Grand Canyon – Day 1

Caroline Wise, Jutta Engelhardt, and John Wise on the way to the Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona

So Jutta may have strolled the streets of New Orleans, snorkeled in the Florida Keys, sped over the Everglades on a fan boat, ate Southern-style cuisine, walked a short bit on the Appalachian Trail, visited Graceland, and a bunch of other things on this trip to the United States, but a vacation in America without a stop in the Grand Canyon wouldn’t be a proper visit, and so here we go.

Sunset in Northern Arizona

It’s late in the day, almost evening here on Saturday, when we decide that we’ll race up the Grand Canyon so Jutta can let everyone know back home in Germany that once again she has been to this National Park that intrigues her so deeply. We obviously won’t make sunset in the park, but we’ll be there bright and early for sunrise.

Casa Grande, Arizona

Casa Grande National Monument in Coolidge, Arizona

After a few days off to recuperate, Jutta and I took a day trip down south to visit Casa Grande Ruins National Monument in Coolidge.

Mission San Xavier del Bac in Tucson, Arizona

Followed by a stop at Mission San Xavier del Bac in Tucson further south.

Jutta Engelhardt and John Wise at Titan Missile Museum in Green Valley, Arizona

And then, finally we stopped in at the Titan Missile Museum in Green Valley. I think my mother-in-law wears the hard hat better than I do; she looks like a serious engineer in that thing.