Hi all and welcome to any new comers.

I’m at Bryce Canyon Utah! but before I talk about Bryce I want to go back to Arizona and Page.
If you get the chance or if your planning a trip around this area then you must allow a good few days if not a week, a day or so is not enough to cover all the interesting things to photograph and see around here. I would like to thank Charly Moore who owns “Overland Canyon Tours” www.overlandcanyontours.com the service his company offers is great, his advice to me was to visit the area in spring or fall. If you know when your going give him 3 months notice and he will hopefully get you on to the WAVE, and other very interesting places.

My trip to Antelope Canyon was interesting to say the least, the place is great but to many people are being toured down this crack in the landscape, I personally think they should charge a bomb to visit it as it is well worth it.

“Antelope Canyon, Arizona”

“Antelope Canyon, Arizona”

The drive from Page to my hotel just on the edge of Bryce took around three hours, the journey was a little boring as not much to see on the road, a few stops on the way to refuel myself.
As you get closer to Bryce on highway 12, come drive through a place called “Red Canyon” now this place is worth a stop, it’s free for start! and if you get there late afternoon you will catch the rocks at there best.

“Red Canyon, Utah”

I checked into my hotel “Bryce Canyon Resort” this place is just on the corner turn off road into Bryce Canyon, it will only take you 10 mins to the park entrance from here. I spent the late afternoon chatting to the Rangers for the best times and places to photograph in the canyon, once the talking was over I headed into the area to scope it out for myself. The Canyon it’s self is facing towards the East so the you will get good shots early morning and afternoon. I headed to the far end of the Canyon first.

“Bryce Canyon, Utah” (at kind of sunset)

I woke up really early and headed for the sunrise at 6.07am (I was there around 5.30am) The sunrise is a must, just to watch the sun popping up and slowly lighting the canyon was great, OK and early start but no one around, well almost no one, me and around 50 bambi’s jumping around the place.

Sun rise at Bryce Canyon (just after 6.00am)

A view overlooking Bryce Canyon towards the Northwest.

At the moment in the park they are burning down selected trees in certain areas (this is allow for growth and change in habitat) it’s hard to capture the sense of the place, the smoke and smell of the wood burning was amazing.

Bryce Canyon in the smoke.

I hope you have enjoyed today’s update, tomorrow I will be up early again to capture a different part of the Canyon at sun rise, and hopefully more canyon shots for you, and before you ask “Rusty” has been out and he will show up on the next update (just in-case you were asking)

Take care and thanks for viewing,

Jonathan Fridlington.

P.S. any comments welcome, and don’t forget your tripod if your going to these places!!!

So I made the trip up to Page AZ! I’ve been walking like John Wayne who’s been in the saddle for weeks! If the Grand Canyon has taught me one thing : I need to get out hiking more! Boy are my legs paying the price today or what! at least the motel has a spa (a welcome investment)
I would like to point out to all Americans at this point that I am not from Australia, I’m from England, The UK. The United Kingdom, Great Britain, the land of fish and chips, the roast dinner and sports that we have invented but have become crap at! So next time you ask me if I’m from AUS, my answer : are you from Canada?

Apart from walking like John Wayne and driving what else have I been up to? simple, walking, photographing things an all! When I got to Page I found the local tourist information center (I can’t thank these guys enough) they have pointed me in the direction of camera candy heaven! The chap organized for me a trip down to the Antelope Canyon (google it and you will see what I mean!) All the tours had sold out for the perfect time to go there, so he pulled in a few favors and I managed to get a personal tour all to myself! I know cool or what!
I was also recommended to take a walk in the desert to the “Paria Rimrocks – Toadstool Trail” this place is great, you might have seen some of the photographs of this place before (as with the Antelope Canyon) so with my legs aching I dragged myself, camera bag and tripod across the desert and took time to photograph the place on my own (best time of day? late afternoon, and still at 5pm local time or was 6pm? (Utah is different is an hour ahead of Arizona) is was HOT HOT HOT, hotter than Grand Canyon.

” Paria Rimrocks – Toadstool Trail – Utah ”

I took a few different photographs of this place, so this is just a hint of it.

For dinner I headed across the road to the steak house, sitting there and on my own I started to think about this trip, being on my own and sitting in restaurants by myself, the conclusion, well looking around the place it looked liked most of the other couples were having just as much conversation as I was! To be honest being on my own on this trip has kind of been good, being able to back track, stop off and photograph crazy things, not to say a bit of company wouldn’t have gone a miss.

Sorry for the lack of photographs today but I have spent most of the day either sleeping, driving, chatting to the people at the tourist center, walking across a desert or spending a very long time in the motel spa talking to American’s who think I’m from AUS!

Hope you are all having a good time, I’m off to Bryce after my tour of the Antelope Canyon.

Before I go, you know you see the number plates here in the US and that they have these sayings at the bottom, well Arizona’s should be “The Canyon State” there are nothing but canyons everywhere, there are plenty to go around!

And “Rusty”? well he’s been taking a rest after I dragged him to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and back (just kidding before you thought I had gone completely mad!) he’s been out and about but not today (as I said before I wouldn’t have much of a book if I posted all the photographs.

Take care

Jonathan Fridlington

And thanks to all the people in Arizona who have helped me, given good service and information, you have been the best state so far.

I’ve made it to the south rim, first impression? Grand! Although I would like to point out at this stage that of all the things I have missed on this trip my 20mm wide angle lens and a good Sunday roast come top of the list.

Grand Canyon South Rim, so how does it compare with Grand Canyon West? This place is a resort set right on the edge of the rim. You pay $25 to enter the park for a 7 day pass or if you plan to visit 4 parks in 12 months then you are better off getting the $80 all year pass that can be used by two differnet card holders and enter as many different parks (excluding the Skywalk) as many times as you like (so cheaper than getting into the Skywalk area already)
Some might think that putting a holiday resort right on the edge of one of the wonders of the world to be sad, but I must admit first impression was that this place is busy, a Disneyland in Arizona? I parked up and visited the visitor center (which was over run by visitors!) so with the information I was given at the entrance I decided to wonder around on my own, check the place out and see what was there for me. So after parking up (in one of the many small car parks) I started walking one of the trails of the South Rim) Now I’m use to walking the odd trail (or foot path as we called them in England) but this trail was a little different for me, you guessed it, it was a paved path, never mind at least it’s open for all to enjoy.
For those people who don’t like walking much or can’t there are various FREE shuttle buses that run all around the place and have various stop off points for all to enjoy the views (mind you if you walk the rim you get to see it all!)
The weather today has turned the Grand Canyon into a murky misty wonderland, the sun is kind of out but not good for someone who would like to get a few great shot for the folio.

Me on the edge of the canyon (on an out crop that you have to climb to get to!)

Welcome to Grand Canyon South Rim.

This next section I am going to talk about my future plan to hike down the Canyon (Thursday) There is a trail called the “Bright Angel Trail”
Now talking to a dude at the motel last night, he thinks at this point of the Canyon there are many trails down (i’ve yet to find them, there are only 3 ways down 1) walk down this trail, 2) helicopter & 3) jump off any edge you like) OK back to the trail, you can walk all the way down to the river but the rangers think you can’t make the return trip back in a day, so I plan to walk most of it and skip the river section (should take around trip of around 8 to 12 hours)

Start of the trail and part of the resort behind)

A view further down the trail.

A view even further down the trail.

Back to the canyon, as you can see from the first trail photograph the resort doesn’t stand out, the further you walk the rim trail the less you see of the resort and soon after leaving the Bright Angel trail exit heading towards the Trail view overlook post all your empressions soon disappear as this part of the trail is back to rough ground and at some points very close to the edge!

Grand Canyon.

Grand Canyon.

Grand Canyon.

Whilst on the trail I started to notice all the different barks on the trees (going mad in the wild?) well I photographed a few with the macro lens.

Tree bark.

The more I walked towards my west ward goal the fewer walkers I en-counted to a point where I was walking on my own. Most other people were jumping on and off the regular bus service so at each stop I was kind of meeting the same people anyway! I gave up in the end as I had been walking almost nonstop for most of the day (legs needed a rest)

That concludes today’s posting, (Wednesday I’m really am resting myself and catching up on some house work)

Take care,

Jonathan Fridlington.

Hi all,
First it’s getting late, I’ve just driven over 400 miles today, eaten, in badly need of a shower and with nearly 400 photo’s to download, who knows how this update will pan out.
Let me bring you up to date with the answers to some of the questions you might be asking:
Where am I?
What have I been up to?
“Grand” Canyon? or “Grand” disappointment?
Skywalk or Skycrap?
Has “Rusty” Been out?
Did I see U2 amongst the Joshua tree’s?

I have been traveling Route 66 or should I call it “Interstate 40″ Not much left on this part of the trip so very little photography on the last few days. Leaving Albuquerque behind heading towards Holbrook I encountered very little, the high light for me was taking a walk in the majestic “Red Rock Cliffs” park.

“Red Rock Cliffs” New Mexico (well worth a walk around, allow plenty of time this place is massive)

After the cliffs and a little way down the route I crossed the state line into Arizona, and if by magic gained another hour in time (didn’t know until later on in the day!) any way a short distance into AZ and back on to short bit of 66 you come across “Quirino Canyon” a bit like the Grand Canyon but smaller (just kidding) but it did have this very old historic bridge crossing it:

“bridge over Quirino canyon” Arizona.

I stayed the night in Holbrook (not much to report about the place) Another early start for a what was going to be a short drive to Flagstaff. Well in true JDF style I noticed on the USA map that Glen Canyon Dam was just north of Flagstaff and fancied seeing the dam but first my first stop off on route was the “Meteor Crater” just off the Interstate 40 (South) What can I say about it? it’s a big hole in the ground in the middle of Arizona made by a Meteor before time began, worth checking out and if you make the time allow yourself at least two hours here so you can take the walk around the rim (which I didn’t)

“Meteor Crater” near Meteor City, AZ.

So what looked liked a short trip up state turned out to be a little trek, never mind I just wanted to see the dam and I had time to kill as I wasn’t due at Grand Canyon until Monday. I made it to the dam just after lunch, only to find out that the elevator for part of the tour wasn’t working! bummer! so I took the rest of the tour (which is just a short trip along the top of the dam)

“Glen Canyon Dam” AZ (worth a trip, make sure the lifts are working!)

My over night stay in Flagstaff was dreadful, the motel was located near the railway line, and with trains going through all night tootin’ there horns not much sleep was had.
I woke up thinking what I could do today? Well I thought I would drive over to the “SKYWALK” yeah that’s right I’ve been on the glass, got the photograph to prove it but you won’t see it here (well not until I can scan it)

The trip to the Skywalk was very long, you might want to travel from Las Vegas at the journey time is less than 2 hours. The 30 mile road up to the skywalk is little more than a dirt track that most 4X4 users would love. On my way I was wondering what tours to do when I got there, helicopter? Hummer ride? Boat trip? Well by the time I got there I had dome my fair share of off roading so the Hummer trip was off.

When you get to the area you cannot see the skywalk, nor can you just drive around as you wish, you have to park, go into a building a choose what package you want, yep before you have even started those Native American Indians have your dosh! I chose the “helicopter / Boat / Skywalk” (oh the skywalk is optional on all of the packages at $25 + tax) So expecting a trip down the canyon on a helicopter, a boat ride down the river what more could I do in the Canyon? haven’t I covered all the stuff I wanted to do in one simple day? NOPE!

If you really want my advice “STAY AWAY” the helicopter ride was just down to the bottom of the canyon just to take you to your boat trip that lasts 15 mins. then the helecopter takes you back up to the top, then you jump on a bus to be taken to the Skywalk.

At this moment in moan I would like to point out that you are “NOT ALLOWED” to take anything on the skywalk! Yep no cameras! WHY? because they take a photograph of you on the Skywalk and sell it to you afterwards (which is OK) I know your asking “what do you do with your stuff? well it’s simple, you have to store in a locker in which you have to pay for!! These Native American Indians aren’t thick! they know how to make money!

So once your on the skywalk what’s it like? You have seen photographs, seen it in the papers, “IT’S GREAT!” Errrr, these people must have been on a different Skywalk to me any everyone else that was disappointed with it.
It’s very short, the view down to the bottom is “boring” it slightly over looks the river (about a few miles away) All I can say is “BEEN THERE, GOT THE PHOTOGRAPH” After the skywalk, you are taken on another bus to another place to get your “free” meal (must have been included in the price right?) and take in the views of yet more Grand Canyon. I have seen photographs of the Canyon that look good, but so far I have seen better views in Bognor Regis! I hopping the South Rim is better (the lady in the motel tells be it is)
Photographs of Skywalk, Grand Canyon, Helicopter.

A view from the helicopter down the Canyon.

Grand Canyon (from the bottom)

Grand Canyon (from the river boat)

The Little “Skywalk” (that’s still being built!)

Trail Closed

Joshua Tree (I love these trees)

Rusty

Ok I have had a good day, I was just disappointed with the the whole package, these people know how to make money out of nothing, if you want to go on the Skywalk, go, but personally It’s a waste of time at the moment.
Just to let you know that “Rusty” was not allowed at the Meteor site, Glen Canyon Dam or anywhere near the Skywalk! these American’s! they just don’t know what art is about.

Coming up: Grand Canyon, err more Grand Canyon. If your lucky more “Rusty” and if your really lucky Bryce Canyon towards the end of the week (depending if they have internet) The best place to get a Steak in Williams.

Take care, sorry if there are any mistakes (it’s past 10pm here, 6am in England, and with no sleep last night, everything needs charging up (AGAIN!) I’m looking forward to the hay, besides “National Lampoon’s European Vaction” is on cable!

Jonathan Fridlington.

P.S. I didn’t see U2 by the Joshua tree’s.