Williams – Simply Out and About

When I was a little girl my parents suggested taking a road trip to see the Grand Canyon. I was not to thrilled about going and might have called it a big hole in the earth. Well now here I am looking at this big hole in the earth and wow! I had to tell my brother how sorry I was for ruining this experience for him so many years ago.

We get to the gate to pay for a pass, which is good for 7 days. It was very busy, especially for a Tuesday.

Everybody in America was here....well almost. — Everybody in America was here….well almost.

When we got into the park we noticed people were parking everywhere. I kept driving and we finally came to a marketplace parking lot. The marketplace serves as a grocery store/gift store for the campground. We went in and bought our Christmas ornament (we try to buy one at every location) and Mike and I got matching Grand Canyon T-shirts. (My grandparents matched all the time so I think it’s ok). After we bought our souvenirs we headed down the trail

and came to the Grand Canyon National Headquarters.

Everybody is all smiles at the beginning of an adventure

This is where we had to ask for directions. You would think finding the biggest hole in the earth is easy but it wasn’t. So we were directed down another trail about 1/4 of a mile.

Walking up to the Grand Canyon is like nothing I have ever seen before. It is so quiet and still that it doesn’t seem real.

The rim trail runs along the canyon and from where we were parked, we had the option to go left towards the historic buildings or right back to the visitors center. We went left.

This is the El Tovar Hotel. It was opened in January 1905. This was a very poplar destination back then and with the ease of riding the train, the canyon became a popular destination. In fact the hotel became so busy they had to expand the hotel. Theodore Roosevelt visited the hotel in 1906 and 1913. Another building we came to was lovely. This is Verkamp’s gift shop.

Mr. Verkamp came to the Grand Canyon in 1889. He set up a tent and sold his goods. Business wasn’t good so he packed up and headed back to Flagstaff. He came back in 1905, built this building and opened in 1906. He made $4.98 on his first day and was very happy. He moved his family up and they lived in the apartment above the business. Not a bad place to have a cup of coffee in the morning if you ask me!

As we continued to walk we came to the Bright Angel Trail. This trail is 9.5 miles on way. Some warning came with this trail like flash floods, dehydration, and loose footing. We had to check it out.

It should also say, watch where you step!

Little did I know, Micheal is not a fan of heights. This trail does not have any rails or fences. Most of the canyon is open and you could just fall off if you weren’t careful.

See Micheal on the left? That is where he stayed for the hike.

A very cool trail but it isn't going to be explored by the Patricks — A very cool trail but it isn’t going to be explored by the Patricks

We did walk down some of the trail. You get such different views at every turn it was hard not to want to explore. Well, some of us wanted to explore.

Some one is not happy with his situation

We didn’t walk but maybe 1/2 mile and came back up. I don’t think I would like to walk the entire trail but maybe a donkey ride would be fun.

Now my other man is a little more daring when it comes to walking on the edge but thats where you can really see everything.

So I really recommend everyone to go see the “hole” at some point. At every turn there are place markers that try to tell you how this canyon was carved from water running through it for millions of years. I think it is more amazing to know that God created this canyon in an instant. He said it and there it was!

We have stopped at every welcome center along the way and this is the first time I have gotten a picture of all of us. A sweet man offered to take our picture and I didn’t turn him down! The Arizona sign is behind the pink tree. You can see the red and yellow from the sign.

As you pull into the visitors center. So big!

We were a bit far from Williams, AZ, so I looked on the map to see if there was a place we could stop for the night and not have to drive so far. That’s when I saw the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert. That sounded interesting, so we made a reservation for one night in Holbrook, AZ at the OK RV park.

This campground is exactly that, OK. It was safe and just what we needed for one night. We unhooked and Mike had some work to do so Micheal and I headed back east 20 miles or so to the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert.

We got to the park, stopped at the visitors center and realized that you drive about 18 miles through both The Painted Desert and into The Petrified Forest. There are places to stop off and take pictures or go on small hikes along the way. We started in the Painted Desert. I have never seen anything like it.

As you keep driving the colors start to change.

Then we get to The Petrified Forest. I could not capture in a picture what these logs are like so I will try to explain. (with Micheals help of course)

It looks like it has bark, right. That may have been bark at one time but it is now smooth rock. The inside looks like crystals or quartz rock. It is truly one of the weirdest things I have ever seen! We couldn’t stop touching it. Of course they want you to believe that it took millions of years for this to happen but we know the real truth.

This is called the Long Logs — This is the trail to the Long Logs.

After an hour at the park, we head back to Holbrook to get Mike for some food. You have to feed Micheal to keep him happy. I read about a place on Route 66 that was the inspiration for the movie Cars. I love that movie and luckily for us the restaurant got great reviews.

This restaurant has been on Route 66 since 1943. It is owned by a man named Stanley. (Anyone remember the name Stanley from Cars?) John Lasseter came through town and stopped by to eat. He met the owner and was inspired so Stanley became a character in Cars.

Joe and Aggie memory book — John Lasseter on one of his many visits.

The owner’s son was working the night we were there and he was so welcoming, like we had come to his house to eat. They showed us all the memoriablia that Pixar had sent and were more than happy for us to look through their scrapbook and their memory wall.

It also helped that the food was good too! I had the fry bread filled with meat and cheese and the boys had chicken fried steak with fries. So the sign was true when it said American and Mexican food.

Holbrook also is responsible for inspiring the Cozy Cone Motel in the movie Cars with this fabulous Route 66 hotel, The Wigwam Hotel.

This was the sixth wigwam hotel built on Route 66

Now funded by the government, this hotel is only one of three original wigwam hotels. There are antique cars permenetaly parked in front of the wigwams to give it that special Route 66 feel.

Two old cars — This car looked like the one from The Mask with Jim Carrey….it was called the loaner.

This is the old charm of Route 66 that I had been looking for.

The next morning we hook back up and head out for Williams, AZ. The landscape changed much to our delight and went from dirt to trees and some grass. Oh how we have been missing the trees and the grass!

Flat and dirty, with the exception of the beautiful San Fransisco Peaks in the background.

We kept our eyes set on the mountains and kept driving….

We finally arrived in Williams, AZ, the Gateway to the Grand Canyon…

That's what the sign said anyways. — That’s what the sign said anyways and see the trees!

Williams is about 60 miles south of the Grand Canyon. Due to Mike working on this trip (you didn’t think we were just on a long vacation, did you?) we have to have Wifi and Grand Canyon is not the place to stay for that. Anyways, we got to our campground and we were very pleased. The Railside RV Ranch is owned by two delightful people, who will go out of their way to help you. Think of the Four Seasons with concierge service, that’s the service I am talking about.

This campground is most definitely rail side. The Grand Canyon Railway runs past the campground twice a day and it is always on schedule. The train leaves the Grand Canyon Hotel at 9:00 and returns at 5:00 everyday.

You can't miss the train. We did stand and wave at the people going by one day. — You can’t miss the train. We did stand and wave at the people going by one day.

The owners of this campground will stop what they are doing and go out on the porch and wave to the train passengers as they are leaving.

I saw the owner waving fro her apartment one morning on the top floor — I saw the owner waving from her apartment one morning on the top floor

This campground also had a free shuttle to and from town. When you got ready to come back you would call and he would come pick you up. Also, from 8-10 every morning there was a continental breakfast and waffle makers for fresh waffles. We helped ourselves to that a couple of mornings. I told you this was like the Four Seasons.

Williams is a nice little town where you can park your car and wonder around looking in all the shops, or you can eat at one of the many restaurants in town.

If your lucky you might even meet Elvis!

Williams is full of history and has a great visitors center/museum. If you ever get out that way and you don’t mind staying in a town with no Target, this is your place.

Up next we take a visit to Sedona and the biggest hole in the United States!

Tag: Williams

Whoa, now that’s a big hole!

Hello, Arizona