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.