Josh and the kids saw the Grand Canyon for the first time.
The kids were more enthralled with the snow.
Whatever.
It had been a journey to get here. We've been booking it pretty fast across the continental U.S. - not realizing how fast until we met up with another full-time family in Holbrook, AZ who were also headed to the Grand Canyon. They had made a similar trek as we had -- but had taken six months rather than three weeks. Hm. Josh and I both have already discussed how we plan to travel slower in the future.
But more on that later.
We pulled into Grand Canyon Railway Hotel & RV Park in Williams, AZ and found the little town to be lovely. Josh has driven the entire time we've been hauling the trailer and we decided to splurge a bit on train tickets to the Grand Canyon so that he could enjoy the changing scenery rather than navigating narrow roads. When we found out the train ride included a wild west show prior to departure, strolling musicians on the train, and then a "train robbery" in the afternoon on the way back we were sold! We chose not to tell the kids about the theatrics as an added surprise.
I've now been privileged to have seen the Grand Canyon three times - once I was too young to remember it, the second time I was twelve and obnoxious, and this time in my late-thirties I was able to see it again. It took my breath away.
The kids were amazed that we had taken a train for two hours just to let them play in a bank of snow. They looked at the Grand Canyon and said "nice" and then turned back to the cold, white, fluffy magic covering the ground. For them, the Grand Canyon was there but unreachable and therefore uninteresting. The snow was inviting them in.
"But snow can be found anywhere!" I said, trying to draw their attention back to this world-renowned natural wonder.
"We haven't seen it anywhere!" was their reply, as they fell to making snowballs and snow angels and gleefully licking their gloves.
It gave me a moment's pause. How I present important and eternal things to them is probably a lot like the Grand Canyon. True, present, real, unreachable, untouchable, unfathomable. Do I also present it like snow? Invitingly tangible and completely natural while also somehow otherworldly?
I'm still paused here to be honest. I don't have an answer, just the thought. But for now that is enough.
We enjoyed our time at the windy South Rim, completed the Junior Ranger program, played in the snow again, and ate a quick lunch. Then it was time to get back on the train where we were later robbed by bandits on horseback.
If you asked the kids the best part of their day, the Grand Canyon is not mentioned.
And that's ok.
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