Day 20- The Grandest of Canyons.

Total miles – 3,352.

After yesterdays ‘fuckery’ in the desert I was worried about todays ride. Todays breakfast offering was coffee so I headed out to the Canyon with an empty stomach.

The ride was beautiful and the scooter felt like it was running better than ever. I passed the point of no return and the engine kept ticking over I HAD FIXED IT using nothing more than a drawing pin and some cigarette ash…..seriously. The road twisted through a forest which was a nice shady start to the day.

About 45 minutes later I felt that feeling again like the scoot was running out of fuel, I pulled over for a second and it fired back up into life. I am not sure what the problem is but I think it may be due to the fact that its so hot and I am so far about sea level (over 8000 feet) hopefully it will sort its self out as I drop down toward Vegas,if not I am in for another nerve racking day tomorrow.

I made it to the traffic jam before the gate to get into the Grand Canyon national park, I didnt realise you had to pay. While in the queue I switched the engine off to let it cool down and pushed myself along with my feet. I got some funny looks and a little girl in a car in the queue next to me decided to wave to me every time they pulled up along side.

I parked up next to another BMW GS (I have seen so many of them out on the road) and walked towards the visitor centre. I wasnt expecting the canyon to be so commercialised,in my head I would just walk up to the edge and look around. I followed the signs and hoards of tourists to the vantage point and wasnt really prepared for what I saw.

The canyon is mind blowing and no photo will ever do it justice,its HUGE ! Looking at it felt strangely like looking at a post card of it,there was just too much to take in.

FF said said he had seen bigger back in his home town,his tag says made in China so I am not exactly sure where he is talking about.

While taking photos an old German lady offered to hold FF for me,I charmed her with my fluent German and said ‘Guten tag,hund’ I could tell she was impressed.

We walked along the south rim for a bit and tried to take in the scale of the thing before heading back to the visitor centre.

Apparently ravens like to steal food out of your bag round here.

The visitor centre was interesting but really really busy, I would have preferred to sit on a quite rock on the canyon edge. I had a look round the book shop,bought a ginger beer then went back to the rim for another look before I headed back to my scooter.

I arrived at my hotel in a small town called Valle ( https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?authuser=0&authuser=0&hl=en&hl=en&mid=zxjhZ2KpKT4c.kXBUNAKPTecMat  ) about 12 oclock, its not until you look at the map like this that you realise how far I have actually travelled in just over two weeks !

I was three hours too early to check in so I had a wander round,checked out the rock shop,chatted to the hotel desk lady,reported a dog locked inside a hot car and took some photos.

I bet polishing that thing is like painting the golden gate bridge in this climate. My scooter isnt fairing so well ….

I hung out in the hotels lobby for a couple of hours as I am far to English and so white that I am nearly see through to bare the Arizona heat for too long. Eventually I checked in,got changed and then headed across the road to the Flinstones park that was across the road.

This place was run by a family and had been open for 43 years. I love places like this,there arnt many of them left these days and I remember visiting similar when I was a kid and loving it.

I paid my 5 dollars and headed into the park,I wont describe each photo I think they pretty much speak for themselves.

FF said he had seen a similar place in one of his dreams and it didnt end well so we headed inside to Dino’s diner for some chips and another bottle of mountain dew.

On the way back to the hotel I was attacked by a crow. I am not sure exactly what its problem was but it kept swopping down at me and trying to peck me. I offered FF as a sacrifice but it wasnt interested. I had to run across the car park to get away from it but it just kept coming at me until I was inside the hotel. I bet its still pacing up and down outside waiting for me now little bastard.

Tomorrow I ride 280 miles across the desert to Vegas via the hoover dam. Its going to be a nerve racking ride and I am looking forward to being back in civilisation. I am staying at a fancy boutique hotel called the Artisan (very Frome) and get a free bottle of champagne on arrival. I am then meeting up with a few of Grahams friends to do some bar hopping (I feel another Omaha coming on).

On Monday I am booked in to get my third and final oil change of the trip,go to the neon museum and then start heading north towards Yosemite. I have 885 miles to cover before next Friday.

Oh and I feel like I am getting man flu,that American Indian guy really did put a curse on me.

NIGHT !

https://www.justgiving.com/Matt-Tipper1/