When I got up again, it was 38, so I threw on some clothes and turned on the water. The shower was very nice. First thing, I checked out Grand Canyon campsites by phone to make sure there was space. I doubted it was much of a problem at this time of year, but it's nice to be sure. Turns out that the only full-hookup campsite inside the park itself can't handle anything longer than 50', and I didn't want to unhook, so I planned to stop at a campsite just outside the park.
As I was unhooking and getting ready to go, I got into a long conversation with another guy at the campsite about towing cars on trailers. See, using trailers is very rare for motorhome people, even though, being a race car guy, I've been around trailers a lot and wouldn't really consider doing it another way.
This guy was also a trailer believer, and as he watched me load the BMW onto mine he just had to have one. He has a normal trailer, with ramps, that he had custom made. The big problem with it is that it doesn't have drop axles, and so it's really, really tall. The beavertail isn't long enough, so his car drags as he loads it. He does have a clever solution for tie downs though -- the tires sit on a grate, such that he can use tire tie-downs easily. Clever idea. I might use that on some future trailer. Anyway, since my trailer was built in AZ and he was headed that way, he decided to stop by that day and see about getting one like mine built for him. I hope I get a commission.
Finally got on the road at 10am. Of course, 20 miles later it was 9am, because although Arizona is in the Mountain Time Zone, like New Mexico, they don't observe daylight savings time, so this morning I switched from MDT to MST, like the rest of the world will be doing tonight.
Crossing the border into AZ was a milestone, as it was not only the 41st state, but it was the last new state that I'll be hitting. From here it's home to California, and I've already got that state filled in on the map.
Got to the campsite just outside the Grand Canyon National Park at about 2:30. Got my propane tank refilled -- I really think I had enough to make the rest of this trip, but with the cold nights, I didn't want to feel like I had to conserve. Then got situation and hooked up, and headed over to the park.
The problem with the Grand Canyon is that from above, where the roads are ... it's kind of boring. The river is so far down there and the canyon is so enormous that from most views, you can't even see the water! It is spectacular though. Makes you feel kind of insignificant.
But I realized that to really enjoy the canyon, you have to go down to the bottom. However, I don't think I really have time for that. I'd absolutely love to do a whitewater rafting trip, but ... so, instead, I came up with another plan.
Mom, don't read the next sentence, and the rest of you, don't tell Mom ... tomorrow morning I'm gonna take a helicopter tour. I can't wait!
Anyway, the sun went down, so I headed back to the campground. The campground is right across the street from the Grand Canyon IMAX theater, and I'd been told that the movie is great. So, I walked over there and saw it. It really was amzing, it has to be one of the best IMAX films I've ever seen. Great cinemetography, especially during the rafting scenes, which convinces me even more that I want to come back here during the summer sometime and raft this part of the Colorado.
Anyway, that's about it for today. Tomorrow morning I start with the helicopter tour. I probably won't go back to the park, unless I learn something tomorrow morning that makes me want to. I'm about 750 miles from home. I figure after tomorrow morning's excitement I'll get on the road and get to Barstow or so, and then it looks like getting home Monday evening should be easy.