The Colorado River Runs Through the Grand Canyon
After twenty-five years exploring this planet's wonders, I had never seen perhaps the greatest of them all--the Grand Canyon.
With Adam's bachelor party in Las Vegas, Nevada, it was an easy decision to hire a helicopter to tour the Grand Canyon. Adam, Josh, Matt, and I had never been to the Canyon before, and what better way to see it for the first time than from the heavens?

So on the Summer Solstise of the year 2002, the four bachelors boarded the helicopter and took off from the outskirts of McCarran Airport. Matt, Josh, and Adam--all chopper virgins--were blown away by the smooth flying style of the aircraft. It taxied down the runway a few feet, then exploded like a beast into the air above the strip. The oohs and ahs filled the headphones.
Adam and Josh, getting psyched
We spotted the our hotel for the night (Luxor), the UNLV Thomas & Mack Center, then flew off to the Grand Canyon . . .
The Luxor
The UNLV Thomas and Mack center
Memories of Phish were strong on the trip, as my only other visits to Vegas centered around the arena above.
Grand Canyon Aerial 1
Grand Canyon Aerial 2
The red chopper cruised past the stunning Hoover Dam, below, past the largest manmade lake in the world (Lake Mead), and then headed into the Canyon entrance. Awe-inspiring, the cliffs shooting up a mile on either end of the Colorado River. Wow.
The Damn Hoover Dam
Adam, Matt, Josh by the Chopper
Adam Walkin' 'Round
Adam, above, scouts the landing site.
After a 45-minute cruise into Arizona, we dipped down onto a landing site rented from the Native Americans. Our pilot provided some snacks and beverages, and the four or us wandered the area for a half an hour. The venture into Arizona marked my 37th state visited. Thirteen more to go.
The flora and faura by the landing site was remarkable, with the sheer variety of cactii amazing Adam and Josh above. (He's not doing what it looks like he's doing.) A furry chipmunk evaded my camera, and we never were able to spot any of the larger animals in the area--mountain goats and whatnot.

The gang by the Chopper

lookin' cool, right?

Back in the top-floor Luxor jacuzzi suite, Adam irons his
shirt in preparation for the big Vegas night ahead. He also
prepares for married life, less than 48 hours away.
Adam Preparing for Married Life