Skied to the post office, and then over to the rim trail. The rim had enough snow to ski on, so we continued to Pipe Creek Overlook and back. Drawback was we didn't bring food or water, since we were only going to the post office. Skied 11 miles in all. By the time we got back at 2 PM, snow was melting enough on some of the walkways that I had to take the skis off about a half mile from the house.

For something new, we hiked down Hermit to Dripping Springs. The west rim drive is open, but there was not only no place to park at Hermit Rest, the Harvey bus was double-parked, blocking off about 6 spaces. So we parked at Pima and walked. The Harvey bus almost ran over me, I suppose following the rule that says they can't cross the double yellow line, but they don't mind double parking.

No one had been to Dripping springs since the last snow. We broke trail for the last half mile. Wondered if there would be a frozen spring, but it was dripping. The snow had not been in the sun at all: it was still crystalline. On the way out, my new ice grippers got caught in my bootlace, and I took a bad fall. Broke the gripper, also. So I guess I can sue the gripper company for not warning me not to trip on a bootlace, and the boot company for making such long laces.

Hiked to Phantom last weekend with the artist in residence. Then Christmas in Prescott. Today hiked down to Skeleton.

I can almost understand these bozos who write their name on a rock: they are just ignorant: but today there was obscene graffiti, and that is just graffiti. Gone now, due to the Squirt Bottle of Retribution.

Found a sleeping bag stashed under the outhouse (eww!) and we'll check it out in a day or so to see if it is still there and carry it out. Probably just couldnt' stand the thought of getting that extra 8 1/2 pounds out the last 900 feet and ditched it.

Our annual trip to Phantom for solstice is done. Robert couldn't come because of his knee surgery, but we took the local artist in residence. Dropped the camera on Asinine Hill. Lots of ice on the Kaibab. I find that songs from My Fair Lady are a good hiking rhythm, but the words need work.
I could have hiked all day, I could have hiked all day
and still have asked for more.
I could have doffed my pack and eaten all my snacks
I've never had before
I told myself, this is a hell of a workout, no matter what my muscles might say
And when I saw that view, well, that is when I knew,
I could have hiked, hiked, hiked all day.

My winter boots are falling apart, so I need a new pair before my next trip in two weeks. Busy, busy, busy.

Yeah, yeah, most of my updates are on facebook now. Been doing a lot of corridor trails. The dog is in renal failure, so we can't leave him with anyone and had to cancel our Thanksgiving overnight, so we decided to do a day hike a day. Wednesday we walked the west rim trail (8 miles) Thursday down to Skeleton Point, Friday I had a gig for the field institute (got paid for that hike!), Saturday skeleton again (it is warmer and sunny on the south Kaibab) and today we were going to do Dripping Springs, but it is snowy and blowy and we are wimps.

Cleaned up a LOT of graffiti: lots of kid with parents who don't know better. Every day there are 10 to 12 tags on the South Kaibab. That Coconino Sandstone is just too inviting, I guess.

Found three new fossils on the Bright Angel. Hiking with little kids (Field Institute Meet the Canyon hikes) they look for stuff close in. Little guy swears he found a shark tooth, but didn't have my camera to take a good picture, so I need to get one and send it to a geologist and see if it really is. It looks promising. this picture isn't the shark tooth: this is a Derbia. I know that one.

What do you do with a day off school? Why you hike to Indian Garden and out. Not too many people on the trail, but lots of gnats! Came out just behind the Park Circus mules, and when they turned off at Three Mile we ran past them. Then got behind the dude mules, but the wrangler graciously moved to a wide spot in the trail and stopped to let us by. "See you soon," he offered, and we snorted (quietly) and beat them out handily. It's not hard to stay ahead of the mules because they stop a lot more than we do.

Erased one graffiti panel and picked up four cigarette butts, a Kleenex, and a napkin. Passed on the really, incredibly gross bandanna, though.

Phantom in November with temps in the 80's. Wow. Robert came willingly for the first time in a few years. Four hours out, even with Robert's bum knee. Spent the layover day going up Phantom Creek.

Friday had a Meet the Canyon for GCFI with a nice couple and their girls. The girls were soccer players and they really gave me a workout coming out from mile and a half.

Saturday spent most of the day helping to build a foundation for a greenhouse for the community garden. Sunday hiked to Skeleton Point on SK. Alex and Nick Clement from Wisconsin: good job tagging every stinking rock in the Coconino. NOT! I used up two spray bottles of water to get rid of your crud.

Other than that, a beautiful day. On Friday highs were in the 40's. Today it was 70 when we got out.

I really have been remiss in keeping this up. Nothing like being on Facebook to louse up your priorities.

Did a custom day trip for the field institute and one for Intel. Brad has been sick with some kind of flu that turned onto pneumonia, so I've been hiking by myself.

Erased a bunch of stuff on the BA, then on the Kaibab. Looks like only one group, but that's all it takes. Mathew Stelling from USC: shame on you. A passing hiker said that just proves everything he thinks about the Trojans. He also admired my Macabi skirt, and said he wanted one for himself (they do sell kilts for men!)

Looks like snow today, but they always promise more than they can deliver.

Finished two rim to rims in a row, then a beginning backpack, and today took some persons down to Indian Garden and out. Felt pretty strong coming out, considering that just the day before I was on the trail carrying a 30 pound pack.

Lots of kids: some kind of outreach group. Left almost no trash. Hurrah! Some other kids, though, carved their names onto a lot of rocks. Andrea, CJ, Kyl, etc. Naughty, naughty.

Hiked down to Skeleton Point, and climbed one cliff down from where we usually stop. Ugh! Lots and lots of graffiti. Spend almost half an hour and a liter of water washing off the rocks. Also RGS was there from Luke Air force Base.

Went down the Hermit today, and carried out a bag of trash from Santa Maria Resthouse. There is an ammo can there for a trail register, in a vain attempt to keep morons from writing their name on the walls or the benches, and some people think it is for their junk. Mike Shryock, no one cares that you hiked two miles into the Canyon.

Busy, busy, busy. Did two rim to rims in a row for the GCFI. One a regular, another a custom mule assist where the gear came down the south rim by mule and we hiked the 14 miles from North Rim to Bright Angel Campground in one day. Then they talked me into going up Phantom Creek, the animals.

Five rattlesnakes (3 pinks), a herd of bighorns, a few baby deer still spotted and fluffy, and about 2,000 rim to rim runners.

First hike we had 100 degree temps. Second hike we were in the 80's during our long, long day. What a break. Picking up all that litter must really give me good karma.

It was cool enough today to hike to Skeleton Point. Haven't been on the South kaibab since May. The trail work is awesome. I told the trail crew it was hard to believe it was the SK. Carried my backpack to get ready for rim to rims next week.

Only had to erase a couple little graffitis, too. Less traffic, I guess.

There was sign at Skeleton to the effect that someone has been stealing signs all summer,and people are missing their turn-around at Skeleton and getting into trouble. If anyone knows where the signs are, tell the Park Service. I would suspect seasonal Xanterra people, if it has been happening all summer.

Another day, another trip to three mile resthouse. Erased a HUGE panel of spanish stuff: something like "who wants to be on this trail", and then "carlos" and "route 66". Methinks Carlos sas a little lost.

Advised some tourists that, no, the view doesn't change much all the way down the BA unless you hike out to Plateau Point. Some of them opted for that, some turned around to visit the West Rim Drive where views abound. Maricopa Point is a good substitute for the Skywalk, IMHO. It has a 285 degree view of the Canyon, you can see the River (well, a wee bit) and it is free. Also it is not a four-hour drive on four wheel drive road.

The bighorns are hanging around the head of the BA. We've seen them on every hike for the past two weeks. They aren't afraid, either, but the daddy bighorn has been seen huffing his group out of the way if they stay on the trail too long.

Busy weekend. Thursday might we ran down to Two Mile Corner. Something was throwing rocks at us at the second tunnel: not one of my "danger" spots, so we looked up and there was a bighorn on the cliff. Scampering by it, we ran into a baby bighorn (A tiny horn?). Then mama showed up. Then a few more babies. Then another mama. We snuck around them, trying to stay far enough away that we didn't scare them. They were pretty cool, though. Mama kept glancing up nervously as the bighorn above them knocked more rocks loose. I guess she figured that was the real threat.

On the way back out, there were eight of them, two males, a cluster of babies, and their mamas. One of the babies took a flying leap and knocked down a whole pile of rocks! If it isn't the small boys, it is the wildlife.

Went mountain biking in Prescott, and my front brakes went out at the bottom (fortunately!) of the first big hill. So I had to decide: walk back five miles or ride downhill most of the way with less than half of my braking capacity? The front brakes do most of the work. So I walked down three of the really steep hills and went as slow as I could down the others. I only had to skid uphill twice to keep from losing it. It is amazing how many small uphills there are on the downhill run when you are looking frantically for the next one.

Then Sunday we went to Three Mile. No bighorns, but a lot of backpackers, which aren't as much fun. Between Thursday and today some toads wrote their names all over one of the switchbacks in the Fault Switchbacks, but we managed to erase most of them. Carried out a baggie full of cigarette buttes and a Vibram sole that someone had tried to tape on, but didn't. Do these smokers think the nylon in the filter is going to rot? Or do they just not think? If they thought, I guess they wouldn't smoke.

Since getting on Facebook I have been remiss on keeping this journal. Hiked to mile and a half after school, then to two mile. If we leave as soon as Brad can get away, we can get to two mile and out before dark. Then today we rode the West Rim Drive. Same old, same old. Hiking at dusk is sure less crowded. Also we get to see the people who went to the River and back in a day, dragging their knuckles. If I were a PSAR i'd be tempted to go down at dusk, just so I could see the guys I warned not to try it, and say, 'Told you so!'.

Hiked to three mile. Nice clouds in the morning with sunbeams and all. Picked up a bottle, a pocket full of paper.

Suffering an eye infection, but it is finally getting better. Had to "dope" my eye six times on the way out. Met Karen, volunteer PSAR and helped hassle hikers for a while. "Going to the River and back? Starting at 9:30? Where would you like the body buried?"

Discussed the guy who wants to reduce his possessions to 100 total. Maybe if I didn't have to count books. So how many packs, as an example, does one woman need? Fanny pack, racing pack, day-and-a-half pack (guide pack), overnight pack, week-long pack, computer pack for school...apparently six. Worse yet, I have five tents and I never sleep in a tent.

Number one son and I drove to the Great Sand Dunes where he managed to bring back most of one dune in his clothes. Thence to Buena Vista to visit friends, and then Arches to mess around in the desert. I have a nasty eye infection, so we couldn't hike as much as we wanted (well, as much as I wanted).

It was cold this morning: 45, so we hiked down the Hermit to Santa Maria for a change. Picked up a bag of nasty trash at the reptile tracks. But the light was very nice for pictures of said tracks.

Lilo Pizo, no one cares that you hiked to Santa Maria. And the Squirt Bottle of Retribution has erased your puny efforts at immortality.

Also saw a huge fossil fern which we moved off the trail so it doesn't get stepped on or stolen.

Told one gal it was too hot to hiked below Santa Maria and she laughed. I wonder if she's laughing now that it's over 80 on the rim and 100 in the bottom?

Had a Meet the Canyon yesterday and the Bighorn mamas and babies were behind the TB grazing. Today we saw a wee baby fawn just above mile and a half. It was so young it was still nursing, but mama was scared of us and led it up the hill to get away. It was hot at 8 AM, don't know what these people are thinking when they head down, particularly the young ladies in bikinis. Nice sunrise with some clouds, though.

So we have visitors and S didn't want to go down the corridor so we left at 6 AM to hike down the New Hance, just to the Redwall, because I don't go down further than that in summer, for anybody. That sucker is steep. Like climbing up and down a ladder. And I always lose the trail in the Coconino coming out, so I end up on the loose flagstone, ready to take that last windsurf off into infinity.

But it was a pretty day, and not too hot. Whoever left your water cache at the Redwall, one normally HIDES those and dates them, too. To the loser who wrote "enjoy" at the shady spot, stay home and enjoy that!

We have decided that rather than the Leave No Trace Nazi I should now be the High Priestess of Leave No Trace. This sounds more beneficent, somehow, and gives me an excuse to wear my tiara on the trail.

Hour and a half down, hour and a half out. Not bad for steep and loose.

Overslept so we didn't get on the trail until 6 AM. It was a little cooler, though, because there was a mongo storm last night.

These poor mules are lost. All the way off the trail. Must have been cutting switchbacks again.

At three mile I scared off a begging squirrel, and the gal said, "OH!", so I said, they carry rabies. Brad said, "They carry plague". Then I got to tell her boyfriend not to cut the switchbacks. Busy, busy, busy....

Jake, you managed to get your name on the rocks when I wasn't looking, but it is gone now.

Lots of French persons hiking down in groups. All the women wear as little clothing as possible. I hope they had a garbage bag for when it started to rain at noon.

It was so hot Friday we got up at 4 AM to hike to three mile this morning. A lot better. Of course the cloud cover and and the little spotting of rain helped. 35 minutes down, 40 minutes out. Had to erase LEEDS at the birdbath, and MTWT just above mile and a half. Also, "A", whoever you are, just stay home next time and write on your own walls.

Picked up two bottle lids and a bottle wrapper. I saw some gals, bored, playing with the label on their water bottle, so I guess that's where these come from.

Lots of foreign visitors. I think this is their long vacation time. Most of the gals in bikinis and no socks so they can get a good tan. I love being in the Fault when it starts to rain, just to hear all the bikini babes squeal as they start to get wet.

Hiked to Three Mile this morning. At 8 AM it was already 90 degrees in the shade. Yet we saw hundreds (OK, dozens) of people starting down as we were heading out. Wouldn't want to be SAR today. This weekend is free parks weekend, so I don't think I'd want to be SAR this weekend, either.

Picked up two wash cloths, one bandanna, four water bottles. Saw a condor and three baby big horn sheep right in the middle of the trail. No camera, of course. Tried to take a picture with my phone, but it didn't work. Obviously need practice.

The sign of a successful vacation is having to do three loads of laundry consisting of filthy dirty hiking clothes when you get home.

We did the Continental Divide Trail through the Weminuche wilderness in Colorado about 25 years ago and wanted to repeat it, but no one could join us to help with the car shuttle. Dr. Dr. Dan was busy, B was getting ready for a new job, G, D, and J all needed time to "get in shape" so we went alone. Then we thought: when we did this epic journey, we noted that the second half of the hike, from The Window to Stony Pass, was the most spectacular, and we said we would come back and just spend time there, so that's what we did.

We hiked up Vallecito Creek to the Divide and spent two days at Nebo Lake, one of the spots we remembered on our headlong rush as "ooh, pretty, but we have to get off the ridge before the daily lightening drifts by, so let's go". At 12,000+ feet, it was pleasantly cool, and no bugs. Using our Leave No Trace skills, we left the area pristine.

Coming back out, we were going to camp at the junction to Johnston Pass, where a lot of hikers stay on their way into Columbine Basin where the three 14ers are, but we got there at 10 AM, the afternoon storm was just moving in, and we were both almost out of book. We thought of crawling into the tent to wait out the coming storm, and reading some more, then going to sleep at dusk and lying there for 14 hours, and thought: we could make it out today. So we ended up doing a 20 mile day. My neuroma hurt so badly I didn't even realize I had two big blisters. When you own three pair of hiking boots (day hikes, corridor hikes, and off-trail hikes) you tend to forget which set of socks goes with which boots, and I didn't have the optimum sock combo for my off-trail boots.

We then boogied over to Mesa Verde to visit some of the ruins. Since our week in Santa Fe, we had been learning all about the Pueblo people, so MV seemed a fitting degoumois. And I haven't been to Balcony House since Robert was knee high to an atlatl.

I am Sooo glad I usually hike in a place where campfires are banned. There were fire rings all over the Wemenuche. I cleaned out several and tore them apart. News flash y'all: FOIL DOES NOT BURN. So we get to MV, and everyone in the campground has a fire. A smoky fire. A nasty, smoky, chemical charcoal fire. Welcome to the great outdoors: let's fill it full of smoke.

Balcony was good, and then we went to Wetherill Mesa and did Long House and Step House and all the stuff on the Mesa. It is actually a Cuesta, not a Mesa. A mesa slopes away on all side and a cuesta only slopes away on one. So this is actually Cuesta Verde.

Travel tip: when you want to find good Mexican food, ask a park ranger. In the west, at least, they love Mexican, and since they live on a pauper's salary, they look for the cheap. We were sent to Tequila's in Cortez, and it was great. Then on to Navajo National Monument to visit Betatakin. Navajo doesn't allow campfires, thank goodness. Betatakin was one of the last places they lived before heading south and/or back to the Hopi Mesas, so it was fitting to finish off with that one.

Hiked to Three Mile. Got a later start than usual: about 7, but it was coolish because of last night's storm. Only 80 degrees at Three Mile at 8:00 AM. That's progress.

Kilroy Lunes was here: you are not anymore. Left your name at Three Mile and now it's gone. Thus strikes the graffittinator and her squirt bottle of doom.

Picked up a long sleeved shirt, two hand towels, two wash clothes (these guys must be really into cleanliness or something), a water bottle, two straws, and a couple of goo packets. Stay off the trail for a few days and it goes to hell.

Though, I know the river companies have guides up and down each day, and groups like Four Seasons, and in fact, the Field Institute is on the trail, so am I the only one who picks up this crap?

Friday had a Meet the canyon, then Monday and Tuesday a Learning and Lodging.

A new feature: Things I Find on the Trail And I Don't Have A Clue. Like this thong underwear:
I am told by Those in the Know that the underwear and bandannas I find are used for TP and then thrown under a rock. File this under "things I could have gone without knowing for a long time". But a thong? And at the first tunnel?

Thursday we then hiked down South Kaibab. It was an overcast day with a 50% chance of rain, so it was nice and cool. Brad had to turn around in the Chimney because his boot was acting up, so I hiked to O'Neil and turned around. It was nice and cool as long as there was a breeze. Once I got behind the rocks, it was muggy and warm. It was still about 100 in the bottom.

This is the BIG weekend for rim to rim runners. "Gee, it is 120 in the bottom, let's spend all day exercising in full sun". And here is the view from Trailview Overlook. It is a long, long way out, and almost all in the sun at mid-day.

Last week we spent in Santa Fe and hiked Picacho Peak (which means peak peak) three times, did a 15 mile day hike in Bandelier and went to Pecos to see the ruins and the Civil War Trail, Albuquerque to see the museum of natural history, and ate a lot of Mexican food. Good thing we did all that hiking. On the way back we toured Acoma, the sky city. By the by, Winslow has the BEST chili rellanos in the world at El Pueblo.

Since we spent all week studying the Ancestral Pueblo, this weekend we decided to load all the stuff in the car and hike to Keet Seel. Haven't been there since Robert was a wee young thing. Probably at least 15 years. 8.5 miles in, wading in a yucky creek full of cow. The ruins were nice as always, and a nice little ranger took us on a private tour for an hour and a half. We were the only people in the campground. It was sooo quiet. No water running (you have to carry in all your drinking water), no wind, just some little animal that kept rustling the leaves, probably seeing if he had left anything for it to eat.

Apparently there was a cow stuck in the mud on the "low" route. We took the high route, and on the way out four trucks, a horse, and an ATV were on their way in to get the cow. Everyone asked about it, and we had to say, nope, didn't see it. I wanted to say: just the tips of some horns and a little note reading, "Help me, help me", but I didn't.

Met a gal who was hiking in the day we were hiking out, so I told her to bring me a Cherry Pepsi, and she did! It was HOT climbing that last sand hill, too.

Rode my bike to Shoshone point, but there was a Ranger meeting in progress, so I turned around. Then rode to Yaki Point. One of the men off the suttle bus suggested that it was a "hard ride". I agreed. Why not?

They are tearing up the landscape by the Visitor Center, probably for the new parking lot. Part of the Greenway is closed, so I had to ride on the road. The lot for the Kaibab shuttle is closed. It was only open a few months, and it was nice to be able to park there and jump onto the green line. No more, alas. Now one has to catch the bus at Yavapai and then switch over to the green line, which usually takes up to an hour.

The parking lot at SK has been closed for years now. It used to be open in the winter, but then the rangers noticed that when it was closed,their SAR calls dropped more than in half. I guess when people wander down the BA, there are amenities like water and phones and rangers, but when they wander down the SK there is nothing but trouble.

Friday we hiked down the SK to Cedar and chatted with the PSAR rangers. Also erased Noah, Ivan, and Marika off the rocks.

Today we hiked to Two Mile Corner. On the SK you work around the trail crew, on the BA you you work around the mules. The trail crew smells better. Saw a normal squirrel eating what it is supposed to eat: namely mule dung. Must be better for them than Cheetos.

Mule strings are supposed to travel 10 minutes apart. We met three strings between two mile and mile and a half, so I guess no one told them. Dusty, dusty trail. The wrangler told everyone it is because it hasn't rained. Also because the mule shoes grind the rock into dust, but they wouldn't say that.

Suggested to a hiker that his pack would ride a lot better if he would tie his sleeping bag on instead of letting it swing free and bounce against his legs. Ignored me.

Erased Avi and a couple of others off the rocks. Busy, busy, busy.

Climbed Humphreys Peak (12657) for a change . A wind up there is not uncommon, but it was blowing so strongly I couldn't stand while approaching the summit. Made it up in three hours (4.8 miles) and down in 2 1/2.

Lots of people climbing. Many in cotton tees and shorts, no wind gear, no water, etc. One gentleman informed me that my hair "was a mess".

I said, "Oh, damn. And I bet I've chewed off all my lipstick!"

It was kind of nice going DOWN when tired. The trail is a good grade for down: I could really move.

The wind actually picked up as we were walking down, so I doubt most of the people heading up climbed to the summit. I wouldn't have...

A funny thing about Humphrey's Peak. When people come to the Grand Canyon, they often want to hike to the river and back in a day. On the BA, this is 4300 feet in 7.5 miles. Ask them if they want to climb Humphrey's, outside of Flagstaff, and they say, oh, that's too high! But the elevation change is only about 3700 feet, which is less than hiking out from the River! But they can't see the distance from the bottom of the Canyon to the Rim.

Just got back from a nine-day river trip with CRATE. I don't like motorized trips. They seem to me a bit like doing a rim-to-rim in a day. You see everything, but it becomes a blur. But this was a natural history trip with Dr. Bob, from whom I have taken several geology classes, and Dr. Ron, a biologist extraordinaire. So number-one son and I signed on.

I learned a lot, which was the point. Took pages and pages of notes and pestered the experts about stuff. We hiked up North Canyon, Buck Farm, Deer Creek, Kanab, and Havasu. Rode most of the way with a boatload of Canadians (go keeners!). Another thing about motorized trips is they often attract the blase type of passenger who has done it all and been everywhere, and this is just another notch in the belt. The Canadians were there for the action and the expertise.

It rained the first night. Then it rained every day. I had my rain gear, and my wet suit (yes, I am paranoid), but a lot of people didn't bring rain gear, or not good rain gear, because it was supposed to be hot in May. Indeed, but this is the Grand Canyon, and sometimes it has its own agenda.

I have done three private trips, and the first one we flipped a boat in 24 1/2, the second one we flipped a boat in Bedrock and I got to ride down the left side sans boat. The third time I was white knuckled all the way with the thought of another flip, even though we didn't. So on the motorized trip I thought: at least we won't flip!

So we get to Havasu, and the boats tie up in the fast water, as they do. We go for a hike, and when we get back there is another boat upstream from us, trapped on our boat. They are pushing and shoving and motoring, and suddenly, POP! Then POP! POP! Three of our valves tear out and the upstream pontoon deflates.

The boat lists, water is pouring into the motor well. The boatmen snatch up all the bags rapidly vanishing into the water and tie them on the uphill side, then put us all on the good boat. As we try to free ourselves, with the upstream boat floundering under its flat side, we start to be pulled under the boat just downstream from us, a Hatch boat.

"High side, High side!" Wait a ding-dang minute! Why am I high siding on a boat the size of a greyhound bus? Then one of the ropes holding the Hatch boat in place goes "SNAP!".

"Everybody down!" We all huddle together, trying to figure out where we will jump if the boat gets sucked under. If we go straight in, we will all be sliced off by the Hatch boat. If I jump to the rear, I go into the rapid. If I jump forward I go into the rocks. If I jump onto the other boat, it is half sunk. Then a bystanding boatman jumps into the Hatch boat, revs up the motor. The remaining rope is cut, and we swing free. It takes hours to fix the valves (we have two spares, but not three, and they have to fiddle with the third valve to make it work. And then it LEAKS!)

So we continue downstream, the bad valve bubbling away madly. We pull over just before Lava to fill the pontoon (good thinking, guys) but not for every rapid, which makes me very nervous. I'm nervous anyway, but the boat is sinking! It leaks!

At one point the motor quit, and the boat is sinking, so we started to sing, "And my heart will go on..." But I still don't look like Kate Winslet.

Anyhow, we made it, and the food was good, and the boat didn't sink. But if that River is out to Get Me, I might as well stay in the little boats.

Poem: written by Robert, Slim, and Lynn

There are strange things done 'neath the noon day sun
by those who toil through stone.
They face the waves that gape like caves
as they perch on the bow, alone.

Dr. Bob talks of sexy rocks* and tales of ancient terrain
Ron has the style of a nutrient pile* and we echo in refrain
But a cad on a raft, he rammed our craft and it listed, to our dismay
But our fearless crew knew what to do and leapt in to save the day

With a sense of brava we splashed through Lava on our newly inflated pontoon
We camped on the sand with our merry band, after enjoying the full moon*.
There are strange things done 'neath the noon day sun by those who toil through stone
But none so strange as by those deranged within the Precambrian zone.

*in joke alert

Too hot to go down inside. Saturday I was to mile and a half with a nice couple from Florida. That was OK. We were out early enough that there was plenty of shade in the Fault Switchbacks. By early afternoon, we could see from the rim that ALL the shade was gone from the trail, and the rim-to-rim runners were still plugging along.

A guy passed us at the second tunnel, telling all and sundry that he left the North Rim at 5 AM, with his spiffy "rim to rim 09" shirt. He said, "There are over 100 of us." I said,"And did you get a permit?" but he ignored me.

Sunday we rode bikes along the west rim road. Looked for the terminus of the Pima Point tramway, but no luck. Have to look for some old photos to pinpoint it, I guess. It was 85 on the rim, yikes!

It is officially HOT in the Canyon. Caught the 5 AM South Kaibab shuttle to do a SK-BA loop. It was like a solar oven in the Redwall on the SK. It was hotter coming out from Indian Garden on the white sand. It was hotter still climbing to mile and a half with no shade. The full-sun thermometer at Indian Garden read 120 at 9 AM. I don't think I'll be below the Redwall again until fall, except of course that I have to lead a rim-to-rim the first week in June.

Someone cleaned up the graffiti! I could tell that panels we have been working on are now completely clear. Probably a ranger-type who actually gets paid to do it.

Coming out the Redwall in the Bright Angel, we stepped off to let the mules pass, and a hiker was right behind them. One is actually not allowed to walk that closely behind. Anyhow, he started off down the slope to cut the switchback and get ahead of the mules.

I yelled, "Hey, don't do that!"
Brad yelled, "Hey, dude, stay on the trail!"
His hiking companion yelled, "Don't cut the trail!"
The wrangler, who was at that point directly below him, so cutting wouldn't have worked anyway, yelled, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
The hiker said, "OK, OK", and got back on the trail.
I sympathize with not wanting to be stuck behind the mules, but they DO stop and let hikers by eventually.

It is miserable to hike in the heat. It was just a month ago that we were hypothermic coming out in a sleet storm, and now it is 100. And as we were climbing out, there were hundreds just starting down. In fact, I counted 100 people from Indian Garden to the Fault Switchbacks, 100 from the Fault to the first tunnel, and 48 from the tunnel to the Rim. Yes, I was trying to keep my mind off hiking in the heat.

Yesterday we walked to Grandeur point. Haven't been out since they put in the Trail of Time. Every meter is 1,000 years, and every 10,000 years is a marker. Eventually there will be more information on the deep history of the Canyon. It was interesting to walk the Great Uncomformity. Now they need to put in a 6,000 year old history for the creationists right at the end of the trail. World is created, flood cuts the Grand Canyon, rock magically gets too solid to cut anymore, etc.

Went down the South Kaibab today. Lots of rotten kids wrote their names in the Coconino. They were even text messaging one another: "tired yet?" Next rock: "I'm tired". Next Rock "Still tired." Next rock: "Hmmm." and almost every rock on the way down said, "Turn around now.". I wish they had.

On the way out, a British lady asked Brad if he would walk out with her, so we did. Her daughter was heading down (at 11:30 AM: a bit late) and she turned around just before Ooh Ah, because she wanted to be sure she'd get back out. Not a bad decision. Wish more people would think like that. So we chatted and I showed her some of my secret fossils. A lot of flowers out, including some frail stem mariposa, which only bloom after a pretty wet spring. Cheyeva never flowed this year though, so it wasn't that wet.

Hiked the Hermit Trail to Santa Maria Spring. Just for a change. Tried to get through the barrier (It's legal: I'm a resident), but when they re-did the road they changed the pass code.



Nice day and not very crowded, but disappointing to see graffiti in the Supai. I am used to, nay, expect to see it in the Coconino, but not this far down. Behold the post of shame:








We erased the stuff in the rocks, naturally, but couldn't get the bozo who carved his name on the rocking chair at the resthouse. I Googled the name though, since it is kind of unusual, and there is a Jake Gerster in Scottsdale. Maybe I'll be able to track him down and carve my name in his car door.

Anyhow, it was a nice day and we met a couple from Alaska with whom we were able to gossip. Saw a backpacking pair one of whom had an arm in a sling. When we came back out, I was going to volunteer to help carry some stuff, but one backpack was abandoned under a tree. Don't know if it was left there to pick up after the walking wounded got out, or just plain abandoned. Didn't see the couple again. Passed two ranger groups, so one assumes if they hiked out, they could have contacted the Green and Gray for help.