paddock at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.  They're not native to this area, or anywhere really.  I get the impression they're considered a nuisance by the Park folks, but I suspect tourists like them so they're probably tough to just get rid of.  Just guessing, mind you.

Hairy Woodpeckers

Hairy Woodpecker -- Mather Campground, Grand Canyon National Park, AZ
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, EF-S 55-250mm IS II, 1/2000s, f/5.6, ISO: 800

Pongo and I bumped into this hairy woodpecker while we were taking a walk around Mather Campground at the Southern Rim of the Grand Canyon last year.  Cute little guy.  Looking at this photo I was reminded of the other time I ran into a hairy woodpecker at Ruby Beach in Olympic National Park.  Two very different environments.  These birds live all over North America.  Anywhere there are trees, basically.  They look different in the Pacific Northwest, they're gray and black instead of white and black.

Hairy Woodpecker -- Ruby Beach, Olympic National Park, WA
Canon PowerShot SX40 HS

In both cases I recall having to follow the birds as they moved around the tree and struggling to get good light as they moved.  So inconsiderate of them.

Photo selection inspired by Geogypsy's Foto Friday Fun 122, image #907.

The North Rim

Point Imperial, Grand Canyon National Park, AZ
Canon EOS Rebel T5i,  EF 17-40mm f/4 L USM, 1/60s, f/8, ISO: 100

Big Cliffs at Grand Canyon

Point Imperial, Grand Canyon National Park, AZ
Canon EOS Rebel T5i,  EF 17-40mm f/4 L USM, 1/100s, f/7.1, ISO: 100

The shadows from the clouds were moving quickly across the canyon on our recent visit to the North Rim.  I like this particular configuration with the dark cliffs in front and brighter ones behind.  I also like how the greens and oranges are drawn out in this image.

Point Imperial

Point Imperial, Grand Canyon National Park, AZ
Canon EOS Rebel T5i,  EF 17-40mm f/4 L USM, 1/80s, f/6.3, ISO: 100

If you want to visit the Grand Canyon and avoids the large crowds, the North Rim is a nice option.  The views are a little bigger from the South, but the North Rim holds its own.  We had Point Imperial pretty much to ourselves on the visit.  Pretty sweet, if you ask me.

Grand Canyon

Desert View, Grand Canyon National Park, AZ
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, 1/80s, f/6.3, ISO: 100

More coming attractions.  I'll be on the other side in a few days.  Woot.

Traveling Companions

Grand Canyon National Park, AZ
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, 1/80s, f/9, ISO: 100

This photo popped up as the wallpaper on my computer the other day, and as I looked at it I came understand it as being somewhat profound.  If you've followed my blogs you've seen pictures of all three of these individuals with little reference to who they are.  This is probably the only picture I have of all three of them together.  These are my traveling companions.

On the left is Jim.  I've known him for thirty years.  We met in college.  We've done a couple of road trips together in the last three years with a big one coming up in about a month.  Our first trip three years ago kindled my interest in the outdoors and photography.  Up until that point, I'd only ever visited a single national park, and that was only by driving through Redwood National Park on 101 on my way to Oregon.  On that first road trip we visited the Grand Canyon, Grand Tetons and Yellowstone and I was hooked.  I've now been to sixteen national parks and I'll be adding to that total soon.  Jim will be there.

My son Sam is on the right.  He's been accompanying me on trips up and down the coast since he was an infant.  He's also joined me on trips to Yosemite, Point Reyes and the Grand Canyon.  I love traveling with Sam.  He's quiet and patient and open to adventure.

Pongo is my most regular companion.  He doesn't accompany me all of the time, but if I'm going someplace where dogs are allowed I take him.  Pongo loves seeing wildlife.  He's excited and occasionally intimidated by elk, deer and cattle.  He's not sure what to do with deer.  If a deer approaches us he hides behind me, but if a deer runs away he wants to take chase.  Rabbits, raccoon, squirrels, ducks, lizards and quail are all meant for chasing in his book.  We stumbled onto a white rat someone had dumped on a trail once.  Pongo was very upset with the rat when it didn't run away when he charged it.  He barked and barked until the rat scampered off.  Poor rat didn't know the rules.

Pongo is a mama's boy.  He's my wife's dog at home and mine on the road.  My wife rarely travels with me.  She prefers to stay at home with our other two dogs running her dog rescue organization.  Maybe someday she'll be in one of these pictures.

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon National Park, AZ
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, 1/80s, f/8, ISO: 100

There are no boring views at the Grand Canyon.  I haven't been down inside, and I probably never will make to the bottom so I can't speak for what happens down there, but up on the rim every spot I've been to reveals amazing things.  Even at high noon on a smoky day like the one pictured here the views are breathtaking.

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon National Park, AZ
Canon Rebel T5i, 1/80s, f/9, ISO: 100

There's a few things I like about this photo.  It gives a nice idea about the steepness and height of the canyon walls.  The loose boulders on the cliff side hint at the decomposition of the cliff walls.  The trees show the tenacity of Mother Nature.

Mountain Lion Crossing

Desert View Drive, Grand Canyon National Park, AZ
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, 1/40s, f/6.3, ISO: 100

I'm thinking this is one of the last signs you want to see if you have a flat tire.

This mountain lion crossing sign can be seen on Desert View Drive along the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.  It's a not-to-miss thirty mile stretch of road between the South and East entrances of the park.

For the record, I've never seen a mountain lion there.

Desert View

Desert View, Grand Canyon National Park, AZ
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, 1/30s, f/5.6, ISO: 200

Desert View is a heck of a place for a sunset.  Watching the sun go down as these people are is spectacular, but that's not where the real action is.  The real show is behind them on those cliffs in the background.  The cliffs face West and they light up with an amazing display of color as the sun drops over the far side of the canyon.

The goofy tower bugs me.  It looks ancient, but was actually built in the 1930s as a tourist trap--er--attraction.  I take great joy in grumbling about it whenever I see it.

Inspired by Geogypsy's Foto Friday Fun 96, photo #1212.

One more cup of coffee 'til I go . . .

. . . to the valley below.

Yavapai Point, Grand Canyon National Park, AZ
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, 1/125s, f/8, ISO: 100

I made a trip to the Grand Canyon for Memorial Day weekend last year with my son, my dog and friend Jim.  It was a great trip.  My parents even joined us for an afternoon on their own road trip to New Orleans.  My dad had never seen the Grand Canyon before.  He said it was a really big hole in the ground.

This picture comes from our last morning at the canyon.  That's Jim taking a picture on the rock.  He and Sam had quite an adventure the day before hiking down into the canyon, but that's a story for another day.  This picture captures a reflective moment, that point in time when an adventure has come to its end and the adventurer turns for one last look before moving on to the next big thing.