Our 2007 Vacation to the Grand Canyon - Williams
Williams Arizona
(18 June 2007)
We don't end up getting to half the places of interest we planned on visiting
around the Flagstaff area, and there are quite a few of them. First we wait all
morning for everyone to get moving and ready to go. Then we wait the rest of the
day trying to get everyone out the door and on our way. Irritating to say the
least, and it really starts to wear on me. After the second day of it we decide
we aren't waiting anymore on anyone but ourselves. After the kids getting the
better of my nerves over the last three days, I have had my fill of it, and I'm
not the only one.
We are glad to be getting away on our own, our saving grace, at least for now. What can I say? The best thing we did when planning this vacation was to book some time away for just the three of us... Williams, and the trip to the Grand Canyon on the Grand Canyon Railway, are just the ticket. My nerves are shot and I'm really looking forward to just kicking back and relaxing. My only regret is now I'm being way too hard on Nick. It's not his fault, but I'm having a hard time unwinding, and it's ruining any fun we may have. Maybe some day I'll learn not to be such an old grump and just let kids be kids. After all, it's our vacation, not just mine.
Williams, and the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel where we spend the night and board the train the next morning, are only about a 45 minute drive from Flagstaff. I want to travel Route 66, but Ann just wants to get there, so we take I-40. The interstate still offers stunning and beautiful scenery. We can see Route 66 most of the way there, on one side or the other, so it's really no loss. We take the Williams exit and tool along the main drag into town. Quite a few traffic lights, some industry, but not much else to see.
When we arrive at the hotel, the parking lot is already packed. Once we find a spot, we head inside only to wait in line to get checked in, but that's a good thing. It gives us time to read about the area attractions, and we decide to take a horse drawn carriage tour of the town. We are entertained and amused by our host and driver and the small town feel of this Route 66 destination. Near the end of our tour, we stop at the drugstore to have our picture taken and, of course, we must have it as a remembrance.
Afterward, we decide to take a walk to go enjoy some of the places we have just seen. A crowd gathers in the square as figures in wild west garb re-enact historic moments of the past, complete with the requisite damsel in distress and attention getting gun play. It's clear the economy of this town relies on tourism and there isn't much else to see or do.
Hungry, we seek out the ice cream shop to get a bite to eat, an old fashioned cherry phosphate soda, and desert. My phosphate seems to quickly lose its sweetness, so I ask the waitress if she can freshen it up. She looks at me kind of puzzled as I try to explain it to her, but she takes my glass anyway. What she returns with is sweeter, but again quickly loses its sweetness, so I figure that's just the way it works. By now it's almost dark and we head back to the room. We have a busy day tomorrow, what with boarding the train and all.
Our adventure really, really begins...
(19 June 2007)
The next morning, we're up and ready to board the
train. There are actually two trains up and two trains back this time of
year, one runs the
steam engine and one runs the
PA diesel. We are riding the diesel up and the steam back (or so we think).
It seems strange to leave the rental car parked in the lot for this hotel when
we're spending the night on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. When we board the
train I start to worry about it but Ann reassures me that everyone who booked
the package is probably doing the same thing.
But I'm getting ahead of myself... First things first. Breakfast at the Grand Depot Cafe. We have a HUGE buffet style breakfast while we watch the the model trains run along the walls and across the long bridge over the cashiers' area as we settle the bill. We head to the station and check out the motive power while we wait to board. We take our time getting in line for the Luxury Car, thinking we have assigned seating or something. Turns out it's a good thing we get in line when we do... Even though we have tickets doesn't mean they didn't overbook! Who would have thought they would sell you a ticket to a full car?
Guess I'm still a bit on edge since it really isn't an issue. We board and there's still plenty of room. On the way out of Williams we settle in to enjoy the long uphill climb to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon in the Luxury Car. We are hurriedly 'escorted' away by modern day bandits, so already it's quite an adventure. We sit back and enjoy the view out the windows as we slowly make our way past the railyard facilities and onto a lone track for the remainder of our trip. About that time the barmaid asks for our drink order. She tells us we can visit the rear observation platform, and she can deliver them there if we would like, so we take her up on the offer.
