Grand Canyon - South Rim

I was able to snag two nights accommodation right in Grand Canyon National Park, on the South Rim.

The lodgings at the Thunderbird are described as 'rustic' by some on Trip Advisor, with mild complaints about tv reception, but as someone said, if you stay here and plan to watch TV, you're missing the whole point! Sometimes elk wander up to snack on vegetation... I'm hoping we're lucky to catch them in action.

I'm also hoping to see a California Condor. They were almost extinct back in 1987, when the US government captured 22 for breeding purposes. By 1991 these regal creatures were being reintroduced to the wild. Now it is not uncommon to spot them in the canyon.  They have the largest wing spread (9.8 feet) of any North American bird and are almost as heavy as Trumpeter Swans, whose population is also being coaxed back into existence (Trumpeters happily co-exist with us at BPYC, but I digress).

When we are at the Canyon, sunrise will be around 6:10 a.m. and sunset will be around 6:50 p.m. Between those times I'd like to take a helicopter ride, shuttle around the park, and take a modest hike to enjoy the scenery.

Early to bed so as to start the day with sunrise the next morning.