Finally, we get to my last day. This is really two days that I splice into one since the last day was really just spent driving. After the Grand Canyon I headed north to Antelope Canyon to see one of the most famous slot canyons in southern Utah and northern Arizona. I went through the lower canyon mostly because it was cheaper, but also because I had heard the crowds weren't as big there since the canyon itself isn't near as wide as the one in the upper canyon.
When I saw the size of the crowds and the small length of the canyon, I started to second guess my choice of going down into the canyon and wondering if it was really worth the money and the wait to get into the canyon. Everything I had read about the lower canyon pointed to small lines and that the guide might even let you take yourself through it sometimes. This was most certainly not the case during my visit. The lines were extremely long . When I arrived, they told me I would have to wait an hour and a half just to start the tour, and once you start the tour, you go wait a half hour at the edge of the canyon for the crowds in front of you to slowly work their way through.
 |
| Here's the long wait to get into the canyon once you start your tour, so be prepared with lots of water |
 |
| Here's the start of the spindly little canyon |
 |
| One of my favorites from the light beam. I have some others that I like more, but those are definitely not public |
 |
| Lots of stairs like this led to a lot of ups and downs in the lower canyon. |
 |
| This is arguably why you see the lower canyon instead of upper, unless you're just a cheapskate like me and want the cheaper one. It's about the rich diversity in colors sweeping through the canyon walls. |
 |
| Looks almost like there's no way out. |
 |
| Another great example of the colors in this tight canyon |
 |
| Another great shot of these beautiful lines in the lower Antelope Canyon |
Fortunately for me, however, the lady realized it was just me going through and was able to squeeze me in the next group, and I was able to get down to the canyon relatively quickly. We had a great group and a great guide as well, but even without that the canyon would have made the whole trip worthwhile. I don't quite know how to properly explain the beauty of the canyon, the red sandstone changes hues throughout the tour, it changes texture, it moves, tightens, and loosens. You witness the sheer power of nature rip straight through rock, and see the beauty of sand and light filling the air. To see more about
tips for visiting Antelope Canyon, click here.
After the canyon, I headed up to Horseshoe Bend, which was quite a breathtaking site and is really only about a 15 minute drive from the canyon. I spent a lot of time here, just enjoying the swift breeze and the continual progressing throng of people moving to and fro at the edge of the sheer cliff. Eventually I decided to move on, and drove home. I drove to Albuquerque that night and woke up for another sunrise and drove home.
 |
| Another great example of how much a polarizer does, here is the walk out to Horseshoe Bend, and on hot days, it can seem a lot longer than it really is. |
 |
| A Beautiful Shot of the Bend |
 |
| Nothing more fun for a photographer than to take pics of other photographers on the parapet of the abyss. |
 |
| A lone wanderer |
 |
| Queen on the mountain |
What did I learn from watching 6 sunrises and sunsets, 4,000 miles, and 70 hours of driving? Well, first of all, I learned the hard lesson of backing things up and hiding everything, to chase down people if they flick up road debris, and most of all, I remembered the hard lesson that you can't always control where you are or what your circumstances are, but you can still wake up and enjoy the sunrise.
If you are a business or individual that would like to work together on a project send me an email.
