I spent most of my last day at Zion packing up for the trip to the Grand Canyon. After some effort, I was able to locate a place with "pay showers" ($5.00/unlimited time), and that did much to make me feel human again.
I squeezed in one more short hike...hiking the Pa'rus Trail for a second time. I cooked up a batch of Tandoori chicken and some homemade french fries for dinner and retired early.
Sunday morning, I was up at dawn to make coffee and make final preparations for the day's drive. The most direct route would have taken me back out the East entrance to Route 89 with much construction, some scary switchbacks and the narrow mile-long tunnel...and I was just not up for that.
So, instead, I backtracked to Hurricane, Utah and took Route 89 (Alternate). It was a magnificent drive...past many more "red rock" formations, through some mountain passes, into great forests, and finally down out of the mountains onto a huge plain between two ridges of mountains. This took me past the famous "Vermillion Cliffs before crossing the small end of the Grand Canyon and on into the Park.
I arrived late, as expected, and both Park campgrounds were full. So, I opted for a private campground just outside of the South entrance...not very scenic, but it'll do.
I got a few photos of the Canyon itself (limited again by my "vertigo...it's really deep, that canyon). I also decided to "dine out" and took the shuttle bus from my campground to the Bright Angel Lodge for dinner at the Arizona Room. My kind of meal...an icy cold martini, a Caesar salad, a big piece of prime rib, and a bowl od ice cream for dessert...life kis good.
Returned to the campground for some iPod music and a few beers before bed...a great day.
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