Category: United States

A much needed mini-vacation to escape the heat found me breathing deep of the Grand Canyon Ponderosa petrichor while exploring the lesser visited eastern end of the South Rim under monsoon skies and boondocking in the adjacent Kaibab National Forest.

OK, I left you hanging last week, but I wasn’t sure what would happen. After shooting sunset over Grand Canyon, I decided not to drive back into the forest in the dark and chanced staying in the Desert View parking lot.  Turned out I was undisturbed through the night*.

Woke up 30 minutes before the alarm set at a ridiculous 4:30am, made and drank only a little coffee as the sky was brightening.  I grabbed water and gear, including the tripod, and headed directly to Desert View Watchtower.  I was the only person there and moved all around the 180° possible without having wings.

It was a pretty sunrise, but I’ve seen better, and this was a difficult place to shoot.  Now I know.

Looking east back at the Watchtower

After an early breakfast I headed back west, first stop Navajo Point and again had the place to myself.

Followed by a quick stop at Lipan Point where I was entertained by a trio of over-friendly Ravens.  It was just them and me.

I was exhausted from a restless night and too early morning so headed back to the national forest to find a new camp that I wouldn’t have to share.  Got settled under the pines and after lunch took a nap.  Awoke to soft rain on the roof and the delightful smell of Ponderosa petrichor pouring in my open door and windows.

Movement caught my eye about 50 feet into the forest as two Abert squirrels chased each other in unabandoned delight, for them and me.  They came pretty close to the camper but I dared not open the door so grabbed the camera and shot through the screen.  The first of these tassel-eared squirrels I’d seen this visit.  Used to see their cousins, Kaibab squirrels, on the North Rim all the time with the main visual difference being Abert has a white belly and only underside of tail is white.  Both delightfully entertaining.

The next morning I woke way too early and don’t plan to make a habit of it.  Rained lightly on and off for a good part of the day so I sat inside working on a blog post and goofing around online.  So amazing, I can be sitting in a forest deep and get a darn good signal.

Look closely at the bottom center

I sat outside soaking up the afternoon, listening to distant rumbles, watching the clouds drift away to the northwest, and just before dusk the Abert squirrels came back.

Ponderosa petrichor and squirrels were the next days entertainment as well.  Wish I could bottle the essence of petrichor in the forest, and the desert too.  Geosmin is the chemical that produces that unmistakable aroma of petrichor, which loosely translates as earth odor.  I think the scent helps keep me calm because after working all day on the Rambling Road Trip to Grand Canyon video, it scrambled, lost audio, and partly disappeared from Movie Maker.  Instead of screaming, I went to bed.

With a weekend approaching I decided to get to the rim once again before the crowds.  So, after coffee and checking emails I rolled off this delightful forest camp and returned to my favorite eastern overlook, Lipan Point.  Much better than another day at the computer.

When I pulled in to park a car in front of me parked in the middle of the parallel over-sized vehicle parking when there was plenty of car parking available.  I rolled down my window and asked her to move mentioning this being for big rigs like mine.  She did and I thanked her.  Then I parked there most of the day.

Enjoyed time out along the rim watching a storm build over the Walhalla Plateau on the North Rim.  After lunch I continued to enjoy the view from the camper while working on the next blog post.

The Lipan Raven trio begged from every person who got out of their car, and frequently got fed.  What amazes me is how briefly people stay at the overlook, two minutes tops for a quick oh-ah, selfie, and gone.  Unless it’s a van full of Asians because they all have to take an individual selfie, in the exact same place and line up to do it.  I was tempted to set up camera on tripod to watch people and cars come and go so quickly. I’d laugh if it wasn’t so sad.

Those Ravens came right up to the step below my open camper door with Sierra almost ready to pounce if they came any closer.  I did get a little video that will be shared when I get to it.  Later when back out at the rim, I saw where the Ravens stashed some of their begged treats in holes in a rock.  They are too smart for their own health.

Storm clouds danced over the canyon all day but by late afternoon the sky was a dense gray that didn’t forebode well for any sunset colors so I returned to the forest to find another camp.

Ponderosa Pine pollen puddle

Puddlequins

The entire next day it rained on and off, sometimes soft and gentle female rain, but also hard and long enough to create puddles.  Sure was glad I didn’t have to go anywhere.

Felt like the Ponderosa Pine Symphony complete with light show and heavy percussion.  I love to feel the rumble, hear the birds, taste the rain, smell the Ponderosa petrichor, and see sun light patches on the forest floor. 

I was able to recover the messed up video after much searching for answers but there were more problems to come.

Saturday dawned sunny and bright which dried most of the puddles and solar charged the camper battery.  I uploaded the repaired video.  Yet it seems nothing is easy in YouTube. I must have searched for well over an hour how to add music and then it got stuck so I didn’t know if I added enough or any at all.  I’m not knowledgeable about music but figured anything would be an improvement over the engine noise that isn’t reduced by the external microphone with wind ball. I know it should get easier eventually, but some of this really isn’t fun.  Sorry, there’s no music.

The scent is described as vanilla or butterscotch, to me it’s cookies

Stayed sunny most of the day with just enough sprinkles to enhance the Ponderosa petrichor.

I rolled out of camp Sunday morning and headed to the rim and west to Grandview Point.  I planned to hang out there enjoying the view for several hours then meet a friend for lunch in the Village near the Market.

From this overlook, the Grandview trail drops 2500 feet in 3 miles to Horseshoe Mesa then splits east and west to other backcountry options (permits needed).  The original trail was built in 1890 by Pete Berry and fellow miners to the Last Chance Mine.  It’s said the copper ore was rich but the amount was small.  So Berry built the Grandview Hotel in 1897, first hotel along the rim, and offered mule rides into the canyon.  Tourism was born.  Then the railroad arrived to the south rim in 1901, 14 miles away, copper prices crashed six years later, and by 1908 the hotel shut down and was later dismantled.

After lunch it poured and I left the park heading south into a different area of the Kaibab National Forest in search of another camp before driving home Monday.  And so enjoyed a little more Ponderosa petrichor.

*Disclaimer:  I am in no way advocating or recommending “camping” in national park parking lots.  However, if you are self contained, respectful, and plan to photograph at night, it’s really the only option.  Just be prepared for the late night knock.  In the future, I would consider putting a sign on the dash and camper door, “Photographing night sky”, and just hope for the best.

Still seeking kitty sitter for a stayCATion for a week in mid-September.  Could be either stationary in the big 5th-wheel Skull Valley, Arizona.  OR,  Consider travel in the truckcamper at your own expense.  Sierra is a wonderful glamper and companion once she gets to know you.