I just spent a week riding around daily in Grand Canyon National Park. All at the South Rim. From Mather Point to the end of the road at Hermit's Rest; and then a little further along the dirt road to the picnic benches at the very edge of the Canyon. You can go a little further than this pictured spot, but its going to be straight down. The
average drop off the lip is 4000 feet. And yes that picnic table is on the very edge. I stayed on this side of it. the next day I was back with a burrito for lunch and the wind was so strong from behind I had to strap my helmet to my backpack to keep it from blowing away. Weather report said 30 mph steady and 50 mph gusts but I think they were over 60.
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There is a foot trail that rides the lip of the South Rim that very seldom has a railing. This is one of the few spots that does.
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Everyone has seen pictures of the Grand Canyon. But if you haven't actually seen it with your own eyes, The sheer size of it does not register via a picture. Everyone who was there for the first time said this. What you see literally doesn't look real until you take it in and accept what you're seeing Some spots are as much as 6000 feet deep, down from where you're standing.
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This time of year, passenger vehicle traffic is not permitted. The only traffic are park shuttle buses that run about every 15 minutes. So you mostly own the road and ride down the middle of it. Helpful because you are looking at the view as much as you are looking where you are going and having a safety cushion is a plus (remember... no railings). This time of year, I had the place to myself as often as not. this is a turnout that would ordinarily be packed with tourists. I walked out into the middle of the road to take this pic. Nothing here but the view, me, the bike and the sound of the wind.
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Along the Hermits Rest route, there is a greenway/shared path along part of the route. There's no way a bike can run on the pedestrian-only trail that runs along the lip of the canyon. You'd be insane to even try it at analog speeds. Here in the USA we often decry the fact we have a society that wants to bubble-wrap us. Well... not at GCNP. Park benches are right at the freaking lip. And if you stumble off the trail... Sayonara. I have friends who live in the area and they say they see local news stories all the time of dumbasses who screw up and go into the Canyon. Here's an example. This is *exactly* what it looks like: A runway straight to the edge (note the bench to sit on at the right side). With a helpful bit of advice on not riding your way to that bench. I kid you not it is straight f**king down just past those stones at the end of the pavement.
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STRAIGHT down.
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I was tent camping there for the week (last day there it snowed a little; nights were cold and I had to let the sun be up for a bit to ensure I charged above freezing temps). No plug-in electricity. So how do you do an ebike when there is no 'e'?
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