grand canyon national park, arizona

i got to the grand canyon very late at night.  i still didn't know where i was going to sleep, but boy was i tired and started considered pulling over to take a quick nap.  i was at "you are here" and needed to get to tusayan, 30 minutes away, to have a hope of finding an ok place to sleep.

wherever i was going to sleep, it was going to be COLD!

breaking for more deer, driving slow because i was dreary, i finally got through tusayan and kept driving.  where to sleep?  unfortunately the blm roads were all packed with two feet of snow and walled with trees.  i didn't want to risk getting my van stuck on a road in the middle of the night - blocking it and creating a hassle.  so i turned back to the town and stopped at a mcdonals that was about to close.  i asked about where to sleep and thankfully the cashier told me where in the parking lot the police wouldn't bother me.  yes!

i was fine in my sleeping bag, but it got down to the low teens outside and below freezing in my van.  yup, COLD.

i went to the grand canyon's edge where the wind was gusting at least 40 to 50 mph - who knows how sub-zero the windchill was, but even bundled in layers i was super cold.  i hung out just long enough to get some photos, but it wasn't a very pleasant experience.  a few other brave tourists were out there too.   i was satisfied to have been to the grand canyon a few years ago in the summer, so it wasn't necessary i stay long this time.

yes, this actually hurt a bit.  good thing it worked on my first try because it was too cold to bother trying it again.

ahhhhhh!!!!!!

i warmed up in my van and then hit the road again, aiming for phoenix.  i was on my way out of the park when a six-foot long cat ran across the road in front of me! ringtail?  to bad i didn't get a photo of that one!