We got up at 7:30 and made coffee. Art and I went out to get muffins and bananas for our breakfast at The Coffee Shop and Roughrider Saloon.
The freshly baked muffins were really great, by the way.
We went to the Visitors Center.
I loved watching the ranger give the park oath to children who were becoming Junior Rangers.
They promised to learn and experience everything they could and to share their knowledge after they left the parks.
Mom wanted a calendar she saw of the canyons national parks so we were very happy to get it for her.
She wanted to remember everything she'd experienced so far.
There was something about that north rim of the Grand Canyon that really appealed to mom.
It may have been the clearer views of the canyons.
It may have been the lack of crowds and more peaceful feeling.
We stopped at Point Imperial and Roosevelt Point where the views were really stunning!
However, what I really think mom enjoyed were our stops to photograph all the wildflowers we saw.
I don't know what these were.
I knew what these were because I'd seen photos of them at the Visitors Center.
I'm not positive this is an aster.
I've loved lupins ever since I saw them in Canada many years ago.
We did see this Penstemon everywhere we traveled on this trip.
There were also beautiful and interesting insects to photograph. Art found this pink grasshopper. I've NEVER seen a pink grasshopper before.
We read somewhere that the bison (or are these buffalo?) were becoming a problem at the park because they were eating up a lot of the vegetation.
There was road construction on the way back to St. George which delayed our travel a bit.
And then suddenly...
Would you believe?
An e-mail popped up on my cellphone.
It was a message from American Airlines asking if I'd lost a piece of luggage.
They were writing to the e-mail I had on our missing carry-on's tag. Neither Hawaiian nor American has access to that e-mail.
We could not believe it!
We couldn't call American because we lost reception then, but I sent an e-mail to them which I hoped would transmit as soon as there was any sort of connection. It was Friday and they were probably no longer at work.
Art called Hawaiian Airlines to alert them to this development because it was still the middle of the day in Honolulu. Hawaiian said we should handle it ourselves since American would probably prefer working directly with us.
We arrived in St. George. Sheesh! It was still HOT!
Once in St. George, I remembered that I'd taken a photo of our luggage at the start of our trip. I always do since we'd lost our luggage (for just a day) in the Netherlands a long time ago.
I sent that photo to American Airlines. Art called Baggage Claim in Las Vegas. They were a LOT more proactive. I sent them the e-mail American Airlines had sent us along with the photo and they said they would take care of things. However, it was the weekend so it looked like nothing could be done until we returned to Hawaii anyway.
We kept our fingers crossed.
The freshly baked muffins were really great, by the way.
We went to the Visitors Center.
I loved watching the ranger give the park oath to children who were becoming Junior Rangers.
They promised to learn and experience everything they could and to share their knowledge after they left the parks.
Mom wanted a calendar she saw of the canyons national parks so we were very happy to get it for her.
She wanted to remember everything she'd experienced so far.
There was something about that north rim of the Grand Canyon that really appealed to mom.
It may have been the clearer views of the canyons.
It may have been the lack of crowds and more peaceful feeling.
We stopped at Point Imperial and Roosevelt Point where the views were really stunning!
However, what I really think mom enjoyed were our stops to photograph all the wildflowers we saw.
I don't know what these were.
I knew what these were because I'd seen photos of them at the Visitors Center.
The color and markings on the flax were really beautiful.
I've loved lupins ever since I saw them in Canada many years ago.
We did see this Penstemon everywhere we traveled on this trip.
We read somewhere that the bison (or are these buffalo?) were becoming a problem at the park because they were eating up a lot of the vegetation.
There was road construction on the way back to St. George which delayed our travel a bit.
And then suddenly...
Would you believe?
An e-mail popped up on my cellphone.
It was a message from American Airlines asking if I'd lost a piece of luggage.
They were writing to the e-mail I had on our missing carry-on's tag. Neither Hawaiian nor American has access to that e-mail.
We could not believe it!
We couldn't call American because we lost reception then, but I sent an e-mail to them which I hoped would transmit as soon as there was any sort of connection. It was Friday and they were probably no longer at work.
Art called Hawaiian Airlines to alert them to this development because it was still the middle of the day in Honolulu. Hawaiian said we should handle it ourselves since American would probably prefer working directly with us.
We arrived in St. George. Sheesh! It was still HOT!
Once in St. George, I remembered that I'd taken a photo of our luggage at the start of our trip. I always do since we'd lost our luggage (for just a day) in the Netherlands a long time ago.
I sent that photo to American Airlines. Art called Baggage Claim in Las Vegas. They were a LOT more proactive. I sent them the e-mail American Airlines had sent us along with the photo and they said they would take care of things. However, it was the weekend so it looked like nothing could be done until we returned to Hawaii anyway.
We kept our fingers crossed.
Another great day in the southwest. The wildflowers are so pretty. That's good news about your luggage.
ReplyDeleteDenise
An English Girl Rambles
My step-daughter, her husband, and four kids had lost luggage on a trip to Paris. The whole pile never left the Atlanta airport apparently. I think that grand daughter, who was 17 at the time, did not mind a big shopping spree in Paris, so she saw the bright side.
ReplyDeleteWe really liked the north rim of the Grand Canyon--so much more peaceful.
It was mom's favorite place on the whole trip.
DeleteI could not have named many of those flowers, but they are beautiful to see. The pink grasshopper is really unique. I'm sure you were thrilled to at least get news about your lost bag.
ReplyDeleteArt and I always have fun checking the Internet to find out the names of wildflowers that we find on our trips.
DeleteOh, that is wonderful news about the luggage. I hesitated to ask any more, since you hadn't mentioned it again, but I am thrilled you were finally reunited with your luggage. I love the Grand Canyon pictures, it brings my visit there right back to me. And the wildflowers are great! Pink grasshopper? That's really weird! :-)
ReplyDeleteArt researched it and found that the pink grasshoppers are rare because predators can find them fast.
DeleteI think the pink grasshopper got a sunburn! So, it seems your suitcase is still packed and ready for your next trip. Never thought of putting an email address on a luggage tag. DrumMajor
ReplyDeleteIt was my daughter who gave me that idea. She never puts the address on the outside since she'd read that burglars check luggage tags to see who will be out of town.
DeleteI honestly thought your luggage would be long gone.
ReplyDeleteI cannot get over that pink grasshopper! Can't wait to hear about the lost luggage!
ReplyDeleteI read all your posts on this trip – you have some excellent photos – what a great trip you had. I enlarged all your photos as they were so colorful. Good news about your luggage and I hope everything was in it.
ReplyDeleteOooops! I'm sorry I have to reduce the resolution on all my photos so that if you enlarge them too much, they'll be extremely grainy. I'm so happy you enjoyed the photos!
DeleteWe were happy about the luggage then, but things were still rather up in the air... nothing was guaranteed yet. American wanted even more confirmation and the Las Vegas luggage claim was having a difficult time reclaiming it for us. When we got back to Hawaii I sent American several more photos and our address, phone number, etc. before they sent it to us.
American and Hawaiian are partner airlines so perhaps your gate checkin carryon hopped on an American Airlines flight. There could be some crossover of passengers due to overbookings between the airlines and your luggage may have gotten caught at one of those times. I never thought of taking pictures of our luggage with our cellphones...good idea.
ReplyDeleteL...w
I have also now printed out several copies of our contact information (address, phone numbers, e-mails to be put INSIDE our suitcases. I'm also going to take photos of all our luggage and have them printed as hard copies so I can leave them at Baggage Claim if this happens again. Art says maybe then it won't happen again.
DeleteSo much more greenery. The North side is just lovely...and yes, I don't see the crowds. I also do the printouts before we leave, but now thanks to you I will also take pictures of the luggage it's self. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI'd have thought your baggage was gone for ever. What a nice surprise. Did not know so many wild flowers grew there. Just lovely. Pink grasshopper??
ReplyDeleteThink I would like the less crowded rim also.
I haven't turned my computer on for eight days. Can you believe it? We've been doing a little traveling ourselves. Now, I see you are on day 10 of your Grand Canyon trip. I have some catching up to do!
ReplyDeleteHanging fire until I learn if and when you got your luggage back.
ReplyDeleteLupine is my favorite. Blue is rare in flowers, so that is why I like them so much.
what beautiful photos. Love your flowers and thank you for the names! And loved the pink grasshopper.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your visit, Judy. I just saw your photostream and you are an awesome photographer.
Delete