A Positively GRAND CANYON

by Mauverneen

 

If you have been to the Grand Canyon I need not explain it. If you have never been to the Grand Canyon I can’t explain it.

It is beautiful. It is stunning. It is awesome. It is mesmerizing. Pictures cannot do it justice. For some, it is a spiritual, even mystical, experience. And for some, it’s just a place to check off the bucket list. Approximately 5 million people visit the Canyon every year. A mile deep, 277 river miles long, and an average of 10 miles across, there is no easy way to get from the South Rim to the North Rim (which is closed in Winter). To drive from where I stood on the South Rim in Grand Canyon Village to the North Rim's Village is over a 200 mile drive.

Flagstaff and Beyond

by Mauverneen

I crammed a lot into my one day in Flagstaff. Now it was time to move on and continue my trip. My reservation for the next night was at the Grand Canyon – at the Yavapai Lodge. I was anxious to get going, but first thing in the morning I had a good breakfast, checked out of the motel and headed over to the Riordan Mansion State Park. Being a State Park, I expected it to be outside of town. To my surprise, it is just a couple of blocks off the main road, right by the University.

 

Although one is free to wander about the grounds, as I did the previous evening, seeing the interior of the mansion is by guided tour only. Since I had just missed the last tour of the day before, I made sure I was on site in plenty of time for the first one this day.

The Riordan Mansion - Flagstaff, AZ

Positively Flagstaff

by Mauverneen



Flagstaff Amtrak Station

I have wanted to take this trip for years now. I have been to Arizona several times, and absolutely love it there! Like anywhere, you can’t see it all in one trip and each time I go I see new things. The trip that was on my wish list involved taking the train to Flagstaff, renting a car, driving up to see the Grand Canyon, heading back south to Sedona, ending up in Phoenix and flying home. Which is exactly what I did.

I didn’t know too much about Flagstaff so I did some research prior to my trip, picking out a couple of things I wanted to see. Flagstaff turned out to be pretty cool and more interesting than I had anticipated.

A Positively INauspicious Beginning

by Mauverneen




Inadvertent selfie. Looking serene on the train.

I feel so relaxed. I just returned from a two week vacation in the sunny and beautiful state of Arizona.  I have lots to talk about.

I started on the train. I really do enjoy traveling by train. It is slower paced and less hectic than flying, and far less tiring than driving cross country - although I would never pass up a good road trip.