V-V and the Grand Canyon

We started our day at the V-V (vee bar vee) ranch which contains petroglyphs and the sun calendar.  Most of the ranch was given to the University of Arizona as a bequest and they raise cattle (they're only on the ranch in the winter, in summer they're moved to a high mesa where the temperatures are cooler and the grass more plentiful - now I realize why there weren't any cattle to find the past few days).  The government has control of the part that contains the historical treasures.

The chimney of the original farmhouse (all that remains) has the V-V brand built in.

The petroglyphs are many but the meaning can only be guessed at.

This is the sun calendar (the steps) but the light and shadows only come into play after 1 p.m., so to show how it works I will use the following picture, taken near the summer solstice five years ago on my trip with Malcolm.  The right shadow cuts through the steps just above the squiggle - on the solstice it would bisect the dot above the squiggle.  The sun calendar was used as a planting guide, so the squiggle may have had some meaning regarding the planting of specific crops.

After leaving the ranch, we headed for the Grand Canyon.  Ewen's first glimpse of the canyon was a jaw-dropper!  He hadn't visualized it being nearly this big!  He's looking at the side canyon where our hike will begin.

The Colorado River cuts through the picture below from left to right through the shadows.  The side canyon heading north-east (lower middle of the picture toward back right is where we will start our hike, back beyond where the canyon turns to the left.

We'll have a four day news blackout when the hike starts, so I will try to lead you through it.

The first day we hike for 7 miles, dropping 4,161 feet in elevation, and camping at the Cottonwood Campground which is still in the side canyon.

The second day we hike for 7.2 miles and drop another 1.600 feet, camping at the Bright Angel Campground near Phantom Ranch at the Colorado River.

The third day we hike 4.5 miles, crossing the Colorado and ascending 1,500 feet, to Indian Garden Campground.

The fourth day we hike 4.8 miles, mostly switchbacks I would guess, as we ascend 3,000 feet to the South Rim.

Sometime in the last two days, we cross this plateau.

And arrive at the top through this portal at the Bright Angel Trailhead, from the trail behind it..

Seems fine on paper!  Just take one day at a time Gramps!

Saw some Elk as we were leaving Grand Canyon Village.  Then stopped at the National Geographic Visitor Centre in Tusayan to see their Imax film on the Grand Canyon.  If you are ever out that way, be sure to watch this film - it is absolutely awesome!

Tonight we do laundry and start packing, although Ewen wants to play more Rummy.  He intends to beat the old man!  So far he's winning a third of the games - I may be quitting soon.