Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Northern Arizona Road Trip - Post 5

I said I was going to post some pics and words about the old mining town of Jerome today.  You may not be tired of this road trip yet, but I am. So I'm going straight to the Grand Canyon. After this post there will only be four more relating to the trip.
  • Black and White photos
  • My favorite photos from the trip 1 (that I haven't already posted)
  • My favorite photos from the trip 2 (that I haven't already posted)
GRAND CANYON
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We weren't in the park yet. We stopped on the Navajo reservation and took this pic.

I wasn't sure which I liked best, the canyon or the dead tree.

It's amazing how big the canyon is. At the south rim, it's many miles across and a mile deep. It's also more than a hundred miles to the north rim.

I loved this tree.  Although this tree is dead, some of the bristlecone pines here live for thousands of years.

It's hard to judge the scale of this place, it's size is mind blowing.

Make sure you enlarge this one.

Note how red the river is, proof that the canyon is still growing in size.

That first drop is about 2000 feet, straight down. It made me dizzy.
I don't know the idot who climbed out there, but it made a good pic for me.

Another tree that's at least a thousand years old.

Too big to comprehend.


Yes, it's a trail to the bottom. A guy died on this trail or one near there last weekend. We walked down it, but not too far.

Almost a spectacular photo. This is a raven. I thought the crows around my area were huge, but the ravens at the Grand Canyon dwarfed them. Man, I wish I could have got this guy framed up. I had to do a quick draw and shoot. Almost...

As we were driving back to Sedona we saw this display. We couldn't believe the shade of violet-blue we were looking at. I'm sure there was a spectacular sunset that night.


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41 comments:

  1. Great pics! I have always wanted to visit AZ.

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  2. Spectacular! The raven was a great capture :)
    It gave me chills the first time I saw the GC in person... your post makes me really want to go back!

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  3. The raven photo IS wicked. I wold have never been able to get a shot like that! The photo looking down gave me a touch of vertigo. I felt like I needed to hang onto that railing there. Awesome photos, thanks for sharing! - G

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  4. Lots of frame-worthy photos my friend. And you're totally right – too big to comprehend.

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  5. Hello Pat,
    This is an amazing landscape. LOve the red colour of these mountains.

    Have a nice day:)

    Berit.

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  6. Hi Patrick! I was taking a college course in photography and was very excited when I went to the Grand Canyon during that time. However, I was so disappointed in my pictures. When I showed them to the prof he just smiled and said that everyone who took pictures of the GC felt the same way. Yours achieve much more than mine did!

    P.S. I need a moose/elk picture now.

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  7. Fab, Fabulous, Fantastical...are you a professional photographer by any chance?...because these images have that "imprint" on them. :)

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  8. Love the photo of the bird but have found the picture looking down scary. Love seeing these because I'm taking a trip though these parts in a few months.

    CD

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  9. I'm not good with the heights thing. Those pics made me a little light headed. haha

    I love the shots of those trees. Really pretty.

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  10. Such gorgeous and amazing photos! I've only been to that part of the world once when I was driving cross-country in 2005. Hopefully I'll make it back that way soon. (Mostly because I was with my ex-boyfriend at the time and he was a real jerk...it would be nice to make it a happier memory!)

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  11. Love, love these photos, and I so want to go! The raven pic is a great pic.

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  12. Breathtaking views Patrick.
    Thanks for sharing.
    Costas

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  13. i have not been to the Grand Canyon yet because every time Tim wanted to go it was in the dead of summer and I refused. Now that we are kidless and after seeing your stunning photos I can't wait. It is truly amazing how much natural beauty is right here the United States. Sometimes it is astounding that we live among all this and forget to appreciate it. Thanks for the great reminders with you special eye!

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  14. Oh man! Having been absent a while, I just took in all your road trip postings one after the other. Pat, your work is breathtaking. To me it spells a picture-book about Arizone. I wonder what it spells to a publisher? ;)

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  15. Like Susie we have not been there as of yet but keep saying we are going to stop there one day, these pictures just makes me want to go even more.

    Loved the pictures of the trees and the Raven was an impressive shot for a quick one.

    Thank You for sharing Pat, these are impressive

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  16. AMAZING shots! That drop would make me nervous too.

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  17. Penny - Thanks so much! There is lots to do and see there.

    Nat - Thanks, I still get chills. It's too awesome to describe.

    Georgina - Why thanks! I almost had a great one. I'm not good with heights either.

    Copyboy - Thanks Jesse! I still have never framed anything of my own.

    Bare bilder - thanks! Yes, the colors are amazing!

    Bossy Betty - I totally know what you're saying. It's a darn hard place to photograph. It's much too big... Heck, I can't describe it much less take great photos of it.

    songsnwords - thank, thanks, and thankyou! No I certainly am not a pro. I wish I was that good though...

    clarissa - Believe me, I have trouble lingering around the edge myself.

    TS - I'm not either! Something clicked in me one day, from then on heights bother me...

    Salt - I've been on one of those trips before! My wife and I are perfect traveling companions.

    Ree - Thanks! If I had centered that pic, it would have made my trip.

    Naturedigital - Thanks so much Costas! Lot's to see there.

    DrSoosie - I've been there in the summer time. Too hot and too crowded. The US does have some amazing places. What I also find interesting is how "empty" it really is. People around the cities, and then not too many anywhere else.

    RA - The thought appeals to me greatly, concentrating on it enough to actually do it, scares me...

    Jimmy - Yup, they already make me want to go back. But this time in the winter. Darn it! If I just had the time to center up that raven.... Thanks Jimmy!

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  18. Talli - thanks! Yup, more than a little scary around the edges.

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  19. Beautiful. Makes me want to go back there.

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  20. I like the tree.

    looks like a bit of a drop there, I don't think I'd be heading out to the edge, no matter how cool the view

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  21. Really great pics! That raven probably said the same thing...almost got the guy with the camera!

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  22. I feel like the locations for my photos are rather out-done here!

    Great photos, though. The drops would probably scare me a bit, but I've always wanted to go here!

    Maybe one day.

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  23. Wow, Pat, how is it possible that your photos keep getting better? I think these are the most awesome (in my opinion) so far!
    xoRobyn

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  24. I was a kid last time I saw the Grand Canyon. Amazing place. Your photos are awesome - especially the raven!

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  25. tapirgal - Thanks! Me too! and I just got back...

    baygirl - Me too. I took just as many photos of "things" as I did places. I'm only posting a tiny fraction of what I took.

    Brian - Thanks! He might have, because they were HUGE!

    Nelg - Nah! The second photo on your last post doesn't take a backseat to anybody. It's beautiful!

    Robyn - Thanks so much! I have some better ones to post of the trip in a few days.

    Alex - Thanks so much Alex! great subject matter...

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  26. Your photos are amazing. I've only ever seen the Grand Canyon from above (in a jet)...but it was on a clear day, and the views even from up there were spectacular. I can't imagine what they'd be from the ground....up close and personal. Wow. Thanks for sharing. Makes me feel almost like I'm right there.

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  27. You certainly had excellent weather for photography! The storms hit last evening - BAM!
    It is fun to take YOUR vacation in my backyard!

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  28. Marlene - Thanks so much! It's worth seeing in person also!

    Brenda - Sure did! they hit here also. It's rained everyday since Friday.

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  29. Amazing photos - you have a great eye, photography was always one of my closet passions, and photographers some of my favorite people - you take the cake and cookies with your visual work my friend.

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  30. Very sweet pics. Even though I live in UT, I have never been to the Grand Canyon. These pics made me want to go.

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  31. WOW... love this series.
    Haven't been to the Canyon in
    almost 5 years.. hope to get back there sometime in 2011. A favorite
    spot to shoot.

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  32. I was standing in that same area (looking at the same idiot on the ledge;) in March....
    get what you mean- pics do not do this place justice!
    Great capture of the bird....and the sky was amazing in its color!

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  33. The Grand Canyon is on my list of things to do before I die! ha ha! These pictures make me want to do it sooner rather than later :)

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  34. Jhon - Thanks! A good eye is what I mostly have. It makes up for some of my technical shortcomings. I appreciate the nice words John.

    Cheeseboy - I'ts beautiful, but had hard to photograph, because it's so big.

    faye - Thanks faye! Mine also. One of these days I'm going to take a handful of valium and ride to the bottom.

    Dawn - That idiot was probably frozen in time. Too scared to move.
    Darn it! If I had only gotten that bird!

    DiamondsOnMySoles - Spring or fall is not so crowded. I'd like to see it in winter with a powdering of snow...

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  35. Breathtaking. Especially that last one.

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  36. Spectacular landscapes and master frames, fabulous photographs. I'm glad you like my colors but does not know what it is. One of the most extraordinary aspects of the abstract is that. A greeting.

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  37. Sarah - Thanks so much! I like that one very much.

    Blue Wave - thanks! It's too big for words.

    Leovi - Thanks for the nice words! I agree about the abstract you posted.

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  38. Sigh, it's a place to go back to (were once there when my kids were young) -the first pic is spectacular and I think I've seen someone's painting of this rock formation!

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  39. We hope to take a similar trip next summer...it is so breathtaking, there are no words for this beauty.

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  40. Jeanette - I'm so sorry I missed this! I'm glad you've been there and hope you can make it back...

    Joan - I hope you do take that trip! Much too much to see...

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