Interesting things at the Grand Canyon

I loved the Grand Canyon view from the Kolb Studio.

On this map of the historic village on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, you can see Thunderbird Lodge, where we spent our night at the canyon, and Bright Angel Lodge, where we went to check in and out of Thunderbird.  Anyplace you see on this map is an easy walk, even for someone with compromised knees.  El Tovar, of course, is where the best food is.  One of the most interesting spots, to me, was the Kolb Brothers' studio.  I'm not even going to begin to tell you about their exploits in the Grand Canyon and on the Colorado River, except to say they were absolutely fearless, and it was all I could do to watch a film from the early 1900's of them doing crazy things in the canyon and on the Colorado River.  Click HERE to read about them and their exploits.  

Here's a Youtube video that tells a little about them: 



Emery made the canyon his permanent home, and lived to a ripe old age.  Cliff and I got off a shuttle bus at the Pioneer cemetery (because I love graveyards), and we happened across his final resting place.  Even with his lifelong habits of daredevil behavior, he lived to be 95 years old.

Across the fence surrounding the graveyard, a fearless elk grazed.

On the bus tour we took our first day at the canyon, the guide cautioned us to watch our step at the overlooks, since there's nothing to stop a person from tumbling over the edge of the precipice at most stops.  

"Surely people aren't stupid enough to get too close and tumble down into the canyon," I said to him.  

Turns out several people die every year in just such a way.  There's even a book telling about all the known deaths at the Grand Canyon.

The guide took a couple of pictures of me and Cliff during our tour.  I'm not sure if he was just being silly or what, but this is a unique angle, isn't it?  

I realize this entry rambles here, there, and everywhere.  Sorry about that, but since my brain isn't too organized this morning, this is what you get.

Someone left a comment on a recent entry telling me that a word I used, "oriental", is a racist expression, and that "Asian" is the proper term.  I wish somebody would write a book telling me all the proper words to use for various people.  Anyway, if my terminology offended anybody, I apologize; it was only out of ignorance.  Now if only I can remember this the next time I need to use the term.  Asian, not oriental.  Asian, not oriental.  Asian, not oriental.  

Sheesh.  Sometimes political correctness throws me for a loop.  You can call me hillbilly.  I'm fine with that.