The Breakfast Club, Special Edition
An Affiliate of the
Planes,
Trains, Automobiles, Buses, and Shoe leather
Breakfast Club Overnights at Grand
Canyon/El Tovar Lodge
24 Sept 04
by Warren McIlvoy
It was exactly one year ago to this weekend, that the Breakfast Club
traveled to the Grand Canyon, North Rim, for a stay at the North Rim
Lodge. This year, the Breakfast
Club did the
Planes
The weekend got off to a roaring start with an early Friday morning departure
from
Cars
The "airport limo"
turned-out to be almost that, it was a late model Infinity. I must admit that I
was not quite ready for that and I can not recall ever actually sitting in one,
but it sure was fitting for such a "high roller" like myself. It was about a 6 mile drive into town and George
gave us instructions on how to find the Grand Canyon Railroad station.
Following George's instructions made finding the train station a snap as we
drove into the cul-da-sac to unload our bags and then
park the car in the parking lot across the street. I
had to fight the urge to lock the car and leave the key in it even if they were
out of sight. It was about 0845.
Trains
Check-in time for the train was 0900 and as you would imagine, things were
quite busy in the station. When it was my turn at the window, the clerk gave me
all of our tickets for the train, bus tour, restaurant meal tickets and
boarding times. Since we were staying the night at the El Tovar Hotel, the
clerk gave me two tags to put on our bags and that they would make sure that
they would be at the hotel when we checked-in. The train ride is two hours long
and since we had not yet had breakfast, we opted to try out Max & Thelmas, the railroad restaurant that is right next
door. The clerk told us that there was a "wild west show" at the far
west end of the depot complex that starts at 0915. The show features a street
"shoot-out" between Grand Canyon Railway Marshal, John B. Goodmore (the B stands for "b good or b gone), and the Cataract
Creek Gang. All of the action takes place against a back-drop of an 1880's
western town. After the show, it was time to board our "first
class" coach to begin our ride to the
At this point, I would like to insert some history about the Grand Canyon
Railroad that I borrowed from their web site.
SERVING
THE
"Grand Canyon Railway made its first
journey to the
The Railroad was originally built to transport ore in the Wild West from the
Anita mines, 45 miles north of Williams in the late 1800s. Prospectors flocked
to
Canyon
The
Over the years, the
construction of
Supplies were not the only things carried in trains. Ranching and lumber were
the primary industries of the early 1900s. Ranchers and lumberjacks contracted
with the
Grand Canyon Railway stopped service to
The Railway was reopened for passenger service on September 17, 1989 by owners Max
and Thelma Biegert, eighty-eight years to the day of
the first passenger train to the
In 1989,
"Grand Canyon Railway owners Max Biegert and his
wife Thelma brought an important piece of
opportunity to travel just as those first passengers did in 1901 to the canyon
so appropriately named Grand, " said Railroad
Historian Al Richmond.
Today,
"By traveling aboard Grand Canyon Railway you are not only experiencing an
entertaining and historic journey, you are also doing your part to help
preserve the
pristine beauty of the Grand Canyon," explains W. David Chambers,
Now that you know something about the history of the Grand Canyon Railroad, let me tell you about our experience in the 21st Century. Firstly, you will notice that the floor of the coach as well as the side walls, are all carpeted. Not only does this add to the ambiance, but it also helps to keep the coach very quiet. The seats have a remarkable resemblance to those of an airliner except that they are wider (I needed that). There is also considerably more leg room to accommodate even the tallest of passengers. The seats also recline to add a modicum of comfort for those long cross country trips. The back of the seat in front of you has a fold-down tray as well as a foot rest. Each of the coaches has a PSA (passenger service attendant) that is equivalent to a flight attendant. Amber Rose was our PSA for the outbound leg of our journey and Amber had a buoyant personality that contributed to a very pleasant ride. One of the things that I had forgotten about when I had made the reservations, was that the Railroad served a Continental Breakfast during the morning train ride. There was a large bowl of mixed fruit, muffins, assorted Danish, juices, and soft drinks. I'll remember that next time.
The entertainment part of the mornings activities was supplied by Colonel Jim Garvey
who sang an assortment of traditional western songs. These were all available
on a CD that could be purchased in the Club Car for a mere $10.00. As the train
was nearing the Grand Canyon Station, Amber briefed the
passengers about what to expect if: you were just staying for the day and
returning on the afternoon train, staying for the day and taking the bus tour
and returning on the afternoon train, and lastly, if you were staying the night
and returning on another train. In our case, it was the later.
Buses
Unlike the train seats, the seats on the bus were considerably smaller and leg
room was minimal at best. The truly good thing about the bus was that the time
between stops was relatively short. Our first stop was at the Maswik Lodge for our buffet lunch. The buffet
was arranged so that they could accommodate 4 lines that made quick work of the
long lines. Promptly at 1330, the bus was loaded and we were off to explore the
south rim as it stretched west from the village. It has been somewhere around
30 years since I have driven to the south rim and as I recall, you could drive
west on the
The tour bus stopped at two of the overlooks, Trailview
Overlook and Powell Point. At each of the stops, the bus driver
would point out interesting sites in the Canyon and answer questions from the
group. He offered a little bit of history about the people that inhabited the
area dating back to the 11th Century as well as some information the
geologic activities that formed the canyon that we call Grand. At this point
the tour bus returned to the railroad station to off load the folks that would
be returning to Williams on the afternoon train. It was here that we
ascended the 44 steps to the El Tovar
Hotel.
El Tovar Hotel
Described as the architectural crown jewel of the Grand Canyon, this
enchanting hotel, built by the Fred Harvey Company in 1904, is made of
native stone and Oregon pine and fashioned after hunting lodges in
It is said that El Tovar assumed an air of venerable dignity on the day
it opened. Indeed, it still welcomes visitors to a warm hearth and stately
appointments, offering the Canyon's most deluxe accommodations. A recent
refurbishing has allowed El Tovar to offer an even higher standard of
service to its guests, while still retaining its turn-of-the-century ambience.
The hotel has long enjoyed a reputation for genteel hospitality. Years ago, the
celebrated Harvey Girls, outfitted in prim, black dresses with white
aprons and collars, set the standard for courteous and attentive service. All
rooms have a full bath/shower, color television, and telephones. Some suites
offer magnificent views of the Canyon. No pets. Call (303) 29PARKS.
The famous El Tovar Dining Room delights the palate with fine regional
cuisine. The intimate El Tovar Lounge enchants guests after sunset, and El
Tovar Gift Shop is one of the finest in the park, offering mementos and
gifts.
Our room 6454, was on the second floor but did not
have a view of any part of the Canyon (by the way, all of the rooms started
with the prefix of 64). Our outside view was that of a behind-the-scenes
service area where vehicles would park. So much for a Canyon view. But
remember, you're at the
After getting settled in our room, we changed
clothes for our 5:30 dinner reservation but it was a bit early so we chose to
meet with Paul Fortune and to sit on the north veranda and enjoy the
changing moods of the Canyon as the sun began to set in the west. The photos
that one would take during the periods of the high sun are great but those that
you see in the magazines are usually taken as the sun sets. The deep shadows
and muted sun light gives the Canyon an entirely different kaleidoscope of
colors and tones. I guess that I have viewed the Canyon on more than two dozen
occasions in my life time, both from above and at rim level, and I am still
awed by the panoramic vista that is being played-out before our very eyes as
the sun performs it's daily ritual on the formations
below us.
As we entered the dinning room, we
were seated in an adjacent room that featured a sweeping view of the Canyon as
the last rays of the sun danced on the crowns of the spires and mesas. The
ambiance is just what you would expect of the El Tovar. The tables were
set with care and displayed and array of dinning wear and linen napkins. The
service was very good as were the entrees that were prepared and presented with
attention to detail. After dinner, it was back out to the veranda to sit on the
swing and enjoy the cool air. The evening’s entertainment was supplied by
several bats that flew large circles around the hanging ceiling lamp that
illuminated the north entryway. After allowing our dinner to settle, we walked
along the rim trail and noticed the eerie scene as the half moon cast a faint
glow on the near by formations. This was a vista that you will never see in any
magazine. What a way to end a perfect day. It was nearly time to turn-in and
get a good rest because Saturday morning, Paul and I were going to get
up close and personal with the Canyon's hiking trails. While returning to our
respective rooms, we stopped at the front desk to inquire about why all of the
rooms started with the "64" prefix. Veronica and Nadia were
the evening desk attendants but they did not know why the hotel had assigned
that particular prefix. Veronica was from
My wife and I met Paul in the same dinning
room for breakfast and we were seated in the same area only this time, right in
front of the window. And like the evening meal, the breakfast entrees were
handled with the same level of care as was the previous evening's selections.
The panoramic windows provided a ring side, or more aptly in this case, a rim
side seat to view the new morning's rays as the Canyon took on yet a different
mood. After a good breakfast, it was back up to our room to change into our
hiking gear.
Shoe Leather.
The Bright Angel Trail begins about
200-yards west of the El Tovar Hotel. The Kolb Brothers Studio
marks the actual point where the trail begins it's meandering down the face of
the South Rim of the Canyon. At several points there are signs warning
the novice hiker that the need for water is a must and that one needs to keep
in mind that "what ever goes down, must come up". The trail
for the most part, is wide enough to easily accommodate the multitude of hikers
that pass each other as some are just beginning their downward trek as others
are nearing the end of a strenuous journey. In many places, the trail has a
"stair-step" appearance as the Park Service has constructed
these "steps" to help prevent erosion. In other places, the center of
the trail is depressed as it apparently shows the effects of nearly 100-years
of hikers and mule train wear.
At a point a little more than a
quarter of a mile down the trail, we come upon the first of two tunnels that
were cut into the vertical rock slabs that would have halted the trail's
descent. It was at about the 1-mile mark that we took our first rest and
picked-out the most comfortable rock that we could sit on. Traffic on the trail
was fairly heavy in both directions and we would greet the hikers with a
pleasant "good morning". It took maybe another 20 minutes to reach
the second tunnel where, after some serious consideration (about 5-seconds
worth), we felt that this was far enough as we had to be back at the El
Tovar by 1100 in order to check-out. We did make arrangements with the
front desk to get a 1200 check-out time but we wanted to get back with time to
allow for some "personal regeneration".
As we began the ascent up the Bright Angel Trail, it became apparent
very early on that rest periods would come in much shorter spacings
than we used on the way down. Five to eight minute segments of climbing were
spaced by 3 to 5-minute rest periods to allow my heart rate to drop back down
to something less than a rivet-gun pace. The water bottle that I had carried
down proved it's worth during the exhausting hike back
to the rim level. The "rule of thumb" for the trail hikes is to allow
twice as much time for the hike up as you used for the trip down. When Paul and
I arrived at the Kolb Studio, the elapsed time for the ascent was equal
to the time used for the descent. Not to bad for an old, out of shape, old
fart. However, my legs hurt for two days following that experience.
Speaking of the Kolb Studio, as long as we were here, we decided to
investigate this attraction that is now a museum. The lumber frame building is
almost three stories high and is rather amazing as it is constructed on the down
slope of the South Rim. As I recall, the studio is almost a hundred
years old and was the home of the Kolb brothers as they lead hikers and
rafters on tours of the
After leaving the Kolb Studio, we strode along the rim trail back to the
El Tovar to finish our packing, change clothes, and anything else involved
in checking-out by 1200. We left our two bags with the hotel bell folks who, in
turn, would make sure that they would be shuttled to the train station. After
actually checking-out, the three of us decided to retire to the swing on the
north side veranda of the hotel and to absorb the Canyon views. By 1230, Paul
was ready to call the shuttle to get him to the
Trains, Again
At 1515, it was time to return to the train station for the afternoon train
back to Williams. We boarded the same car and settled into the same seat
that we had on Friday morning. There were some differences on the return ride
in that we had a different passenger service attendant and the mixed drinks
were of a new variety. There was also a tray of assorted cheeses and crackers
along with a veggie plate. As we neared Williams, the train stopped to
pick-up the "villainess train robbers". They made their way
through the train cars picking-up their booty (actually tips from the
passengers) but in the end, they were "captured" by the heroic Marshall
John B. Goodmore. A bit further down the tracks
and it was time to break-out the free
After exiting the train, we gathered our bags from the rack on the platform and
headed across the street to the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel. As you might
have expected, the lobby was crowded with arriving train passengers who had the
same plans that we had. Our spacious room was on the second floor and in
reality, was much nicer that at the El Tovar but it lacked the history
and charm of the grand ole rim hotel. After changing clothes, we walked down
the stairs and across the street to Max & Thelmas
for our evening buffet meal that was part of the train package. The evening
buffet had a separate salad bar with a wide assortment of offerings as did the
entree table. Following our dinner, we strode back to the hotel and headed to
our room. We were dog tired after a strenuous day of hiking and sightseeing and
upon entering our room, we just pulled down the bed
covers and got comfy to watch the boob tube.
On Sunday morning, we again walked over the Max & Thelmas
for breakfast that was also included in the package. This time we selected the
buffet which offered the usual assortment of entrees with Danish pastries and a
variety of fresh fruits. After breakfast, it was back to the hotel to finish
packing and to check out. I went down to the parking lot to reposition the car
so that I would not have to carry our bags for such a long distance but the car
was not there. Apparently George needed it for some other transient
airport traffic. I called him on my cell phone and he said that he would be
there in about 30 minutes. We moved our gear out to the curb in the cul-de-sac
that is between the hotel and the train station and shortly, George
pull-up in his personal car as all of the loaners were in use. At the airport, George
stopped in front of our aircraft so that we could off-load our gear and then
perform the pre-flight duties. We then walked over to the terminal building to
make one last "pit stop" and to pay for the tie-down but George
said that it was not necessary. We thanked George for all of his
hospitality and assistance.
I departed on runway 35 as there was just a slight breeze out of the north and
there fewer hills to dodge after take-off. Our ride home was only 50 minutes
and smooth as glass and all to soon, our weekend was
over.
Some observations about this event
I believe that the Grand Canyon Railroad did an outstanding job and the
package deals just add to the overall experience. The first-class coach is
truly enjoyable and you will not have to get breakfast before departing Williams.
The bus tour and lunch was OK as we had not toured the south rim for many years
but most likely would not repeat it because we have now seen the Canyon. You
can take the free shuttle from the rim village to points further west than
where the bus tour goes. The El Tovar is..........well, the El Tovar.
It is a 100 year old hotel with all of the accompanying charm and history. The
ambiance is worth the visit and the restaurant service and food was very
enjoyable. The Grand Canyon is.........like the El Tovar,
the
BTW, for those who have not figured-out the reason for the "64"
prefix to all of the rooms at the El Tovar, I will now enlighten you. It
seems that all of the buildings in the rim village had numbers assigned to
them. The El Tovar is #64. Therefore, if your room number is 6425, that
signifies that you are in building #64 and room 25. See how easy that was.
Click on the Grand
Canyon/El Tovar link to view photos of this fly-in event.