The drive to the Grand Canyon

Just like South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming, there's nothing in Northern Arizona.  It is somewhat unnerving driving hundreds of miles with nothing around.  No mechanic, no auto parts store, no traffic lights, no gas stations, no restaurants...nothing!  If you come across a gas station you have to fill up because you don't know if you'll meet another one before you run out of gas.  There's a pit in my stomach praying that nothing goes wrong.  It takes strong people to live out here.  I don't know how they do it?


So we're driving, driving, driving and finally get close to the Grand Canyon.  The temperature outside is 100 degrees and we start climbing this mountain into the Kaibab National Forest.  You seriously need a truck out here because these mountains will burn up a cars transmission.  We get to the only road into the Grand Canyon NP and the temperature is now 72 degrees.  The elevation here, 8200', is the same as it is in the ski towns in Colorado.  In fact, the road is closed from early October to mid-May due to snow which accumulates over 8' high.  I'm somewhat drained by the "I'm so screwed if something goes wrong".  Had I known what I know now, I would've packed my tool box and some auto parts.


The drive into the Grand Canyon was beautiful.