The Long and Not So Winding Road

The Long and Not So Winding Road, Northwest Arizona

This photo, taken as a memory of where I was, reminds me more so of the journey to.

Destination Sky Bridge!  I was excited as the Sky Bridge had just opened and is quite an amazing structure.  A glass bottom bridge jutting out and over the rim of the Grand Canyon.  This was just too cool to pass up, and coupled with my fear of heights I knew it would get my adrenaline going.

I rolled out of Phoenix bright and early, ready to tackle the 8+ hour drive ahead of me.  I usually don't drive long distances solo, but convincing my friends to drive out to a bridge proved to be impossible.  I prepared my Dodge Caliber rental with a portable GPS Navigation system, an iPod, and lots of strawberry flavored water.  My destination was a ranch 10 minutes from the sky bridge along a dirt road.

In addition to my GPS I had a Google map and the directions listed on the ranches webpage.  So feeling confident in my abilities I drove hard and fast.  Peddle to the Metal.  Going through cities and major highways I was cruisin'.  I had gone through one gas tank and was halfway through another, so I pulled over for gas.  That proved to be my first life saver.

Had I not pulled over to fill up, which I considered waiting to do, I would have run out of gas in the desert.  That gas station turned out to be the last bastion of civilization that I would see until returning too it on the way home.  Pressing forward I started losing the signal on my cell phone.

The picture above is the road just past the gas station.  It marks the beginning, my journey into oblivion.  Technology all around me started to fail.  My cell phone had no signal.  My GPS repeatedly told me to make a U Turn.  My iPod remained as my only link to the 21st century.  My paper map told me to continue on this path and so I did.

The path through the desert is straight.  No turns.  Not even a gentle weave.  It was an arrow, straight and narrow.  No sign of life, save for herds of cattle.  No road signs.  No friendly Sky Bridge This Way.  The road was straight yet uncertain.

I admit I was afraid.  My GPS didn't really know where it was going.  I didn't know if the Google map knew where it was going.  I didn't know where I was going.  All I knew is that the gas station I passed was now far far away and if I didn't keep going forward I would never make it by sunset, and the thought of spending the night in the desert was not a pleasant one.

Finally I found my sign.  A right turn onto a dirt road.  A windy, dirt road.  By this time the sun was beginning to set.  It was a race against the sun.  I started driving like a rally racer, darting in and out of turns.  Kicking up dust as my back tires slid across the dirt.  I sped along until I finally came to a ranch house.  I was relieved as the sun was 10 minutes from setting.

I entered the property and found a staff member.  I showed her my reservation and she very clearly pointed out that this was not where I was staying.  She explained that the ranch I wanted was another 30 minutes down the road and that I couldn't miss it.  So back my car I went.

I sat in the car and watched as the sun set over the horizon.  This was uncomfortable and dangerous.  I slowly started back on the road, trying not to lose my trail.  Their were moments when I didn't know which way to go, or where I had been.  I pressed on for 40 minutes, which turned into 50 minutes.  I found an airport, in the middle of the desert!  But no ranch.  I was stopped by airport security and asked what I was doing there so late.  I explained my situation and was told I missed the turn off.  "Look for the end of the fence and a big patch of land with all the trees cleared.  Follow that road."  Great.

I found the turn off and continued down this new road which was more bump than dirt.  I swear this is the most excitement that Dodge Caliber had ever felt.  I passed by what looked like a miniature town.  It had no signs, but I took a gamble.  I found a bunch of cowboys hanging around by the corral.  They confirmed that I was in fact in the right place, but the head cowboy explained that they had no more reservations that night.  He then cracked a smile.  He was joking...  Perfect time for it.

He took me along to the woman in charge of bookings and she got me all squared away.  The following day was spent in a helicopter, a boat, a bus, and walking on the Sky Bridge.  A trip not to be forgotten, and a lesson learned "If your heading into the desert, you can never leave too early."

Greg Inda

World Class Traveler (though you may call me Sky Walker)

-Picture was shot at ISO 100 1/800 f/6.3 (I was in landscape mode and didn't know any better)

-For more information on visiting the Sky Bridge visit http://www.destinationgrandcanyon.com/skywalk.html

-To see more of my photography visit www.flickr.com/photos/trefrog66