Currently Arizona is the only state in the continental United States that does not observe Daylight Savings Time (Hawaii doesn’t also). However, the large Navajo Reservation does. Imagine the fooling around you have to do with your clock driving around Arizona. Actually, if all goes as planned, I will be driving around Arizona soon. Chandler and I plan to attend the last Angels spring training game in Tempe and then we hope to go camping and hiking in the Grand Canyon.
Chandler has a fascination with the Grand Canyon I would like to get him close to. Find out what it’s all about. Recently, in an assignment for school regarding things the students would like to do, one of the things Chandler wrote down was to take a motorcycle trip to the Grand Canyon with me when he’s old enough for a license. I was flattered and excited. (Can you rent motorcycles?) So I surprised him with this trip idea over his spring holiday. I figured we could get acquainted with the park so we would have a better idea what we wanted to do and see when we return as “wild hogs” in a few years.
To accommodate the spring training game, however, I realized we would be gone over Easter. It’s early this year: March 31. After initially thinking I would cancel this idea in favor of maintaining Easter traditions at home, I had second thoughts when Marti said she was willing to forego tradition for Chandler to have this opportunity. (She’s the one in our family most committed to tradition, so if she says go, that means go.) Then I thought of what it would be like to watch the sun rise over the Grand Canyon on Easter Sunday. That’s about the grandest Easter Sunrise Service I can think of. You will be hearing about this, I’m sure.
Sorry for being so newsy this morning, but this is what I wanted to write about today. Usually, when I write about what is compelling to me, I uncover some deeper significance in the process … something I can share with you … some universal truth that will apply to us all. Not sure I’m finding that today, except that planning a trip with my son seems pretty significant.
There’s also that thing about Arizona and Daylight Savings Time. With Arizona off DST, I won’t have to change any clocks for this trip. By the way, how many of you have clocks you still haven’t changed yet? I have one on my furnace that will require going online to download the manual, and one in my car that will require digging out that manual, if I still have it. I’m guessing I will get this done by about June sometime.
I love what John wrote us in a comment about my recent DST Catch: “Concerning DST: I read once that an old Native American Chief said, ‘Only Government would think you can cut one foot off one end of blanket and sew it on other end, and make it longer.’”
Obviously that chief was not a Navajo.
John Fischer The Catch 
Fortunately, John, the Grand Canyon is not on the “rez” so you won’t have to change your clocks there. Try Tuba City where they have given EVERYONE the choice to observe DST–or not!
John, I think a trip with Chandler to the Grand Canyon fits perfectly with Easter: An out of the ordinary event bringing new meaning to the present.
Spring Training Heads Up: Caution Chandler that all the “stars” will be on the bench if history holds true … my experience a few years ago. But to steal a Fishing Bumper Sticker line … “The worst day at the Ballpark is better than the best day at the Office.”
John, yes you can rent motorcycles.. When I was living in Arizona just before I moved here last year (Washington), a bunch of us had friend from out of town coming for a memorial ride in honor of my best friends husband who passed. He was an avid biker. Most of the out of towners rented motorcycles for the ride.
As for watching the sun come up on Easter Weekend – I was on a trip to Innsbrook, Switzerland (on a tour bus), and as we starting winding along the road towards Innsbrook, just before dawn, the bus driver put on some gorgeous music, and as we woke up and looked out the windows the sun was just starting to rise. It was the most beautiful sight I have ever seen, and it was Easter Sunday!
You and Chandler will NEVER forget it once you experience it.. What a wonderful thing to be doing with your son… Can’t wait to hear all about it…
Wish you enough
Saskatchewan stays on Standard Time too: ’tis said the extra hour of daylight hurts the crops. (Thank you! I’ll be here all week!)
As an added incentive to get people out to our church and invite friends/newcomers, we marked the switch to Daylight Saving Time by laying on breakfast and doing all Worship all the time that morning. It turned out to be a very anointed and well-received service.
John, twenty three years ago I took my 14 year old son on a similar trip except we did it over Thanksgiving. Our goal was to go to Lincoln, New Mexico to see the Billy the Kid Museum since the movie Young Guns was fresh in our minds. Our first stop was the Grand Canyon, we saw the sunset that evening and sunrise the next morning, it was breath taking. Then we headed for Monument Valley. We arrived at night and got a room at Gouldings Lodge, had dinner and bedded down for the night. When we got up in the morning and walked outside we were under the shadow of a giant Monolith and looked out over the valley, another spectacular site. After driving through the valley we headed for Four Corners and spent a moment in 4 states at the same time. We traveled through Santa Fe to follow the legend of Billy the Kid through Fort Sumner, Lincoln and Ruidoso Downs. We had Thanksgiving dinner in a dinner with all the trimmings, went back to our room and watched Planes Trains and Automobiles. Then off to Carlsbad Caverns, The New Mexico Museum of Space History in Alamogordo then headed for home, Whittier, CA.
The reason I shared this is both my son and I have fond memories of this trip, the car overheating, letting my 14 year old son drive across the desert, discovering things for the first time together, it was amazing and now that I have 3 grandsons a reprise of this trip is on my bucket list!
Enjoy and treasure your trip with Chandler, you’ll never forget it and maybe you can do it again with your grandsons.
Spending real meaningful time with your son is probably the most important thing you could do at this time. God loves family time and intimacy and if other things were more important to you, just how important would your son be? How does that saying go Traditions are great, just not traditionalism.
We just got back from the Grand Canyon and I can’t think of a more awesome way to celebrate than seeing a sunrise on Easter Morning. We got to see a sunset and it was spectacular. Go to the south rim at Grand Canyon Village. Free shuttle buses take you to all the major viewing points. May you and Chandler be blessed this Easter.
I think your column today IS of significance! Would that every father would make the effort to do something so special and memorial for their sons and daughters! Bless you for doing it.
I agree with Ruth Meyer. Chandler and your devotion to each other is the point here. We have Easter because of the love between a Father and Son. We are most blessed by doing God’s will and I feel that this trip is His will. We will be blessed by learning with you as you make this trip. Enjoy your trip and your son while you can and God go with you both.