The Epic Trip - Across the USA with a Tramper ™

Chapter 3 - Carlsbad to Las Vegas

We left Carlsbad on Monday 23rd April and stopped at White Sands National Monument on the way to Las Cruces. This is a large area of white gypsum sand dunes in the middle of nowhere and is blindingly white. Peter took a trip on the Tramper and managed to make it to the top of some of the dunes - once again we have plenty of photos to record the visit. We spent the night at Las Cruces (New Mexico) where we were the smallest motor home in the RV resort we stayed in - a very ‘chi chi’ place.

Thursday we arrived at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon and stayed at Trailer Village. Having parked and hooked up, the Tramper was unloaded and we set off for our first walk to the rim trail at about 5 pm. Anyone who has experienced their first view of the Grand Canyon will understand how I felt as I came to the end of the path, turned a corner and there it was! WOW, WOW and more WOW! Photos just can't do it justice and it fair takes your breath away.

Chapter 3 - Carlsbad to Las Vegas

Friday, we spent the whole day exploring more of the South Rim. Because Peter is disabled and we have a Utah ‘Blue Badge’ (actually a ‘blue notice’ we obtained without trouble in Park City that you hang from your windscreen mirror - I gather they honour UK Blue Badges throughout USA, so take yours with you) we were given a special pass to drive the motor home on routes that were only open to the shuttle buses and were able to experience some truly spectacular views.

In the evening we took the Tramper along another path at the eastern end of the rim and were rewarded with some fantastic sights of a couple of Californian Condors. What an AMAZING DAY. We spent another night in Trailer Village and departed the next morning for the West Rim of the Grand Canyon.

Chapter 3 - Carlsbad to Las Vegas

We had a great desire to experience the Skywalk on the West Rim that we read about in UK before we left - it only opened recently, so we found a RV park in the desert and forest of Joshua Tree cacti at Meadview which was the closest to the turn off.

We unhooked the trailer from the motor home at the RV park and set off for the Hualapai Indian reservation where the sky walk has been built. We had been told that the road was largely unpaved but we hadn't bargained for 14 miles of dirt road in the motor home. The interesting thing was that all of the road on the reservation was paved but because a rancher had been in dispute with the Indians he refused to allow the road on his land to be asphalted up to the reservation. The journey took over an hour as we had to drive so slowly. We didn't arrive at Grand Canyon West until about 4.30pm which meant that we got a discount on the entry fee as we wouldn't have too much time to see everything. We also had our own guide thanks to Peter and his blue badge. We started the tour with the visit to the Skywalk.

Chapter 3 - Carlsbad to Las Vegas

Unfortunately they haven't yet sorted out wheelchair access and Peter had to walk up 20 stairs to get to the platform. Having said that if Peter hadn't been able to manage the stairs a couple of enormous Hualapai security guards were prepared to carry him up in his wheelchair but he was so terrified of this that he suddenly found the strength to do it himself! It is a remarkable cantilevered platform which overhangs the west rim of the Grand Canyon with a multi-layered glass floor (just like the Spinnaker Tower at Portsmouth but US size!) and gives a staggering if rather nerve racking view 4,000ft down into the Canyon. We generally felt that it was worth the trip but nothing would induce us to return until the road had been paved. (Planned for next year).

The following morning (Sunday) we left Meadview and headed off for Las Vegas. The visit to Vegas was planned especially for me as every one else in our party had been before but not me. Well, what does one say about Las Vegas - glad I've been but have absolutely no desire to return.

More Photos

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All images are Copyright ©2008 Peter Sionksen - commercial use is prohibited without prior agreement

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