Friday, December 28, 2012

Grand Canyon and Flintstones Land (December 28, 2012)

Friday, December 28, 2012
Montezuma was still getting revenge on Kris when we thought we'd be getting our start for the day, so I made him go back to sleep. The hotel didn't require check out until noon, so I wanted him to get as much rest as possible.

When he got up around 11:30, he was feeling up to going to the Grand Canyon, so the extra sleeping was successful. We headed out to see a snowy Grand Canyon.


The South Rim drive was closed due to icy conditions, but we could still go to Grand Canyon Village.


We were able to hike from Yavapai lookout to the Mather lookout and back again.





I was shocked that there weren't more rails. There were a significant number of points where you could easily hurl yourself (on purpose or accidentally) into the canyon. (As a side thought...are there a lot of suicides at the Grand Canyon?)


What amazed me more were the number of people who completely ignored the barricades that were present. Seriously people? With as few barricades as there are...don't you think the ones that are there were there for a reason? Good gravy!


We marveled at the sheer magnitude of the vast hole in the ground, took a massive number of photos, smiled at the dusting of snow you could see on the canyon walls, and nearly slipped on the icy/snowy walkway on the pathway back to the car.


We also narrowly avoided being targets of snowball fights families were having on the trails. Definitely a worthwhile trip.


On the way back, we stopped at Flintstone's Bedrock City. Talk about a fun roadside attraction. This was completely worth the $5 per person admission fee for me.





I was a huge fan of The Flintstone's, so seeing the care and detail that went into the construction of the village earned my respect. The place is decades old, but it's holding up well despite some vandalism by disrespectful nimrods. My mother would have loved it.


I Yabba Dabba Doo-ed down the brontosaurus slide.


We walked into each of the open buildings like Fred and Barney's houses, the barber shop and hairdresser, the schoolhouse, and more to see the inside furnishings.


They had some neat furnishings and details like artwork painted into the television, high chairs for Bam Bam or Pebbles, leopard print blankets on the bed, etc.























I wish Kris had been feeling better. I really enjoyed the buildings, decor, vehicles, and Flintstone references.

















We made it into Williams just before sunset and got to walk around the town known for The Polar Express. It sits on Route 66 and had some really nice Christmas decor and the world's largest Route 66 shield sign (which we saw but couldn't photograph).











We saw some kids wipe out while trying to sled. Just look below...you know this is going to end poorly.


Then we ate lackluster food at the Pine Country restaurant (not recommended) before heading on to our lodging in Kingman, AZ for the evening. Seriously...don't eat at Pine Country. Worst mashed potatoes ever - and that was all poor Kris ordered.





We had a free night certificate from our Best Western summer stays that we were able to redeem at the Best Western A Wayfarer's Inn. It looks like a motel from the outside, but don't let it fool you. This hotel was really nice.


The room was incredibly spacious with a mini fridge/freezer and microwave. The water pressure in the shower was fabulous, and the breakfast was outstanding. I did laundry while Kris, who was feeling really lousy, got some sleep.



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