Vacation 2004
(page 2)




Beginning of a new day.





Mesa Verde (cliff dwellers)
(Or literally "green plateau")
and another park pose.









A quick stop at what is called four corners.
The only place where you can be in four states at once.





On to the Grand Canyon





First looks do leave an impression.





On to the lodge area.
Arrived just in time to see the steam train pulling in.






The view from our cabin's porch.






Caution!  Distressed Tourist!







Setting sun in the canyon.





The next morning, we decided to do the mule ride down in to the cayon.
The ride is a classic.  They have been doing it for 75 years.
Early morning and it is 52°F which is while Zoe is wearing the rain suit.
By 1:00 PM down in the canyon it will be 104°F.





The trail was pretty radical.
We always stopped our mules facing into the canyon.
That way, in case they are spooked by a rattlesnake, they back into the canyon wall.
Not over the edge





Out on the plateau, the terrain changes drastically.
Here you can see some of the cactus.





Finally a glimpse of the Colorado river.
Or is that Wonka's chocolate river.
(No photo retouching.  That is how muddy it is.)






Even though it was 104°F, they make you wear long sleeve shirts and pants.
That way, when they hose you down with water to keep you cool, you stay wet.
(Heat stroke on the plateau used to be very common until they started wetting down everyone.





See that trail in the middle of the picture?  That is where we just came from.
Plateau Point was our destination (shown in this picture).
A trip all the way to the Colorado River is an overnight expedition.





- Continued on next page -