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Grand Canyon Railway: 2 trips in 1

April 13, 2009 by Shelli

The Grand Canyon Railway claims its customers get to enjoy two trips when they ride the historic train to the Grand Canyon’s South Rim: a trip to the Grand Canyon and a trip into the past.

It’s an accurate claim, and what a spectacular adventure!

Our family just returned from a Spring Break vacation that included 3 days in the Grand Canyon region. On our middle day we enjoyed the Grand Canyon Railway. We showed up at the Depot in Williams, AZ, located about 50 miles south of the South Rim, at 9:30 am. From there we got our tickets and then walked about 25 yards to the corral where we watched a great Old West gunfight skit and reenactment. It was really entertaining. Our three young sons loved it and we got some laughs at the great actors. My parents were along and also enjoyed the show.

We boarded the train at 10:20. We rode Budd Coach for our trip to the South Rim. Coach is the most economic option. There are four classes: Coach, First Class, First Class-Dome (“Observation Dome”) and Parlor (Luxury) Class. Coach, although the most economical of the classes, was still wonderful.

Seating was comfortable and entertainment was provided. We enjoyed interacting with one of the gunfighters in the Old West Show, as well as some great guitar music and singing.

The cars are historic and the train ride truly brings the Old West to life. It’s a great way to sit back and have a cultural experience that is also a lot of fun, and where someone else is doing the driving.

Around 12:45 the train delivered us to the Depot on the South Rim, near the historic El Tovar Hotel, where we walked about 50 yards to a free shuttle that took us to Maswik Lodge, where our group of 7 enjoyed a great cafeteria-style lunch where there was something for everyone. After that we walked a little ways to catch the Red Route/Hermits Rest shuttle system.

At Trailview Overlook during our train layover.

From there we took in great views of the Grand Canyon at Trailview, Hopi Point and Powell Point before heading back to catch the 4:30 return train.

Jerry, the kids and parents wait board the return train.

We moved up to First Class for our return trip.

For the return trip we had upgraded to First Class. Now that was extra comfy. Comfortable bucket seats and snacks and beverages were enjoyed. But regardless of what Class you’re sitting in, the return is packed full of entertainment.

For starters, we got robbed!

We were riding along visiting and enjoying the snacks and scenery when all of a sudden our young boys noticed a train robber/bandit on a horse racing right outside our train window. Wow, now that was exciting. Suddenly everyone got alert as our PSA informed us of how to protect our money and what to do if they overtook our train.

Five days later, our boys are still talking about the train robbery! It was a hoot to say the least.

In between all the excitement I had special press privileges to tour the Parlor/Luxury class sections of the train. Parlor Class has restaurant-type seating…comfy and roomy seating with tables, and lots of windows. Also, very importantly, if you’re riding in Parlor Class, you can enjoy the back outdoor deck. I was able to stand out back and listen and watch as the train took us down the tracks. It was very exciting! Champagne was another benefit, which I reaped when I was touring the back.

It was an adventure our family won’t soon forget, and it added to our Grand Canyon vacation experience. For our adventure, we took the 10:30 train, arrived to Grand Canyon at 12:45, enjoyed lunch and the free shuttles to major overlooks on the Red Route, including Trailview Overlook, Hopi Point and Powell Point before boarding the return train at 4:20 pm. It was just right for our family.

However, Grand Canyon Railway also offers packages that are very reasonably-priced and probably are the best package and value. For example, you can spend the first night in Williams at the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel, then board the train the next day and spend that night at a lodge on the South Rim of Grand Canyon then return the following day. There are all kinds of packages available and we’d highly recommend any of them. Go to TheTrain.com for more information.

Here’s a little video production that covers the adventure:

Together but in 4 (5) different states

April 8, 2009 by Shelli

Hahaha. This is a good one: Our family found out what it was like to be together but in 4 different states. In fact, my husband, Jerry, and I decided that if Delirious counts as a state, which we think it does, we stood in 5 states at one time. It was very cool.

This really happened as we descended on Four Corners on April 6 during our recent Spring Break road trip adventure.

Standing together but in 4 different states

After touring Mesa Verde National Park, we traveled through Cortez, CO, to experience Four Corners, the monument that marks the point at which four states come together: New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona and Utah.

It was sort of a hoky experience, but well worth it. We were glad we included it on our itinerary. You pay $3 per person to enter tribal land and then take turns waiting to stand briefly in all four states. Fortunately we arrived early in the morning and early in the tourist season and only had to wait about five minutes before a friendly bystander offered to take our photograph.

Losing Books, our Minds … and Time

April 6, 2009 by Shelli

Day 3 of our Spring Break vacation found us on a road trip.

It started with a laugh. My husband, Jerry, turned 46 on April 6. So we prepared breakfast in bed for him like a good family should and then he opened a small batch of gifts we had packed for the occasion. Among the gifts he received was a book from me called Younger Next Year. It’s well known for its wisdom and use of humor to enlighten about how men can “grow old gracefully,” and uh, even improve their memory as they age.

Here, Jerry holds the book for the first/last time.

Well too bad he didn’t read it before we left.

Jerry had set it on the roof of our car outside the yurt in Mancos State Park for a staged family photo. 10 miles later I asked for the book figuring I’d read some excerpts out loud for both of our benefits as we motored down what would be a long and open road that day.

It was then Jerry said some cuss words and lamented the fact he forgot he had set it on top of the car. At the same time we passed a Neighborhood Watch photo that featured a bandit on it. The boys started talking about how it was probably a bandit that stole the book.

After a few minutes of Jerry racking his brain and looking throughout the car, and around the car, we decided to back-track on a bit of a treasure hunt. Wolf, our 9-year-old, said, “This can be our geocaching adventure we talked about.”

And besides, so what, we weren’t in a hurry… we were on vacation, right?

We backtracked and got out looking in the weeds, and returned all the way to our yurt site, but to no avail. All we can hope is that someone â€“â€“ other than Jerry â€“- will age gracefully as a result of my gift.

After lots of extra driving on what was already going to be a drive day, we turned our thoughts toward Four Corners.

As you can see from this video, the boys were less than thrilled to learn we’d be spending the bulk of another day motoring down the road.

Grand Canyon or Bust: 6 states in 7 days

April 1, 2009 by Shelli

We are getting ready for quite a spring break adventure.
On April 4, our family will set out in our car, with tent and camping supplies in tow, to travel through parts of 6 states in 7 days.
It’s Grand Canyon or Bust. Or, perhaps The Wyoming Griswolds’ 6-State Roadtrip.

View Larger Map

Sure, Grand Canyon is our “destination”, but no question, the journey will be the trip.

We’re traveling south from our hometown of Lander, WY, to Baggs, WY, to Craig, Grand Junction and Montrose, CO, ending Day 1 in a yurt at Ridgway State Park in southwestern Colorado. Lovers of national parks, we’ll make a quick side trip to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.

Day 2 will be the Million Dollar Highway to Durango. For the record we were going to bring our camper, but after my husband, Jerry, researched the Million Dollar Highway, our plan to camp in comfort was swiftly tossed out. (The scenic byway better be worth it!) He had what we think was an anxiety attack when we traveled Trail Ridge Road through Rocky Mountain National Park last fall. Despite his experience at climbing to top of 13,000-foot-high mountain peaks, driving above treeline makes him uncomfortable.

Day 2 will be exploring the ancient cliff dwellings of Mesa Verde National Park. We’ll spend our second night in another yurt at Mancos State Park.

Day 3 will mark Jerry’s birthday, so as a present, we’ll find a shower hopefully in Cortez, NM, before we head to “Four Corners”, where we have to travel for purposes of standing where the states of New Mexico, Arizona, Utah and Colorado connect.

Then, we’ll point our vehicle to Utah’s Goosenecks State Park, Monument Valley and to the South Rim of Grand Canyon where our true “camping” adventure starts.

We’ll meet up with my parents on our third evening, who are renting an RV for the first time.

On April 7, “mommom and poppop” will head to Flagstaff, etc., to explore and be tourists with our three sons while Jerry and I do the monster hike… down South Kaibab Trail starting at 6am, stop in at Phantom Ranch for brief Snickers indulgence, then return via Bright Angel Trail. Should be a 10- to 12-hour hike for us and we can’t wait. We did it once before in 1999 but that was before we had kids and I had all my media capture gadgets and a blog to post them to. This will be part of what we are calling our We Can Still Do This Tour.
funnycar
Day 5 will be a blast. We’ll go to Williams, AZ, and watch an Old West gun fight reenactment before boarding the Grand Canyon Railway to the South Rim. Living history, interpretation and great scenery are promised during the adventure. After 2 hours, we’ll be dropped off at the South Rim to spend 3 hours on our own touring and taking shuttles to all the “grand” overlooks before riding the train back “in higher style.”

On Day 6 we’ll head West with our sights on the Historic Route 66 and Hoover Dam, before surprising our young sons with a night at Trump Tower, complete with huge swimming pool and near the circus circus festivities. (This is where we change the name of the trip to “From Rock Towers to a Trump Tower”, or from many stars to (just) five stars.)

Day 7 we’ll head to Salt Lake City, one of our favorite cities in search of another great campsite, before heading home just in time for the traditional Easter Egg hunt at my parents.