The ancient inhabitants of our planet.
Arizona
01 CHAPTER
ARIZONA
Grand Canyon
Have you ever wanted to live forever? When you look at such a magnificent creation of nature like the Grand Canyon in Arizona, you get a sense of being a part of something truly eternal. This canyon is one of the most ancient "inhabitants" of our planet with a rich history. The river eroded its rocks over millions of years and deepened the limestone to unimaginable scales, forming a unique relief. Life originated and developed in it due to the abundance of climate zones in its depths. Many species of birds and mammals are its permanent inhabitants. The steep walls of the valley, keep abundant traces of human history, as evidenced by archaeological excavations. Compared with its million-year history, human life is just a drop in the ocean, not at all significant.
The incredible thing is that you drive to the Grand Canyon along the typical road. Up until the end, this road does not reveal the hidden gem, the steep slopes of which securely concealed behind the green grass, growing on a meadow. These steep slopes had stretched over unthinkable distances and went deep down to inconceivable sizes. It becomes a sudden revelation that the canyon has been in front of your nose all this time. And you couldn’t even imagine the actual scale of it. If someone had not a clue of where he was and wandered to this place by accident, there is a chance that he might not even see the Great Canyon. Moreover, this person will never know what he missed. Or, on the other hand, he could become very surprised if accidentally deviating from the main road, at some point would run directly into an abyss, almost 2000 meters deep.
My palms got sweaty when I set my foot on the very edge of the cliff for the first time. I could distinguish a series of ledges with exposed, colorful rocks. In the case of mountains, to reach the top, you need to walk up all the time. Whereas, to reach the lowest point of the canyon, you have to walk downhill first and then climb back up for twice as long. And the descent to the very bottom of the Grand Canyon takes at least 5 hours. With significant altitude change, just like in the mountains, you can face hypoxia. From the lack of oxygen and hot, dry shade-less baking sun, which you feel even stronger closer to the bottom of the canyon, many people get sick. After all, the temperature below is much hotter than above. For example, if during the summer peak season, the air temperature outside is 20°C, then at the very bottom of the canyon, the temperature can reach 40°C. Graphic signs everywhere warn against going all the way down to the river and back on the same day, and rangers will tell you that under no circumstances should you attempt this hike, regardless of your fitness level. It’s better to go down in one day and spend the night at the campsite. We tried to hike downhill exactly halfway and then realized that if we didn’t turn back then, our journey could’ve ended up badly. My walk-up took a little faster than expected because of my mountain training. I didn’t even lose my breath!
When we reached the very top of the canyon and started walking through the forest, along the Grand Canyon’s rim, we saw solemnly passing moose of different calibers. This encounter pleased the tourists who were in the area. There were so many of them, and they were not frightened of anything. Anyone could easily come closer and examine them in detail. The moose just as peacefully continued to graze on grass, not moving. If I would’ve decided to take the initiative and tried to hug one of the moose, it would’ve probably continued standing there, chewing its meal.
The Grand Canyon is speckled with various directions for independent hiking experiences. You can walk along its rim or go down to the very bottom to fully appreciate the scale and size. Or you can only descend just a little deeper into the bowels of the canyon, without really exhausting yourself with hiking. And those who are not very tuned for walks might want to travel around the multiple viewing platforms that offer stunning views, both from the North and from the South. Most importantly, do not forget to bring plenty of water and some good mood!
Marble Canyon.
On the way to Grand Canyon, we passed Marble Canyon. The place is unique. Our attention caught a spot, where we saw huge boulders standing on thin legs like mushrooms called Balanced Rocks.
Imagine living in a rock house, in the middle of the desert, while embracing the solitude, looking at the bright blue skies and the majestic hanging cliffs.
A famous dancer Blanche Russell gave up all she had, and for health reasons, migrated to the dry Southwest climate of Arizona, when her husband was diagnosed with Tuberculosis. But the journey ended abruptly when their car unexpectedly broke down near the Marble Canyon in the 1930s.
With several unsuccessful attempts to fix the vehicle themselves, they decided to camp that night amongst the boulders. After being stuck there for a while, the couple became drawn to the natural beauty of the desert. Consequently, they decided to stay. Over time, Blanche and her husband purchased the land and constructed a unique rock house, which they later converted into a roadside trading post and a full-scale restaurant. The area became very popular amongst travelers.
Now, taking advantage of the popular roadside location, a couple of Navajo individuals set up a small business in the shade of some of the over-sized rocks, selling souvenirs. They stand behind the self-made stands and invite the travelers to buy their goodies.
Antelope Canyon.
Our ride to Antelope Canyon was hilarious. The land where the canyon is located belongs to the Navajo Indian tribe, and you can get there only if accompanied by the Indian guides and using their ways of transportation. In this region, Navajo nation manages everything, including group tours. Driving on dirt roads, in an open-body truck that looked more like a cattle truck, has become an unforgettable adventure in itself.
Stuffed close together on the suspended seats located along sides of the truck, a group of tourists tried to somehow balance in the bouncing and jumping truck. The tarp that was covering our heads could barely save us from the gusty wind. The sand dust was spreading in all directions, eventually crashing onto our skin and blocking our vision. The sensations were not pleasant. Each moment, I’ve anticipated to fall out directly onto a deserted road. There was nothing to hold on to. I was convulsively digging into the tarp frame protruding behind my back. I felt more like we were going to execution and not the excursion. Time stopped, and by every minute, the situation got worse. Moreover, we already drove through constant potholes and bumps surrounded by stone boulders. Landscapes became identical to Martian ones, and air temperature unavoidably heated up. When the truck stopped in the middle of the desert, near a massive sandstone with a giant crevice, I breathed a sigh of relief. At least we got to our final destination safe and sound!
I am not very compatible with caves. My every encounter with a cave usually ends with a sudden decline in my overall wellbeing. It can be a fear of confined spaces, change in blood pressure, or maybe the caves which I entered, had some special energy? The land where the Antelope Canyon is located belongs to the Navajo Indians, and a guide must accompany all visitors. The upper canyon, (where we went in pursuit of the famous beams of direct sunlight radiating down from openings in the top of the canyon), is a “slot” in the rock, 37 meters deep. The length of the Upper Canyon is no more than 200 meters. The canyon consists of several interconnected caves. Inside, it looks fabulous! Bizarre, multi-colored forms of sandy rock formations, polished by water and wind for thousands of years, make an unforgettable impression. Even though the place is extremely beautiful, when I went further into the cave, where narrow, dimly lit passages loomed ahead, I wanted to get out of there very quickly. In fact, this is not the safest place. During the rainy season, the canyon gets filled up with a rapidly flowing water in a matter of seconds, literally “sweeping away” everything in its path. In 1997, there was a tragedy that took the lives of 11 tourists.
