Greetings from Grand Canyon National Park

I have wonderful memories of the Grand Canyon. In 1939, the first time I saw it, I was as a girl of 12, coming from the big city of Chicago, IL, visiting on a car trip with my family. I could not believe the view up the Canyon to the Lower Falls. I remember still, the Changing light, playing on the Canyon walls, showing its glowing colors and the texture of the rocks, the layers, and the promontories. I vowed that some day I would return. After college, I returned and participated in a 21 day trip down the Colorado River, from Lee’s Ferry, through the Grand Canyon to Lake Meade, on a rubber raft type boat with a group, led by Georgie White. There are many stories to relate, like the time we dove and swam at Veysies Paradise, slept under the stars in our sleeping bags next to the rushing river, a campfire evening in a cave, hiking up bluff to Anasazi Ruins Since then I have visited many times and brought each one of my three children and an occasional one of their friends. They were all escorted down and up the Bright Angel Trail by my husband, Gene Bondar, on separate trips, as they matured into their teen-age years. National Parks are, literally, a marvelous resource for our citizens and people of the world. They bring to life, for your whole body, mind, and soul, an experience of actually safely, interacting with the wonders of the world that you hear about, that you may read about in Books, magazines, that you may see on TV, or in the movies. History, Geology, Nature, Ecology, living Animals, Astronomy and much more involve you and become part of your life. You have a choice as to the extent and depth of your participation. For the Grand Canyon alone, you find that:

• Whether you view the Grand Canyon from one or more of of the dozens of viewing points; *Visit park headquarters; *Hike on one of the many trails such as the Bright Angel trail, down and up; *Go down the Colorado River on a boating raft for one or more days: *Participate in a guided walking tour or mule train: *Camp out, or stay at the lodge; These are adventures that have become part of your being forever! You ask yourself questions, like, who were the first people to come here, to live here, to hunt, mine, or fish, or garden? Who were the first explorers? How did the river cut so deeply, through so many layers of frock and earth? What stories and treasures are part of each layer? This is only one 59 parks in our National Park System! These parks are our pride and joy!
  They show the world that we know how to treasure and share a world Wide Heritage.

Sincerely,
Elsa Bondar