I first read about the Grand Canyon Skywalk in “The Oregonian” but then went to the internet and found an article on “LA Times.com.” It seems that the Hualapai tribe has fastened a massive, multimillion-dollar glass walkway close to a mile above the Colorado River. They are hoping to have it open soon for business and bring many tourists to this struggling Indian tribe’s remote reservation. This will be one of the ways to address the social ills of the 2,000 residents of this small reservation where there is unemployment, alcoholism and poverty. I wonder if something similar could work at my condo complex? There is unemployment, some poverty and I’m sure some alcoholism. They also plan to build a 6,000 square-foot visitor center and restaurant. We wouldn’t have room for that where I live.

The Hualapai have tried for many years to bring more tourists to their 1-million-acre reservation. They charge for weddings on the canyon rim and even tried casino gambling, but nothing worked. So they decided three years ago to try something new and exciting, and this is both! The horseshoe-shaped glass walkway will jut out 70 feet beyond the canyon’s edge just west of Grand Canyon Village on the Hualapai Indian Reservation. It will be buttressed by 1 million pounds of steel and supporting 90 tons of tempered glass. Visitors will now have a breathtaking view of the canyon . . . for $25 each. I thought there were already many breathtaking views of the canyon

The pictures I’ve seen scare the crap out of me. I can’t imagine anyone in his right mind taking a walk on the glass walkway and being able to look a mile down! I don’t like being more than a foot off the ground except when I’m in a plane and it’s absolutely necessary. Then I pretend I’m on a train which sometimes isn’t much better. It works for a while until I realize I’m not seeing any scenery passing by when I look out the window. That’s freak-out time! I’m sure there will be people lining up to risk their lives for a few thrills. What if it breaks and everyone goes plummeting to the canyon floor? What if someone gets a panic attack and starts acting all goofy . . . what then? And I’m wondering if there will be paparazzi below in the canyon with their telescopic lenses trained up to the Skywalk, hoping to catch someone who didn’t wear her panties that day. And would these pantyless girls have a Brazilian bikini wax before they walked the Skywalk? If Britney shows up without her panties, do you think we’d see it on “Entertainment Tonight” and in the tabloids? Absolutely!

I’ve recently heard it is now open and people are actually walking out on it. I really don’t care as I would never go near it. I wouldn’t even go near the Grand Canyon.