On the Road to Grand Canyon

Those seemingly never ending roads!
Fast paced cars fade away and so do the busy roads of the city of Angels and the sun. Rains lash the view pane of the car while the sparsely green land turns barren and dusty yet stunning. Vast plains fringed with barren hills keep you company for what seems like eternity even at a car going at crazy speeds. Sun and rain keep up their play, while winds race with the few but very fast cars on the road. On and off the route 66 and then you see that shiny little city that is famous for, well so many reasons – you are in Vegas Baby!

Awaiting rains
That was a part of an epic road trip I had a couple of weeks back! Oh, yes a part – Vegas was just a pit stop the journey went on to Antelope Canyon, Glenn Canyon and South Rim Grand Canyon! 

Some sunrises can't really be described
I had a huge list of to dos in my Bucket list when I came to the US, but grad life let me explore only Seattle until late December, and then this fateful work group reunion with six amazing wanderlust souls happened in Los Angeles. With approximately 1500 miles to cover, I was on my way to get some green ticks on my list –

Somewhere in the mountains
Road Trip on Route 66 – Well we didn’t really do the whole east coast to west coast trip but we were on Route 66 for most of our trip and also explored the Calico Ghost Town Road on our way to Vegas.

Vegas Strip – Luxury maybe overrated, but sometimes it leaves you happy and stunned!


Antelope Canyon - that narrow ridge of earthly colours and dancing sunbeams, yes I was finally there!


Horseshoe Bend – That iconic Colorado river meander that has been feeding on the old Rockies since Paleolithic age. Still can’t get over that view and that place!

And of course Grand Canyon – There is a reason why it is called Grand, and what I saw was merely 5% of its natural grandeur.


I was excited about these places for obvious reasons, but I was elated like a kid when we touched four states of the US in four days, (it was a big thing for all of us!)


To add to all that, this was actually my first experience of a drive in the US and I literally saw every kind of weather there is – I think! From warm winter sun in Los Angeles to unusual lashing desert rain, sun on snow early morning, foggy days, clear starlit nights and heavy snowfall preceding a snow storm! I was not the one behind the wheel, but I could feel the thrill and fear of driving through a foggy dark night with occasional sleet rainfall through Canyon Roads – you get the point right?

When rain and snow attack alternatively and make way for fog
I don’t usually write about the whole journey without writing about the place, but for me this was one such trip, after my Mumbai Goa road trip in India, that just turned out to be about the journey as much as that about the destination, if not more! Hence this was like a mandatory prelude to the chain of posts coming up about the places! More about the trip coming up soon.

Yeah, well.
P.S. The Route (Just for reference)


Comments

  1. I cannot wait to read more about the horseshoe bend and the antelope canyon! Spellbinding pics. Road trips are fun and this one is epic!!

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  2. Most of these places resonate with me too. Loved the Lower Antelope the most, then the decorations in Las Vegas!

    Road trips are always amazing, you get to see the beauty quite closely!

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    1. For me it was Lower Antelope and Horseshoe Bend! Such humbling experiences when you see the might of Nature. And so true - road trips get you a notch closer to nature :)

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  3. Hi

    I've linked to this in my weekly picks of best travel posts. Have used one of your photo with credit. Hope it is ok

    http://www.enidhi.net/2017/01/week2-best-travel-stories-of-week.html

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    1. It is definitely ok! Thank you so much for the mention Shrinidhi :)

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  4. The pictures are epic! I hope you will do more such trips as it is obvious you enjoyed it a lot.

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    1. Thanks! And yes now I am totally motivated to do more road trips :D

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  5. Amazing shots from your road trip.

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  6. Beautiful captures Vaisakhi! You have covered different landscapes in a single road trip:)

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  7. wow.......beautiful words, beautiful images and a very beautiful template you got for this blog!

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  8. Wow, amazing shots, my favourite is the Antelope Canyon! It reminds me of The Siq in Petra :-)

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  9. You're living the dream!Love your blogs even more! Hope you get to see evem more amazing places including the ones in your American Travel Bucket List.

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  10. I have read so many articles about the Grand Canyon but still never get bored. I like your photos and your writing style with such a strong sense of freedom :) The experience must have been amazing :)

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    1. Glad you liked the post Fiona..it was an amazing experience! And i don't think anyone is gonna get bored of Grand Canyon posts :D the place is just amazing!

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  11. OMG! This is just awesome! I've never been to USA so far! Let's see what future has in store for me! The Antelope Canyon and Horse Shoe Bend are just so incredible!

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    1. Thanks! Hope you get to visit the US soon. You would love Antelope and Horseshoe :D

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  12. Lived in the US for 22 years and haven't been to any of these places (besides Vegas, of course!) Definitely on the bucket list!

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    1. This road trip was on a priority list for me when i came to US. Hope you get to visit the canyons soon!

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  13. I only made it to Sedona to see the red rocks, would love to hit the Grand Canyon one day soon!

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    1. Wasn't able to get to Sedona Zion and Monuments' Park...guess I will have to make another trip for those :)

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  14. Antelope Canyon and Horse Shoe Bend are dream destinations for me till this date. Loved the description of your road trip. Drive safe and enjoy.

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    1. Glad you liked the post Indrani. And BTW those places are dreamy!!!

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  15. Grand Canyon will always be that beautiful site.

    I wonder how travel could affect the country during this new Trump administration..?

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  16. I would love to do this road trip, it looks amazing. I love road trips but ironically, I don't have a drivers license so I always need a travel companion who can drive. The Gran Canyon looks amazing, I would especially love to visit the Antelope Canyon. It looks like out of this world.

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    1. I cant drive yet in US but glad I had two cool friends who decided to drive 2 different cars the whole way and made this trip possible :D And yes Antelope is out of this world.

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  17. I want to do a road trip on road 66 for so long now! And the Antelope Canyon is on my bucket list because of its beauty ( the lights, the colors,...). It would be a great road trip to do with my sister, my boyfriend and my friends :)

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    1. You should surely plan this road trip Miriam :D

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  18. If there is a place in USA that I would want to go to - it would be the Grand Canyon and that too, I would like to do a road trip like you have done. Amazing nature spots . Love the pic of the Antelope Canyon. It looks amazing!

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  19. I've heard a lot about Grand Canyon and Horseshoe Bend but never knew that the Antelope Canyon was this beautiful and magnificent. Adding it to my bucket list now. I feel that Vegas and Grand Canyon are must visit places for every traveler. Also, road tripping has its own perks. :) Loved the pictures and write-up. :)

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    1. Glad you liked it Saumy. Wont say Vegas is a must visit though but grand canyon surely is!

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  20. Thanks for sharing your experience with us. The pictures are really beautiful. Grand Canyon is the real treasure of beauty.

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