There I was, sitting in a red 15-passenger van. It was scorching hot. The temperature was well over 100 degrees. The heat was the real thief in this situation; it drained the life out of me each second, for its own pleasure. I was in the sweltering deserts of Arizona!
Before I knew it, we were on the pathway to the Grand Canyon. I thought to myself, why not another stop? What would be the difference? I was certain that no harm could be done. My family and I were on a two-day, cross-country road trip. The ultimate goal was to go to my aunt’s wedding. Of course, my family would take this as an opportunity to make what could be one simple flight across the country into a multiple-day adventure. We rented a five-rowed van to fit my family. It was spacious and big; the van held my mom, dad, brother, sister and I. We drove from Atlanta, Georgia to Portland, Oregon; it was nearly a three-thousand-mile trip, and we made copious stops in various states.
My family and I thought it would be nice to make a stop at the Grand Canyon since it was nearby. After some time had passed, we traveled closer to the National Park. When we were finally approaching the threshold of the park, we were all ecstatic. I remember wondering what it would be and look like once we reached the canyon cliff. My mind was filled with excitement and curiosity.
We drove through the main entrance. I can still remember the welcome sign that said "Grand Canyon National Park." There were ample trees that surrounded the entrance of the park and were spread throughout the inside as well. After we progressed through the park for a while, we became lost. The park was like an enigma. There was a multiplicity of roadways that lead to many things. We wanted to experience the canyon from the best vantage point; usually, that means higher up in parks like these. We could not seem to find the proper, simple pathway that led to the high access point; this would be where the cliffs of the canyon are. I remember when we pulled over to ask different people where to go, a lot of the people were tourists as well and were lost, too. We proceeded forth, trying our best to find our way. We kept running into dead ends and irrelevant pathways, and many of the roads were inaccessible and blocked off. The process of finding our way to the viewing point of the canyon was really stressful. At a certain point, we thought about leaving and continuing on our way to the wedding. Right before we were getting ready to leave, we finally received directions to what we were told to be the “the proper path” to the viewing point. Little did we know, it could have been the path that ended all our lives!
Our journey took a turn for the worse. We started to drive down a sketchy-looking pathway. The road was vacant. The paved roadway quickly disappeared. The new road was red, rocky and bumpy. Shortly after driving down this path, we saw the sign stating that the path was “prohibited to drivers.” My typical risk-taking father made the choice to continue on. Eventually, the road started to become narrow and we shifted into a state of incline. There was no going back. The road began to form into a spiraling upward-hill. There was no railing and the road was only slightly wider than our van. As we kept going, we could really start to see the steep cliff to the right side of our car. Here we were, on this road, in 110-degree weather, in a van disproportionate to our pathway. To our left was a colossal mountainous wall, and to our right was the edge of the cliff. Things started to get heated, quite literally. My family's emotions escalated quickly and went rampant. I can remember hearing my brother reciting the Christian salvation prayer. We all looked at each other with fear in our eyes, knowing that this could very well be the end of our time.
The ride was jarring. The path was extremely rough; it caused our van to be very unstable. The van was constantly wobbling and trembling. It was very staggering and frightening to experience. At any point, the van could have tilted over, and that would be the end. The car ride up this cliff-pathway felt like being on a roller coaster without any safety railing to prevent a fall. I had never seen my father so focused before in my life; I am sure he knew at that point that his sole focus was to fight for his family's survival. The winding road seemed never-ending. I can remember my heart racing the entire time; it felt like it was going to burst out of my chest. I tried my best not to look down to the right. I had never been more alert in my life. I kept praying to God; I was hoping not only for my family's survival but also for this part of our journey to end quickly.
It was still bright outside, but it was clear to see that the sun would be setting soon. When I was able to somewhat calm my nerves, I was able to see the immaculateness of my surroundings. It was simply breathtaking. As we drove through, I could see these gorgeous red, but smooth-looking mountains. Each mountain was unique. They had wavy textures, each varying in height; they were like marble mountains. The majority of them were a blend of red, orange, brown and tan mixed together. Sprinkled throughout, I could see plant life, which was mainly on the bottom of the canyon and on the tops.
Eventually, after enduring a prolonged and intense pathway, we reached the tourist site to view the canyon. My family and I got out of the car with excitement and joy on our faces; at last, our enthusiasm returned. My family happily walked towards the cliff and viewed it as they took pictures. I, on the other hand, was hesitant to walk too close to the edge and look down. It took me a while, but I did do it. It was the most fabulous and breathtaking view I had ever witnessed, but at the same time, it was terrifying. After taking a moment to reflect on my surroundings, I was just so happy to be safe and alive. The sun started to set; it was getting late, but it was still bright enough to see. It was a beautiful and serene moment. As we were leaving, I witnessed one family pulling in. It made me wonder about which path they took to reach the cliffs of the canyon; I knew they did not take the same intimidating pathway that we did.
Going to the Grand Canyon was one of the most dangerous, amazing adventures I have experienced. However, I was glad to witness this very impressive desert and canyon. In the end, we continued on our journey to the wedding, alive and well.
