THE GRAND CANYON

Sorry I’m so behind on updates, the mountains were calling and I had to go! I’m currently en route to San Francisco but first, the Grand Canyon!

Let’s start with planning. Planning is hard and so are calendars. Brena and I pull into the office for the campground right as the park ranger is closing up, slams his blinds down, and a no vacancy sign is put up. No problem, I made a reservation online! We go look at the reservation list on the window… where is my name?? The ranger comes out, we talk. I pull up the reservation on my phone… “uhh you booked a site for 4/20… it’s 4/13…”

FFFFFuck.

Luckily, someone hears my distress call and comes over, “if you’re in a tent, you can share our spot” as the ranger is trying to explain our options. The ranger is like… I don’t know anything about anything. I’m like perfect, you never saw us!

What started out as a ‘oh shit what are we gunna do?’ turned into the best possible scenario! Palmer and Brian, our two new camp friends, were on a short road trip, previously in Vegas, and heading out back to Kansas in a few days. We shared a campsite, firewood, drinks, stories and even hiked the Grand Canyon together.

Now the good part, the Grand Canyon. Yes, a big hole in the earth. But while you’re so close and inside of it, it doesn’t seem like that at all. We hiked a little over 4 miles down the South Kaibab Trail into the canyon and vowed next year, we’re going all the way. Camping at the bottom, hiking rim to rim, Havasu Falls. As for the actual hike, so much mule poop! Obviously the hike down was the easier part, beautiful rolling views of the canyon and a tiny river. Hiking back up, as all the websites and rangers’ warnings state, was the hard part. I’m talking lungs on fire, toes bleeding hard part. But worth it in the end. Toes heal. I can still breathe. I made it.

In my next post: Vegas and LA, plus a mini stop in Joshua Tree.

The post after that: Sequoia and Yosemite (yes I know I’m behind!)

On my way to: San Francisco

Blisters on my feet: 7