After our trip to Arizona for Spring Training back in March, we had another trip planned to San Diego to attend the wedding of my previous boss. Since it fell on one of our 3 day weekends we decided to spend the whole weekend down there. We drove down there on Friday and decided to hit up the zoo after checking into our hotel. Lance and I both hadn't been to the zoo in at least 10+ years so we were both excited to check it out. We were a little bummed that the polar bear exhibit didn't open for another week, but we still had a great time checking out all the other animals. Here are some of the pictures from our day at the zoo. 
Rally monkeys!!
Don't wake a sleeping tiger!
The San Diego Zoo has a ride that is just like the old Disneyland ride the sky buckets! My sisters and I went to Disneyland and rode the buckets on the last day before they closed the ride forever. We loved the buckets! Needless to say, when I got to the zoo and discovered they had a ride that was just like Disney's buckets I was super excited! The only thing it was missing was traveling through the Matterhorn!
Rally monkeys!!Don't wake a sleeping tiger!The San Diego Zoo has a ride that is just like the old Disneyland ride the sky buckets! My sisters and I went to Disneyland and rode the buckets on the last day before they closed the ride forever. We loved the buckets! Needless to say, when I got to the zoo and discovered they had a ride that was just like Disney's buckets I was super excited! The only thing it was missing was traveling through the Matterhorn!
We both had such a great time at the zoo. We can't wait to go back. We had absolutely perfect weather and since it was a Friday there weren't a bazillion kiddos. We both worked at Disneyland for years and years so we have no desire to go to places that are hot with a bazillion kids!
Love,
Suzanne
The picture above is the new bridge they are building to take you over the Hoover Dam instead of through it. It's supposed to cut down on the time it takes to get from the Arizona side to the Nevada side. I'm glad I was able to drive through the old way before they opened this bridge. Since these pictures were taken 6 months ago, I think this bridge is now open!
This is a cave we got to go hike in. It was extremely hot in there. We all had to carry flashlights because it was very dark as we continued back. The pictures we took in the back of the cave didn't come out since the camera kept fogging up.
We saw some amazingly beautiful sites on this tour. The rocks, the water, it was all totally awesome!
The day we picked to go kayaking was the most perfect day ever. The weather was perfect and we didn't have any wind.
The water was like glass! Thank goodness because we had to kayak 16 miles from start to finish, so if we would have had a lot of wind, it would have made the trip a little tougher than we wanted it to be!
This is the emerald cave. It's in commercials, and print ads and was one of the coolest parts of the tour. There is something about where the cave is positioned, and the position of the sun, it makes the water green!
So so so beautiful!
This is definitely a bridge I wouldn't want to walk on! Our guide said this bridge was built back when the Hoover Dam was being built and this is how the workers got from one point to the other......no thank you!
Lance had the camera almost the whole 16 miles so when I finally was able to steal it from him I took a picture of him! 
There he goes leaving me in the dust. I think it was pay back for paddling ahead of him the whole time. You sure do paddle a lot faster when you don't have a camera in your hands! :)
LOL These look like the same picture! Oh well, they are pretty!
Here are some sights as we head down the mountain.
On our way down we had to keep stepping over donkey poop and yet I still had not seen any donkeys! Then we had to move out of the way for these guys. 
Well, there aren't many pictures of the trip back up the canyon. For a few reasons. One, we took a lot on the way down, and the way back up is all the same scenery. Two, it's stinking hard to climb back out of the canyon. You're at 7ooo feet and the air is THIN up there! It's very steep and every time we stopped we were pretty much just trying not to die.
When we got back up to the top we celebrated! :)
We had a great time on our hike. And now that I've done the 3 mile loop I can't wait to go further down next time. I was so nervous when we first started out not knowing what to expect. But with the 3 mile loop under my belt, and knowing I can get back up the canyon, we need to start planning for our next trip down! I would love to hike down, spend the night and then hike back up! That sounds like a lot of fun! 
Here I am reading a sign about 2 brother photographers who built their house/photography studio right on the side of the cliff. And there weren't kidding. On the other side of that railing is certain death. I'm pretty sure that's not a house I would want to live in. Gusty winds would make me think we were heading over! I'll post a picture of the house/studio tomorrow.
I would however like to live at the El Tovar! It's set a little further back but still has amazing views. We really wanted to stay at the El Tovar while we were in the GC, but they were all booked. I'm guessing you probably have to make your reservations there many many months if not years in advance!
When we walked out of the El Tovar we saw some deer come straight up the side of the mountain to start eating some of the grass. It was the craziest thing ever! I've never been so close to deer!
And finally, some pictures of us!
I can see why so many people travel to the GC. It's so beautiful. We could have spent hours there just taking it all in.......but we were freezing, so as the sun got closer to setting, it was time for us to head indoors!
I loved April 25, 2009. I had one of the greatest days ever! That day was so full of love and fun I wish I could have bottled all that love up and keep it forever and ever!
