As planned, today has been a non riding day and spent being a proper tourist. We had breakfast at the West Fort a cowboy avenue of saloons, a bank, real estate and a jail! During the evenings a cowboy show is performed for the tourists with a gun fight...
We got to the Grand Canyon ticket office promptly and received our tickets and instructions. A cowboy show commenced our entry price at 10:00am shortly followed by instructions to board with then a prompt departure at 10:30am.
We had chosen to ride the first class carriage and as we headed out it was clear that the carriage had seats available which enabled us to move around and video the journey from Williams, AZ to the Grand Canyon.
The train ride is a 2 hour each way with refreshments and the terrain changed from pastures to forest to rock formations and then to the Grand Canyon Rail Depot. Light hearted entertainment was provided with musicians entering each carriage as well as the cowboys from the 10am show including the US Marshal play acting a train robbery! Our train! All in jest and very funny in places.
With Go pro cameras, spare batteries and chargers we headed. It felt strange not having all the motorcycle gear on and once we started walking the trails I was pleased I had my light back pack, my light weight REI trousers on and a T'Shirt.
The view was breath taking and the photos taken by my iPhone 6 and the Go Pro hopefully show how exhilarating it was. We decided to head to the right and all along the trails stop and drink water and take photos. I didn't go to far to the edge but others were climbing and sitting right on the edge of the rock face in places.
Once we had walked up to the right a bit and read about the rocks that are millions of years old and checked out a gift shop where Kris spotted another sticker for my bike pannier we headed down. We walked quite a far bit down. Of course what does go down has to at some point turn around and walk back up! The trail was called the Bright Angel Trail and up we walked.....
The ascent was hard work and heavy going and I was huffing and a puffing by the time we got back to the top where we made our way to some shade and a rest bite.
Then we walked off and found the bar.... a refreshing beer or two later and we were then on time to go back to the Railway Depot to make our return to Williams, AZ. The promise of wildlife wasn't to be today.... although we did see some cows. I had my eyes peeled for Elks but we didn't see any.
Mileage today = 0
Steps today = a bloody lot
Wouldn't have missed it for the world! - Truly an amazing place
Tonight, legs are aching but I am thrilled with the accomplishment of hiking some of the South Rim trails. I will not forget the views as we walked up and saw the Grand Canyon for the very first time. It has a magical sense about it - spell bounding - mesmerizing.
Kris and I talked about how the day had been perfect and that we were so glad to have done the train option and not the helicopter trip that was originally in the plan. We did overhear at the tourist information desk the limitation of the fly zone and I didn't see one helicopter all day.
Tomorrow we get back on the bikes and get back on Route 66 and head through Oatman, AZ and on to Needles, CA