MWT – Five Alive

Life is too short and flies by way too fast.

Only five weekends left at the canyon, not including this holiday one when I prefer not to travel or go anywhere during the American’s last hurrah of summer.

Mike mentioned getting a permit to camp on Widforss Point Monday night which requires a beautiful five mile hike each way and I just couldn’t get motivated for that. Besides, next weekend we want to go to Bryce Canyon National Park and occasionally I just need time off. Like at home spending too much time online.

The “winter” planning time rapidly approaches. For the last five years I’ve lived in central Arizona, not working, collecting unemployment, playing and travelling when I can afford it. It’s a great life. And the best part, I met Mike there!

This year I actually applied for five winter jobs thinking I’d need to keep working to afford to buy a newer RV. But I don’t really want to work this winter. I’d rather go home with my honey to friends and family fun times. Life should be in balance.

So now it must be time to move beyond five, as this is my 600th post and next month I’ll begin my third year of blogging, and return to those glorious Yarnell sunsets. Life is Good!

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Three Rondavels Mpumalanga South Africa

I feel like Joan gave me the royal tour of the Blyde River Canyon area. And this was the icing before we headed for Kruger National Park.

The Blyde River Canyon is 10 miles (16 km) long starting at Bourke's Luck Potholes and ending at the Three Rondavels.

The Three Rondavels viewpoint, also called The Three Sisters, is around 4527 feet (1380 m) above sea level.

 

These rock tops appear to have a hut-like rounded roof like the traditional African style house called rondavels.

The landscape of the northern Drakensburg is overwhelming beautiful, lush and rich in life. I hope to return and spend more time hiking. Yet more adventures awaited as Joan and I headed to Kruger National Park, a future post.

Hiking the Transept trail

Sometimes on our weekend Mike and I hike the Transept trail along the west rim which we connect with less than .25 mile from the RV.

The view is into Transept canyon and looking west at Widforss Plateau.

We find sweet little side trails…

…to almost secret overlooks.

Pinedrops

Plus colorful treasures in the forest.

Mike has really overcome his fear of edges. Maybe a little too much.

Possibly he learned that from me.

Our discoveries are many including this huge sponge fossil.

And I love the sculptures of eroded limestone stacked like ancient building blocks.

Geologist Clarence Dutton named the Transept Canyon in 1882 because of the way it crosses the north-south Bright Angel Canyon at an east-west angle like the arms of a cruciform church. He remarked that it was “one of the finest and perhaps most picturesque gorges in the whole Kaibab front.”

SWF – Sunset from the Grand Lodge

One more time,

Rangers get paid in sunsets.

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Touring in style

This 1939 Rolls Royce Phantom III parked in the visitor parking lot caused a time warp for many.