Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon is one of the most beautiful places on our planet and justly considered one of the seven natural wonders in the world.  It is a big fissure of the Colorado Plateau that created a steep sided canyon 277 miles long, 18 miles wide and approximately one mile deep.  Those lucky to have visited the Canyon readily admitted that they have never before saw anything to match this astonishing natural wonder.

The Colorado River established its course through the canyon at least 17 million years ago.  Since that time, the Colorado River continues to erode and form the canyon to its present-day configuration.

In September 1540, Francisco Vasquez de Coronado was leading an expedition north of Mexico in search of gold. Having found none he ordered captain Garcia Lopez de Cardenas to search for the fabled Seven Cities of Cibola.  

Garcia Lopez de Cardenas  traveled to the South Rim and three of his soldiers descended some one third of the way into the Canyon until they were forced to return because of lack of water.  In their report, they noted that some of the rocks in the Canyon were "bigger than the great tower of Seville."

Modern day explorers used all means of transportation including early motor vehicles.

My son John one of the travelers, photographers and writers of this blog in the south rim of the Canyon .

Here is the other traveler, photographer and writer of this blog.  If you compare me with the picture posted under the title Mothers and their children you will noted how much I aged in a few days.  haha!