Troops were near mutinous on Day 11, our last day of true adventuring. Rather than risk a full-scale incident, the group compromised on approximately ½ a day of sightseeing and ½ a day of pool. For the sightseeing, we went to the Desert View section of the Grand Canyon on the eastern end. On the way we stopped at a few of the overlooks to catch different perspectives of the Canyon. At each point you can see different layers of the Canyon, each of which corresponds to different points in time. To see a cross-section like that is truly a sight to behold. It has a watchtower from which you can see quite a bit of the landscape. It was interesting to see the land drop off into the canyon. The plateau at the top looked like a normal grassland plain, then WHAM – drops off into oblivion. 



Replica of a Native American watchtower, complete with ancient Bobcat in front

There be the Colorado River

After we exited the park on the eastern side we stopped to take pictures of another canyon, which was not the Grand Canyon per se, but definitely a gash in the ground.  It was interesting in and of itself if only because it looked like a scalpel sliced into the ground leaving a long and narrow hole. 

This is the Average Canyon, NOT the Grand Canyon

Our next stop was the Wupatki Pueblo, a series of ruins once inhabited by the Hopi tribe.  I would personally call it the “poor man’s Mesa Verde,” although I have never been to Mesa Verde.  Both are similar in that they are old, made of rock, and once inhabited by Native Americans.  I personally found this site extraordinarily interesting.  It was a “hopping” (get it?  Hopi?  Hopping?) place in the 12^th century with several thousand inhabitants.  A nearby volcano erupted in the 11^th century and spewed ash everywhere, which boosted the fertility of the soil dramatically.  Wupatki burned hot and heavy, though, as it was abandoned in the 13^th century – a victim of changing trade routes, depleted soil, and other environmental factors. 

Abandonded in the 1200s during the Hopi subprime mortgage crisis

Ball court used by the pueblo's denizens

There is also a massive cave complex under the pueblo and surrounding grounds.  Nobody has ever been in the caves, though.  It does have a blowhole, though, that spews out nice cool air.

Sadly, Chunk, Josh, and I did not float when we were held over the hole

The second half of our day was spent with a cooler in the pool.  We did not care that it was less than 80 degrees with a breeze, we were getting in that pool!  I think we were in the pool for a solid five hours with only a cooler full of libations to keep us company. 

Well, that’s not 100% true.  We had two visitors, one welcome and one less so.  After an hour or so a family checked in and swung by the pool.  We paid them no mind, as we were busy displacing a metric ton of water from the pool with our floating around.  A few minutes later we noticed the 11 - 13 year old kids (three of them) staring at us out of a window on the second floor.  Creepy, but fine.  After a few minutes, we heard a “clink!”  and thought nothing of it.  Soon another “clink!”  We then realized these impudent whelps were throwing ice at us!  Becky, having a great deal of experience with special needs children, suggested we ignore them so as to not reinforce the behavior.  Ultimately we ceased to amuse them and they scampered off to annoy someone else.  Our second set of visitors was a couple from the Netherlands who were visiting on “holiday,” which is the European word for “vacation.”  They were both teachers, which when added to our three educators (Josh, Becky, and I) nearly pushed us to critical mass.  They were a good time and we’re glad to have met them.

Things were very boring after that.  We ordered pizza and went to bed.  At least that’s how I remember it.

Up Next: The long trek home part 1.

Random Stats:

Hours Driven: 81
Pretty Pueblos Peered At: 3
Clemson Fans Encountered: 1, at the pueblo
Ice Cubes Dodged: 3
 

Quote of the Day:

“Why is there a Natty in the baby pool?”
-          Kati, asking the age old question that has plagued man since creation