A Grand Canyon Gathering

 

Scott, me, Mark and Mike

 

After our parents passed away in April 2011, my brothers and I realized that what keeping up with each other we did was often facilitated by Mom, who would pass on information in person, during phone calls, and via letter.  With her gone, the responsiblity for maintaining our family structure now falls on us.  Like all families, we each have busy daily lives.  Without realizing it, long periods of time can go by without contact. 

Last year we talked about all getting together, so I suggested we have our first Family Gathering in fall of 2012 at the Grand Canyon.  I chose the fall so it would be after my retirement and I would have more time to plan and organize.  I suggested the Grand Canyon because Mom and Mike had done extensive hiking in the Canyon over the course of several recent years, and it was a special place for them as well as Dad.  Everyone was agreeable, including Scott, who would come from Nebraska.  Though no children were able to come this year, they have a standing invitation for any Gatherings that happen.

It is my hope that we can have Gatherings yearly.  Now that I'm retired, I'm willing and able to do all the organizing so all the working folks have to do is show up.

Just because I volunteered to be the planner and organizer doesn't mean I'm very good at it yet!  I was surprised how many times I had to visit the Grand Canyon website to accumulate the information I needed.  I'll describe later how even with that effort, a LOT of flexibility was necessary.

We decided to arrive at the Canyon on Friday.  Scott and his three dogs arrived in Flagstaff from NE with his 5th wheel on Tuesday and stayed at a local RV park, Black Bart's.  It was nice to have the time to visit with him beforehand.  He and Ron are on the same political page and had many agreeable discussions about the current state of politics.  We introduced the dogs to each other, and found that walks in the forest allowed them to become acquainted without any pressure.  We did mostly keep them separated between house, yard and Scott's truck.  Mike and Karen arrived early Thursday morning, and we enjoyed more visiting, the beautiful fall Flagstaff weather, and last minute preparations. 

We left early Friday morning for the Canyon.  My research, including a personal phone call, indicated that the RV park with hookups inside the park was first come-first served, so we wanted to be there early enough to get a spot.   A pleasant drive got us there in plenty of time.  Unfortunately, when we arrived at the RV park,  the only rude person we encountered told us that it was reservation only, there were no spots available, and the person I talked to "must have been new."  "Now get out of the way for the traffic behind you."   Our next stop was at the park's Mather Campground.  After some discussion about the definition of RV and just how long the 5th wheel was, we were able to get in for two nights, with the 5th wheel in one spot and Mike and Karen's and Ron's and my tents in a separate spot close by.  Mark and Cindy chose to stay at a motel in Tusayan and met up with us Friday afternoon.

                                                     Our Grand Canyon RV campsite

 

Karen and Ron at the tent site

 

We spent Friday afternoon gawking at the Canyon.  No matter how many times one goes, it's still awe-inspiring.

 

 

Camp included time with the dogs.  Here's Scott with Daisy, Lilly, and Sophie.

 





 

Though the dogs had gotten along well enough at home, at camp Lilly started challenging  Maggie.  Maggie would have none of that, so we had to keep them separated. 

 

Here's Queen Lilly dispensing the stink-eye,

and Maggie daring her to try and come take a piece of her.

 

Saturday we carried out a suggestion by Scott:  that we take the cremains that had traveled to Tucson last April for a memorial service there and consign them to the Canyon.  Mike told us that on the last hike he and Mom had done, Dad walked down to Cedar Point on the South Kaibab trail with them before he turned around.  Mike suggested that be the place for dust-to-dust, and we all agreed.  He, Scott and Ron made the trek down. 

 

 

 

 

 

This is our parent's eternal view.

 

 

Sunday morning we walked a short distance to a much less visited place in the park called Shoshone Point.  Ron found about it from a friend of his and now takes everyone there for the stupendous view.  It's an unfenced point, so those of us with height paralyzation stayed back. 

 









 

Cindy went along and took this picture of Scott, Mike and Ron standing on the Point.

 

 



Mark and Cindy had to work Monday, so we said goodbye to them early Sunday afternoon. With our two-night stay at Mather Campground up, the rest of us moved to the Ten-X forest service campground outside the Canyon and just south of Tusayan. Despite limited services, it was our favorite place. More ponderosa, and much quieter. 

 



 



 

Mike dubbed Scott's 5th wheel "Taj Mahal" 

 

 

Ron got this picture of the bull elk we believe was the one serenading us at night. 

Monday afternoon rain settled in, and we were very grateful to have Taj Mahal in which to spend a dry evening chatting and playing Farkle.  The storm stayed on Tuesday, and afforded us the spectacular contrast of a cloud-filled Canyon.   One of us did overhear a "real" tourist saying he was going to complain to his tour driver because he couldn't see the Canyon.....

 



 

 

Wednesday morning was time to leave.  We packed up the 5th wheel and our tents, and said goodbye to Scott and his dogs.

 

 

Mike and Karen drove back to Flagstaff with us.  Mike treated us to a delicious Papa Murphy's pizza for lunch, and he and Karen enjoyed the afternoon on the deck until Phoenix traffic cleared enough for a reasonable drive to Tucson. 

 

We all enjoyed the Canyon and the time we spent together.  The final resting place for our parents is very emotionally satisfying.  So ends our first Gathering.