Grand Canyon Tour 2009

We left at 4:45 a.m. this morning in the dark so we could take advantage of the cooler temperatures and provide a chance to get out by 1:00. We made it right at 1:00. We had a lot of experiences and I learned a few things along the way as well. Here are a few of the things I learned:

• The Grand Canyon is as beautiful from the bottom as it is from the top.


• Going down hill is much harder than coming up. Just ask Mom!


• When you think you are almost there...you are not!


• The Colorado River really is 52 degrees...burr...good for sore muscles though!


• Dry heat really is not as hot!


• Daily Ranger programs are interesting.


• Flying insects like dirty people and bats like flying insects.


• Squirrels like to eat wet ones baby wipes!


• If we ever need more lizards, I know where to find a few.


• Wildlife generally does not care about your presence in the Canyon.


• Mules are sure footed animals and I still would not ride one down!


• Streams next to your camp are refreshing after a 10 mile hike.


• You need to watch for rattlesnakes on the trail!


• The last mile out of the canyon is a bitch!

You can think you have done something special since only 1% of those that visit the Grand Canyon hike the trails below the rim and only .5% of that 1% go to the bottom. Then you discover that there is actually a sponsored event call the Rim to Rim Hike, which was today. May 15th is the first day the North Kaibab Trail is open for hikers to do that so they were out in force. When I got up this morning at 3:15 a.m. there were already Rim to Rimmers going by us back to the other side, which means they were going down in the dark (fast). Yesterday we saw a guy who was going across and back across in the same day. That makes a marathon seem like a walk in the park since he was going to travel 42 miles and cover approximately 18,000 feet in total elevation change. Kuddos to anyone in shape enough to do that in a day. I guess I will just have to hang my hat on the fact that I did something I always wanted to do. And I am ready to do it again if anyone out there wants to do it with me.