3AM In Red Rock Country

Reflections From A Series of Southwest National Park Visits

Each day I was out in the American southwest in December 2022, I had 21 Savages “3 AM In Glenwood” on. The song is about 21’s triumph over adversity and his experiences with survivor’s guilt. Despite these guilt trips, he perseveres and continues to win for those who couldn’t make it to the top with him. I’m happy that a good friend joined me on this trip.

I spent a week visiting the area and was based in Vegas. In this piece, I will break down one memorable visit to the Grand Canyon through several lyrics from “3 AM In Glenwood” as the header. So many lines from that song accurately captured my mood and actions during this unforgettable trip. So with 21’s help, I will share what the Grand Canyon taught me about friendship, being brave, and the tourism industry.

“I Get Rid Of All The Smoke Like Ozium”

It was an unforgettably cloudy day on the way there. My friend and I were in the front seats of a bus to one of the most beloved national parks in the country, the Grand Canyon. I had the 21 Savage song on for most of the ride there.

Our tour guide’s jokes were average at best, but my friend and I were cracking up. Pun after pun about the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, and the different animals we saw on the side of our bus were landing at different and off times throughout the ride. She wore this strange costume as well.

Suddenly the clouds cleared away like smoke blowing away after a fire. I could instantly see the valley to the canyon. Behind me, I heard people straighten their backs in their seats to get a better view of the changed landscape around us. I also could hear people wake up, yawn, and exasperate little “wows” and “do you see that?” pointing at lonely bighorn sheep and far-off pine trees.

After a quick bathroom break, we headed towards the canyon. Once we were exposed to it, the red rocks spread as far as the eyes could see. It was absolutely marvelous. I had never seen anything so vast and unspeakably beautiful in person before. Up to this point, the Grand Canyon was something on my bucket list. Now, it was turning into a newly created memory.

“Think My Heart Made Out Of Teflon, Think My Heart Bulletproof”

I stopped going on trips with my girlfriends years ago. This was mostly because I didn’t have girlfriends long enough to go on costly trips like these. Instead, I enlisted my guy friends from a plethora of rankings: best friends, friends, close associates, dudes I met at a party once, etc. This league of extraordinary gentlemen would be my travel mates for the foreseeable future.

On this trip, my friend Noel would do.

Of course, he was more than an excellent travel mate; he was one of my closest friends since college. In fact, we went to high school and middle school together but didn’t connect until our freshmen year of university. I can’t remember exactly what event initiated this change, but it happened very early on, in September or October.

This friend worked in California at the time for a federal agency and had a few days off. After bringing up all of the cool things I’d do and places I’d see in and around Vegas, he couldn’t say anything but yes. He had lived in Vegas before, but with my itinerary, he would see the history and depth of the city for the first time.

“Trials And Tribulations, I Face Them”

We were on a full-day tour of the canyon and had one section of the canyon dedicated to meals and independent exploration. We, of course, opted for the second option. At one point, I even feared I would fall off the face of a cliff.

I’m getting ahead of myself, though. Let me rewind.

Once our tour guide gave us the places we could and could not venture into at this new canyon section, we were let off the bus. She also pointed ahead towards a small eatery and patio area where we could eat and overlook the canyon.

“Are you hungry?” Noel asked.

“Nope, I’m still full from breakfast,” I stated.

“Yeah, me too. Let’s get in some pictures over there and head to that rocky mountain,” Noel suggested.

“Hell yeah, deal,” I affirmed.

After getting in the front of the line, we posed like badasses on the cliff's edge. With the canyon in all of its expansive beauty behind us, we looked like some fearless explorers ready to take on the next frontier.

That wasn’t too far off from the truth.

As we approached the mountains, my throat started to dry up. The height of this rocky configuration was much more intimidating than when I was on the bus. It helped to talk our way up the mountain. I dealt with the tough experience head-on and made some serious judgment calls every step of the way. At one point, a lady was walking towards us, on her way down, with two younger ladies supporting her. She was panting, clearly out of breath, and showing extreme signs of fatigue and shock. My throat went back to drying up.

Midway through our climb, my knee started bothering me. I definitely need to get that checked out, but today was not the day. Each step felt like a muscle in my leg was getting pulled to its limit. My spirits raised a bit when I saw a kid jump past me, hopping from one rock to another, getting higher in altitude. He was smiling the whole time and heading towards his family up at the top. *Well then*, I thought, “If this kid could do it, so can we!”.

After pushing through the pain, we plunged through the final meters and made it to the mountain’s zenith.

“Wow, look at us!” I screamed.

“Who would’ve thought, right?” Noel agreed.

“Hahah, right!” I laughed.

We took a bunch of photos at that time, posing like we were the kings of the world. Asking for this and that angle, we showed off just how high we were and the heavenly view from our position. Birds are so entirely lucky to see the world from this view on a permanent basis. Everything below looks so much more simple, so organized, so small.

“Look At My Advance, It Make Me Wonder, What I Make Them?”

One of the attractions at the same spot was a market for Hualapai products. The native people of the land get a fair share of the profits thanks to a 1940 Supreme Court decision and majority ownership of the western rim of the Grand Canyon.

We got a little bit of a history lesson on the political and war history of the area from our tour guide upon request. It was amazing to hear about what the Hualapai went through to secure this territory and then see them firsthand.

My friend and I had a sweet conversation with one guy we bought some items from. I got a beaded bracelet, while my friend got necklaces for his mother. They were handmade and showcased the attention to detail from the guy.

I haven’t done the research yet, but I always wondered, what was the split of the tour revenue from the Grand Canyon year to year??

If you counted the guided tour we were on, the hotels we stayed at, the gift shops before you enter the canyon, and plane rides into the area, who’s really profiting off of the land?

Although the Hualapai technically own the section of the canyon we visited, I think it’s Americans who reap the greatest financial rewards from the legendary canyon.

“I Don’t Wanna Make Friends, I Don’t Wanna Make Amends”

I have a lot of friends, but I don’t see them as much as I should. I’ve been changing that in the last year or so, but this trip was a proud moment of vacation bonding.

Occasionally, I also schedule calls and meet up with friends weeks, if not months, in advance. It’s the cost of adulthood.

Some of my favorite moments with my friends include those moments where they are down for the craziest of plans, like spending a week in Vegas and taking day trips out to local national parks. Noel is one of those friends.

And with friends like these, who needs more?

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