Even the Police Couldn't Stop Me Then

I learned about a group in Flagstaff. That was two hours north of where I was living. The first party was an incredible success. I met many interesting people and it was worth the minor road trip.

I exited in the morning and it was cooler than anything I experienced in two years in Phoenix. There was another party one month later. They earned my repeat business. A couple familiar faces showed up. No one else.

It was nice, there were good conversations and with less people there were less variations on a theme. Sometimes I can fall into different conversations about various topics.

This visit was not as good. You never know until you are into it. As I was heading back to Interstate 17 I noticed a sign. 74 miles to The Grand Canyon. That's a little more than an hour away. I was never that close, this was the time.

My plans the night before did not entail visiting The Grand Canyon. When was I going to be in the area again? Actually there was another party one month later. The ones who showed up that time were disagreeable and I left anonymously.

When that happens, no one cared if I were there or not. Make like Daniel Kaluuya and Get Out. I was anticipating the Grand Canyon. About one mile out a police car stopped me.

I was in a different city. This was a Sunday morning. He noticed I was swerving and driving fast. I said nothing. No matter your race, color or creed- mouthing off to the police at a traffic stop makes a bad situation worse.

The officer let me off with a warning. He said elk can run on the road so I should drive more carefully. Very well. I was ready to drive home if he issued a citation. That didn't happen.

This trip was impromptu. I was on my own. This is when I learned they charge per car, not per person. It cost the same for me as it would have a family of ten. Not having time to have children I parked, not certain what to expect.

When I go to the beach I walk along the shoreline. It mostly looks the same. It is serene and enjoyable. The Grand Canyon is not like that. At different times of day the sun hits the rocks differently so the same area looks unique.

It isn't simply "A hole in the ground" as certain detractors have said. I could see how someone could fall a great distance. That did not happen, thankfully. The experience was such I did not mind the four hour drive home after seeing all I wanted.

I did not ride a donkey to the bottom. After dealing with an abusive supervisor on an otherwise good job I was already in a descent. This trip was a positive in a period between jobs.

It was longer than average. With many false starts (my next job was Not Selling Cars) I needed something in the win column. It amazed me how many who grew up in Arizona never visited The Grand Canyon. It's there. I never made it to Canyon de Chelley which is also interesting.

It amazed me that locals had only visited Arizona and California. Drive four hours in any direction from Phoenix and you are still in Arizona. After this day trip I started traveling more regularly. Checking one big landmark off the list opened me to visit different areas. It has to be seen in person to be fully appreciated.