The Platt Family Corps of Discovery: Grand Canyon (Day One)

We arrived in Grand Canyon in the evening and set up camp in the dark.  The most beautiful campsite (227) we have ever stayed at, we were taken back by how perfect it was.  After our first night we woke up to find an Elk in our campsite, a little ways away and enjoyed seeing our first wildlife. 

 We took it easy that morning with a pancake breakfast and then ventured out to the Visitor Center to find out all that Grand Canyon offers. 

 We checked in and got the Jr. Ranger assignments, saw the visitor center movie about the Grand Canyon (which dad fell asleep in) and then headed out to the Rim.  

We walked along the rim and even made it out (by bus) to the Hermit’s Rest (the tip of the hiking trails).  We stayed out that way and enjoyed the beautiful sunset of the Canyon at Hobi Point. 

 We headed out to Powell Point to see the stars after the sunset.  There were no lights out there and we were the last ones to leave the point.  It was dark and scary, but thankfully we caught the last bus back to the main route and weren’t left to hike back as some of us thought was going to happen. John and Jason saw a shooting star. 8)  It was a surreal feeling being the last ones off the Grand Canyon and the singing of the girls in the dark was amazing.  We were singing “Rejoice in the Lord always” and “This is the Day the Lord has made” and “Trust and Obey, hearing them pray and tell God they trusted Him to help them was memorable. 

Here are some other fun shots from day one:

The Platt Family Corps of Discovery: Drive on Route 66, Painted Desert and Petrified Forest

We packed up, on the fifth, and left to see the Painted Desert and the Petrified Forest National Park.  Due to the long drive we had to stop off in Chambers, NM.  

We stopped at various places along Route 66, including the car statues that you can paint graffiti on.

Along the way we took a detour to see the Petrogyphs, but it was too dark when we got there.  We enjoyed a lightening storm over the Morro Petrogyphs.  It was beautiful.  Then we headed to Chambers to stay at a wonderful Days Inn there.  The next morning we woke up, enjoyed a wonderful continental breakfast and headed out to the Petrified Forest.  

We enjoyed about four hours in the park, the kids worked hard to earn their Jr. Ranger badges, and then headed onto the Grand Canyon.  

The Platt Family Corps of Discovery: Oklahoma

Oklahoma, once past Tulsa, was flat as we anticipated.  We drove south to Quartz Mountain Nature Park to camp with Andy and Kristyn (My twin sister and her husband).  Driving in the flat land it was surprising to see before us “mountains” pop up. 

We got to Quartz Mountain and found a camping spot right in the middle of a field with more trees than any sight.  The outhouse was filled with stink bugs and mosquitos.  After the first night we hiked up the New Horizon Trail. 

The climb was some tough rock scramble.  The kids did a great job following dad off the main trail.  We were close to the top when Kiley and Emily decided to head back down. 

The beginning of the trail

The twins made it higher than this pic, they did great!

I took them back down and Dad, John and Karli went on to the very top of the trail. 

At the top!

It was a very hot day and they all did very well on the hike.  Afterwards we went back to the campsite and rested under the trees, wash clothes and dishes and hung out with Andy and Kristyn. 

Kiley resting in Andy and Kristyn's hammock

Karli sleeping on Susie in the tent

Washing some clothes

In the afternoon we went to check out the lake.  At first it seemed to be all mucky, but then after getting past the shore it was a great place to swim.  The afternoon was full of swimming. 

The "Lake" (it was actually a reservoir)

Andy and Kristyn, after we showered, took us into the nearest town, Altus, to Applebee’s for dinner. 

This lovely, freaky clown made balloons for all the kids.

It was nice to be in some air conditioning and eat a real meal.  We enjoyed a nice campfire, where Uncle Andy read to us from Chosen Ones (Aedyn Chronicles).  The kids enjoyed his reading around the fire.  He read from the book all three nights and allowed us to take the books with us on our journey to finish. 

The last day together we enjoyed time at the lake and a cookout with hamburgers and watermelon.  It was a great Fourth of July celebration and would not be complete without fireworks, so we went into town and saw them too.  The evenings got really windy, almost knocking out tents over, Jason and Andy had to get up in the middle of the night to secure the tent with extra stakes. 

Our last night was a crazy night.   We put the kids down earlier than us, and enjoyed sometime with Andy and Kristyn which lead to us watching some crazy teenagers almost setting the park on fire.