The road to the Grand Canyon took us to the following:
- Phoenix Botanical Garden
- Superstition Mountain
- Goldfield Ghost Town
- Out of Africa Safari
- Grand Canyon Railroad
Phoenix Botanical Garden
This was probably one of the best Botanical Garden's I've been to. It was amazing to see all the flowers that actually thrive in a desert. Of course, there were many different types of cactus plants that were just beautiful.
Superstition Mountain
We did some hiking and got some great pictures. Superstition Mountain certainly has a desert landscape but tends to look at the greener side. The greenery mixed in with the desert landscape was breathtaking.
Goldfield Ghost Town
Located near Superstition Mountain, this Ghost town was the location of an old gold mining camp back in the 1800's. We took a tour of an actual mine. Most of the town's buildings are replicas.
Out Of Africa Safari
Located about sixty miles from Phoenix (on the way to the Grand Canyon), this was an incredible place. If you want to get up close and personal with wild life, this is the place for you. There is a tour that takes you through an African plains landscape. On that tour, we encountered a giraffe, camel, a few zebras, ostrich, and several other animals. I got some great pictures. Looking at the picture below, you might think that was taken with a telephoto lens far away. I was probably 15 feet from this lion.
Grand Canyon Railroad
This was recommended by Doug True who is going there in a couple of weeks. If you want to go see the Grand Canyon, I highly recommend taking the train. The train depot is located in Williams, AZ which is about sixty miles from the Grand Canyon. It's about a two and half hour train ride up to the Grand Canyon. I would highly recommend buying the first class package. It's worth every penny. On the way to the Grand Canyon, you will go through a desolate part of Arizona. Looking at this landscape, one can get a glimpse into the past on how it was back in the 1800's. When you're riding in the train, you will see old telegraph poles and lines that was operational up into the 1950's.
The Grand Canyon was absolutely amazing. Any photographs do not do it justice. It's one of the most incredible places I've ever been to. The landscape changes with every foot step. I took over 800 pictures in two hours. On the second day, we came up later in the day to catch a sunset. Wow! It's amazing how the colors of the landscape changes with the position of the sun.
Finally, during this trip, Ryan's Grandmother took a turn for the worse. The week before we left, the doctors had given his grandmother a good prognosis. Ryan's grandmother was diagnosed with lung cancer. For several months, she was going through chemotherapy. Some of you may know, that Ryan moved down to Texas so he could spend time with his grandmother. Ryan has had to make many sacrifices in order for this to happen. All of his high school credits did not transfer. Therefore, he has had to double up on his classes as well as take night classes. Certainly, Ryan's grandmother's condition weighed heavily on our minds during the whole week. On Thursday, Ryan's grandmother was removed from life support.
This week, we all experienced the Significance of God. Experiencing the beauty of the landscapes he created as well as the situation with Ryan's grandmother. All part of God's plan.
Click here to view the photos from our trip.
