Owning the Grand Canyon

Last June I was invited to hike the Grand Canyon with some friends.  Though it was only a couple of days away, and I hadn't been hiking in a couple of months, I decided to go.  I had lived in Arizona for almost 4 years by that point, but never made it to the Grand Canyon.  It was really cold camping the night before, and I was woefully unprepared for this, so here I am sporting a borrowed sweater and a hat from Russia (it was so warm!)

The next morning I was very excited to start this adventure...I had no idea what I was in for!  We started down the South Rim (Bright Angel Trail) to the Colorado River, about 8 miles down.

Here's me at the Colorado River, it was so very hot, but the river was unbelievably cold! I faithfully stayed on this rock, icing my feet in the river.

Being an inexperienced Grand Canyon hiker, not only did I not have enough space for water, but I also didn't know where the water points were.  I thought there would be a place to refill my few bottles at the river, but there was not.  Having run out of water, I baked in the sun at the river, only getting more dehydrated.  I didn't tell my group because I didn't want to take their limited water supply, but it became very apparent as we started our ascent.  The boys took my backpack to ease my burden, and they had me drink their water and Gatorade.  There were many stops, but few places to hide in the shade.

Here is a small sample of the switchbacks that were our pathway.

About 2 or 3 miles up, I discovered a river, of blessed blessed river.  I climbed down the treacherous path to it, and laid myself across it as I gladly gulped its cool water.

Indian Gardens is a beautiful, shady spot where benches, bathrooms, and most importantly, water spigots are available to weary hikers, such as myself.  My main goal was to rehydrate myself.

After resting at the Indian Gardens for a small period of time and rehydrating myself, I was ready to go!  Curtis teased me to get a head start since I was going so slow...and that was a bad idea for me.  I have issues with backing down to challenges, so I was determined to show him!  I set a swift pace for my final 4.5 miles to the top.  Lance is a beast though, so naturally he caught up to me, but on his way to catch up he snapped this shot.  (P.S. Curtis didn't come close to catching up, or even matching my pace!)

We did a little reenactment of my most dramatic fall...I'm not a clumsy person (my sister fills that role) but for some reason on the way down I fell or slipped over 15 times in the first 4.5 miles.  I recognize we were running and so a wrong step on a loose rock, or loose gravel played a big factor...but really?  That is a bit excessive!  This spot was the location of a dramatic fall where I'm not really sure what happened, nothing was impeding my way, but I simply just found myself flat on my back, like so:

Oh so weary, oh so tired...

The last miles up was brutal for me, Lance offered me a piggyback ride, but I have too much pride, so instead he held my hand and pulled me up the giant steps...

...until we made it to the TOP!

With all the painful limping that ensued from my last hike, I was determined to take this trip more seriously!  I started training a month before with hiking mountains around the Phoenix area, doing bleachers, lunges, and running exercises.  This time is legit!  For the camp out I bought some super cool little disposable toothbrushes!  I am a fan of the new 'whisps'.

Boys brushing vs. girls brushing... (mine is the one on the left)

Me curled up in my sleeping bag near the fire:

Breakfast...penguins!

Starting our extraveganza I pose as the little actress I am...yes, it was that cold to necessitate the wearing of a sweater, but no, I am not really fatigued...yet.

Look at how amazing God is with his art work!  (look closely, this is a compilation of 3 different mountains!)

Oh the beautiful Colorado River that runs through the Canyon.

We hike down nearly eight miles, over half of that we run, and I can think of nothing grander then to take off my shoes and relax on the beach...and Lance wants me to hike back to where he stopped to take pictures!  Not happy...and I let him know such:

The previously mentioned beach:

I know this looks bad...and yes, it's true I'm sleeping...BUT all that food was placed around me!  I was framed I tell ya, FRAMED!

See...here I am eating healthy:

I miss-stepped and nearly drown in the Colorado River!  I pulled myself out using my big, strong muscles...so it was all good.

Cool frog I found in the cavity of a rock!

Me leaving the beach and starting our way back up...this time I was equipped with plenty of water and was in no danger of dehydration!

I had to throw this one up to show that the way up really is UP, not the easy trail the previous picture shows it to be.

Last year I said I would not do it again in June, and I must say that mid-April was an excellent choice!  Lows in the 40's and highs in the 70's, with cloud cover, and windy...couldn't be more perfect...and look at that landscape!

I encountered many dangers during the trip...but this was a close call!  A rock slide pinned me down, but thanks again to my big, strong muscles, I got myself out!

The last 1.5 miles I started to sweat!  EW!!  But hey, it looks like a smiley face:

The scenery is great and all....but...are we there yet?

There is no acting here my friends...this is the real deal, I am tuckered out after nearly 16 miles of hiking!  (P.S. that sign is a warning of extreme exhaustion which admonishes that you don't go to the river and back in one day.  Top to bottom took 10 hours, 6 1/2 of which was actual hiking time...what now sign, what now!?!?!?)

CHAMPIONS!!!!!!!!!!

Moral of the story: I'm pretty proud of myself for doing the Grand Canyon twice within a year!  Also, it was a good call to bring a Camelpack to avoid the travails of dehydration!