Antelope Canyon

Remember to click on all the pictures to get bigger views of them.



This is how we got to the canyon from the hotel. It was a half ton truck with a Hollywood muffler, raised about as high as was legal and equipped with big wide tires. There were two benches in the back about a foot wide and two people would share a seat belt. Behind us at this point were about six other trucks and once we were a bit further along they all spread out and the race was on. It felt like we were part of a Mad Max movie, super fun.

This is the entrance to the canyon and as you can see we lost the race and weren't the first to enter. Actually that turned out to be a good thing as they were all gone on our return trip and we got to take a few pictures without anyone in them. Most of the shooting was overhead and up using the natural light filtering in and reflecting off the walls. Our guide selected me to be the teaching tool and it was "girl, stand here, put your camera here, turn, shoot up, shoot over their heads etc. etc. I was mighty dizzy by the time we got to the other end of the canyon but really did need the help to get some good pictures.

We were surprised at how narrow parts of the canyon were but it was wide enough for groups of people to walk through together. Only a few parts required single file. The swirls on the walls are made during flash floods when the water picks up all the sand on the floor and it circles around and around scouring out and recreating the features of the canyon. The last flash flood raised the floor by four feet with the sand it deposited.

Isn't it beautiful! I actually didn't get to look at it with my own eye, only through the camera as big Al had me busy standing here and there to show the group "that's how we take pictures here".

Now I'm sure there is an animal in this picture somewhere or Lincolns head or something. The native people seem to find images in everything to add importance or significance to it. I think that partly comes from the sameness of much of the scenery where they live that they have to find something to landmark where they are. They're also very attuned to nature and their totems so look for their images in everything.

Now if we were to do a painting or sculpture like this it would most likely be called "busy" but when nature does it it's called spectacular. Look at all the different colors in those rocks!

Anybody got a skateboard?

Can you see why I got dizzy??

You must be getting tired of looking at these, almost done.

This is the end of the canyon, note the shape of the bear in the light area. Big Al took this one. "Give me your camera girl".

See the image of the coyote?

My favorite shot. This is the room that you see so often in the ads for Antelope Canyon, minus the beam of light coming down to highlight the floor although it's in the next room. With all the people going through that day I was really fortunate to get this shot of an empty room.

Anyway that's the sampling of our trip. Hope I didn't bore you too much but figured by posting these on my blog (that I haven't used forever) you could either look or delete.

Bryce Canyon and Grand Canyon

This is Bryce Canyon which we found spectacular. I wasn't sure how I was going to get it all in as it covers such a vast area so pictures really don't do it justice. There were 18 miles of canyon road with stops at about 10 different places. We went to the end first and then thought that we couldn't see anything much different at the next one. Totally wrong!! Each viewpoint had something more spectacular and the last one was the dessert for sure. I've only included a small sample of what I have.This one at the left is about the only arch we saw at Bryce although I'm sure there were more to be seen if you hiked down into the canyon. 

 

This was the scenery to the left and the right. We could not imagine how the pioneers in their wagons must have felt when they came to a place like this on their trek to the west. "looks like a good place to stop and settle down to me" 

This part of the canyon was called the Cathedral, wonder why?? It reminds me of the scenery from Lord of the Rings                                                                                                                                                 

The grand finale! Hundreds of feet tall and spread out for miles.

This is the north rim of the Grand Canyon. We were disappointed because it was so drab, big isn't always best but it certainly is that. All the tourists, especially the women, had vertigo and were walking the paths very carefully and holding on to something before they would glance down. Must admit I was one of them as even in hotels I have a hard time going out on the balcony if it's above the tenth floor.

I tried to get a downward shot but it's impossible to see the bottom of the canyon. Best I could do.