October 13, 2010

This morning there was no question of getting started at 11am. I had planned this day for a long time and we were all pretty excited that it had finally arrived.

In my research for the trip I had seen all the raving reviews on tripadvisor for the helicopter tours over Grand Canyon. After a brief discussion with the other member of the family finance committee the issue was settled.

We checked in at Maverick Helicopters a bit before 9:30. Everyone was weighed in (I sneak-peaked and saw that I have not gained weight so far during the trip!) so the pilot could plan our placement in the helicopter. They actually have a weight limit of 300 pounds (136.4 kilos). If you weigh more than that you have to pay double.

The atmosphere was a bit tense. The kids were giggliing a lot and Iseline was jumping up and down like only a tense 7 year old can do. Hélène was very focused on getting all the kids to go to the restroom since there were none in the helicopter. Myself, I walked restlessly back and forth until we were finally called forward.

The helicopter had space for the pilot and 7 passengers. We did the tour together with a very nice couple from Edmonton, Alberta in Canada (Heard about Wayne Gretzky?). I’m unable to remember their names but they promised to have a look at our blog. If you happen to drop by, do you mind if I put a picture of you on this blog?

When we took off the pilot did a few maneuvers that inspired confidence. I have never seen anyone control a helicopter with such precision (to be honest I have’t seen many people maneuver helicopters, but still). We hovered a feet or two over the ground as he slowly made us turn and drift over a lawn.

Iseline was a bit nervous and needed to hold my hand, but loosened up after a while.

Man, what an experience! The pilot went really low over the trees to make the biggest possible effect when we entered the canyon. It worked. The views we got were out-of-this-world and the weather was perfect. I had chosen the 10am tour on purpose after suggestions from people on the net. The sun was in a perfect position and we got very nice views without being blinded.

We circled the east part of the canyon and were up in the air for about 45 minutes. The images are burnt into my mind. What an impressive creation of nature the Grand Canyon is. The Colorado river has worked its way through layer after layer until it has reached 1.8 billion year old rocks at the very bottom. Meander after meander it has carved out a landscape worthy of Slartibartfast. At its widest the canyon is 30 kilometers across.

Adrian got to sit next to the pilot and also went through the procedure of turning the helicopter off after we landed.

Iseline was hungry after the helicopter ride. She had eaten almost nothing at breakfast, probably because of the suspense. We all had a quick lunch by the car before we headed over to the Grand Canyon national park again, this time by car. I had singled out a hike down the canyon that seemed to be doable for the kids. 3 miles (4.8 km) and plenty of nice views, including a walk on a ridge with practically a 360 degrees canyon view.

The kids were not really in walking mood and protests were heard from several of them. We told them that we as grownups had decided to do this and that it would be a great experience for them. I told them that I had read from many people on the net that you haven’t really experienced the canyon if you haven’t walked in it. The argument did not seem to win over many votes. The boys grudgingly accepted, but Iseline crossed her arms, put her nose upwards and went on strike,

I have always seen parenting as more of an art than a science. It’s a bit like being CEO of a company, just more difficult. You can read as many books as you want about it and you can make as many theories and plans in your head as you want. But in many situations you just have to make it up as you go. This was one of them. I took a split-second decision when we had parked at the visitor’s center and asked Iseline to come over to me behind one of the other cars. I bent down and told her that I understood that she was tired and that the hikes we had already done had been tough on her. However, this one was something mom and dad really wanted to do and she couldn’t go back to the hotel alone. I said that we could make a deal. If she did not tell anyone and kept it a secret, and she managed to walk all the way down the trail to the turning point, then I would carry her on my shoulders all the way back up again. She quickly agreed.

I didn’t want her to tease the boys on the way down and by making it a secret between the two of us it made it become something special.

We took the shuttle over to South Kaibab Trailhead and read all the warning signs. People die from dehydration quite frequently in the canyon. Most of them because they try to walk all the way down and up again in a single day. The altitude difference between the high plain and the Colorado river is a stunning 6000 feet (1800 metres). The trail I had chosen went down about 1150 feet (350 metres) in altitude, although I didn’t know it at the time.

The first part was very steep with hairpin turns. I was starting to get nervous about my deal with Iseline. This was way steeper than I had imagined.

All the oohs and ahhs on tripadvisor turned out to be legitimate and genuine. We got a very different impression of the canyon once we were inside it. There were breathtaking views from the helicopter, but down in the canyon we felt like we were part of it. About half way down we reached a point called the Ohh Ahh Point (no kidding) where we got the canyon on both the left and the right side for the first time. Very impressive. We then worked our way down to Cedar Ridge to get even more impressive views.

Just like Bryce Canyon it felt difficult to explain the experience. You feel smaller than an ant and filled with a sense of calm and peace.

I have always loved excellent views and searched for good lookout points wherever I am. It puts me in a meditative state to look out over a vast area. My own theory about this feeling is that it has been engraved in our genes through natural selection. When you have a good view you are probably at a local maxima in the landscape. It means you have the best overview over potential enemies, hunting targets or dangerous animals. If you are attacked, or want to attack, you have the advantage of gravity working in your direction. It’s easier to throw a rock in someone’s head if you are above them. So, it is in our best survival interests to seek good views. Millions of humans have probably died, and their genes with them, because it gave them a good feeling to wander randomly around the bottom of the valley or maybe because they got a bad headache once they had a good view.

There were chipmunks here also.

After a second lunch at Cedar Ridge next to centuries old trees

we began the long trek back up again. I didn’t fully understand what  I was getting in to back at that parking lot, but a deal is a deal. I put Iseline on my shoulders and slowly started making my way upwards, She was naturally thrilled and we got some smiles and comments from people coming in the other direction. It was a very good workout.

When we were almost at the top my back really started hurting and I told Iseline I needed a break. I put her down and her feet started spinning like the Road Runner. She ran off with a big smile on her face and I was quite relieved as she happily finished the rest of the hike on her own feet. We did the hike in 2 and 1/2 hours, plus the lunch break. The kids were quite happy we had done it, but were now ready to go back to the hotel.

Exhausted, and under severe pressure from the kids, we settled on driving to one lookout point we hadn’t covered yesterday before we went back.

For dinner I suggested Wendy’s. In my opinion the best of the fast food burger chains. Hélène gave in after a few tries (understandable resistance, as the only thing she can eat there is their chicken salad, minus croutons and cream dressing). The kids were not as difficult to convince.

Inspired by the weighing in at Maverick Helicopters I had a bacon deluxe 3/4 pound tripple burger. Yummy,

The sights in Utah and Arizona are over for now. Tomorrow we will spend some time on the road and then relax. It’s needed. Viktor asked me today if we would have days without a program during the voyage. He wanted time to just relax. The kids are a bit saturated and we will need to lower our ambitions in New York.

See you around.

Eirik

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