Grand Canyon, Round Two

Our second day at the Grand Canyon National Park began with a semi-private tour by Jeep along a twenty-five mile stretch of the East rim. Our guide took us to the best viewing areas and gave us a non-stop narration about the park's geological, anthropological and sociological history, as well as choice tales about the elk, mountain lions and bears that roam the area. It was well worth the price, and included admission to an IMAX theater film which dramatized much of the same information.
After a late lunch we drove back into the park and resumed our exploration along the west rim. A courtesy bus ride took us to the very end of the park at a place called Hermit's Rest. Because it was a beautiful day, the park was crowded and the buses were packed. On the way back to the parking lot we saw a number of elk along the road, and as we were driving out of the park, we came upon a big male elk standing in the middle of the road. We stopped and he ambled off, a reminder that we were in his territory.