Grand Canyon - Really (?)

I just stood there in tears crying like a big baby!

I spent the week in Las Vegas on a business trip and was looking for this ONE day opportunity to get on a bus (14 hour trip in one day) to go to photograph the Grand Canyon. I knew it was going to be a tough trip because upon returning to the hotel at 9:30 pm that night I would have to get up at 2:00 am to get ready to meet in the lobby at 3:30 am to get to the airport for the return trip to NJ the next day. But, I said, what the heck. It might be a one time opportunity for me to do it. So, off I went.

Like many of you, this trip was on my bucket list to do. As I get older, my bucket list becomes more important to me.

So, off I go spending knowing I was to spend a total of 11 of the 14 hours on the bus to get there. It starts to rain half way into the trip. We continue on. I did not say a word or ask about the weather or the conditions there. I just stayed in hopeful silence the entire trip. When I last checked the weather forecast it indicated sunny and cold all week at the Canyon so I felt extremely lucky that I would have great weather. I was actually worried it might be too sunny to get a great shot of the canyon.

I am sometimes accused by some of being too negative, so there I sat trying to be positive and hoping that another 150 miles would yield better weather. After all, weather.com told me so. It only got worse. But, still I remained positive and silent hoping it would be better there or somehow magically clear. I was rationalizing to myself, "it will be OK if it is cloudy.....might even be a better shot with the cloudy gray sky and the colors of the layers of the rock, might be a nice contrast". "Maybe more of a unique shot than the typical blue skies and the shadows and varying light on the rocks". I was going thru many rationalizations on the trip up there!!!!!

We arrived in the rain, now failling harder. There was still snow on the ground near the canyon. It had been particularly cold there last week and the weather in the area had warmed up the week that I was there. There was also a snow storm approaching for later that evening and the following day.

Because of all of the shifting temps, snow on the ground and weather moving into the canyon area it was socked in with a very dense fog. One of the rangers said it was the worst fog he had seen in a long time.

I know you can't control the weather but that did not help me deal with this at all. I think the canyon was actually out there somewhere although I could not see any of it. It was very depressing.

After being up for 6:00 am meetings every day as well as on a 3 hour time change, I thought for a minute I was dreaming and this really wasn't happening. But, sadly it was!

I am hoping I get back there some day. Not sure I would go via that bus tour again. I think I would prefer to drive myself and keep fate in my own hands. Maybe one day.

I am still trying to get over this. I know, some of you may say I am being a bit over dramatic. Maybe I am. But, that is just the way I feel. I can't help it, I was so looking forward to it.

I have back blipped some other photos from the week if you are interested in checking them out.