The Oregon Trail - Day 5

When we were getting dressed this morning for a day at the Grand Canyon North Rim, we heard the weather man say something about floods, monsoons and having rained 2 1/2 inches already in October.  I think he said that was some kind of record or something.  We could have ended their drought earlier if they had just let us know we needed to come earlier and try to tent camp.  Anyway, it is all good and the cooler temps are great.  We brought plenty of warm clothes. 

After the down pour all night, it rained off and on (mostly on) all day today.  We saw some unique sites along the way to the North Rim.  Paria Beach, which is on the Colorado River where it is joined by the Paria River, was just beautiful. 

We made it to the Grand Canyon North Rim, which is just at the northern border of Arizona.  The scenic drive was so pretty with the Aspens turning bright yellow in their fall leaves.  I took about a gozillion pictures.  We loved the GC, which was totally different from the South Rim.  Much more vegetation up north.  The wind was gusting up to 60 miles per hour the weather man said and I believe him.  It would cut like a knife when accompanied by the rain.  Beautiful cloudy pictures, but no sunset or sunrise ones.  Maybe another year. 

As we were driving north into Utah we made a little side trip to Zion National Park and it was so different from Arizona and so unexpected.  The rain was really coming down and the park was about to close, so we decided to stay in Kanab in a motel and go back to Zion tomorrow.  It is a must see.

Must get to bed.  Marmalade is too tired to blog tonight.  This mountain climbing is getting to both of us.