March 3, The Grand Canyon

Hi all-
The Grand Canyon, and boy is it GRAND.  We went to a 'gun fight' prior to getting onto the train that was taking us to the Canyon at 9:30.  We decided that we would take the train up in 'Coach class' and come home in First class.  There was a difference, but the coach class, was not bad at all.  We had a 'conductor' who was very entertaining and very informative about the area and the Canyon so that was fun.  The conductor, Caleb, is one of 8 children.  Where he lives, they have their water trucked in.  Can you imagine?  He said that when everyone is at home they use less water than the average family of four.  I would imagine that they don't have indoor plumbing.  Throughout Arizona, we have seen signs reminding us to conserve water.  We are definitely spoiled.  No wonder everything here is zero scaped, and we see very little green. 
Back to the Canyon.  We had decided to take the bus tour around part of the rim and have lunch.  The bus tour was fine until we got to the rim.  Caleb had told us to sit on the right side of the bus so we could see everything, and I sat on the window seat.  I had my head in Russ's lap and couldn't get off the bus.  Russ took the camera and I'm sure took great pictures.  I haven't looked at them yet.  I did finally get out of the bus but would not go anywhere near the walkways.  We made several more stops, and I got braver, but never very close.  It was still beautiful.  We were able to see people hiking down the side of the Canyon.  The Canyon was beautiful, amazing, and pictures will never do it justice.  We are so glad that we made the trip.  It was so worth it.  We'll never have to go there again-as I know that it will not change in our life times!  (Although Caleb says it changes everytime he sees it, and he sees it everyday).
March 4
Our final day in Williams, AZ.  We took off this morning and followed Route 66 to Seligman, AZ.  Seligman is on the old Route 66 and I first heard of it as I worked with an individual who moved there and then from the movie CARS which I watched very many times with Gavin Bean, my favorite PA grandson.  I just looked on Wikipedia and in the 2000 census, Seligman had less that 300 people living there.  I don't think there's many there now, but they are all working in gift shops on route 66.  The first one we went into had an A&W in it.  Bonus, we both had A&W Rootbeer floats.  Boy were they good.
I'm not sure if I was amazed at the town, or just couldn't that the town was just what I imagined it would be.  Its a town that time has forgotten and I just wonder how anyone makes a living there.  I'm glad we visited.  On the way to Seligman on Route 66 (we took Interstate 40 back to Williams), there were areas to the side of the road that you could see the old pavement of 66, overgrown with weeds.  Also, they had 'Burma Shave' signs.  Remember those......THE ONE WHO DRIVES WHEN.....HE'S BEEN DRINKING....DEPENDS ON YOU....TO DO HIS THINKING.....BURMA SHAVE.
It was a good trip along Route 66. 
And something else....We bought gas before we left for Seligman.  The price in Williams was $4.09 (receipt timed at 9:41).  Since we are leaving tomorrow, we topped it off (at 12:50).  This time, same gas station, the price was $4.19.  I wonder if a new truck had made a delivery!!!
Tomorrow we start heading back east.  We have travelled 5920 miles on our western trip.  I don't think our eastern trip will be as long, but it certainly won't be direct.  We aren't quite ready for 'reality' yet.
We'll keep in touch on the way back, as I know we will be travelling a different route.
See you soon-love linda