47.28 Arizona: Grand Canyon, the greatest of them all. Kaibab Trail...going deep.

 

Let's get going.
 

 

 

It's almost a principle that we established some time ago that a person has to get a taste of the Grand Canyon, at least annually. It seems odd that we are unable to do without so many things, many meaningless, and yet a premier world wonder is not on the wish list of many. We wonder why that is the case. We'll go a step further and urge those who visit this spectacle to venture down into the canyon, at least for a mile or less. It would be a real tragedy to pass through this world and not have experienced a little of this massive fissure that contains a glorious river, mountains, hills, plant life, animals and myriad of other features, not forgetting a number of memorable trails. The coloring, whether during the dull periods of the day or stunningly beautiful at the day's extremes, will awaken something inside of a person. We joked the other day that while we struggled up some 3,500 feet from Tip Off Point, while our bodies burned calories, our souls filled and probably gained weight. 

The last hour, after a fairly fast climb from the endpoint, became a struggle. Our legs cried out for rest as the muscles strained with every move. Unfortunately, besides the 9-miles return hike, we parked a mile from the trailhead, adding on a further 2 miles. The last mile, after reaching the surface took much perseverance or as we might say in the Old Country, "Vasbyt". I think even those without knowledge of the Afrikaans language could appreciate this descriptive word and concept. 

When we stood at the bottom, above the river, and looked up, we were unable to see our return destination. Only once we got much further up did the surface come into view. Looking up to a position 3,500 feet from where we stood is almost intimidating. The only way home is to make it back to the top, the surface. When climbing a mountain, should one want to quit, the way back is downhill. Not so from a canyon. Nevertheless, when the pain and the tiredness dissipate by the following day, the good feeling remains and the accomplishment, no matter how small, resides within forever. 

Each visit to the Canyon proves to us that we are certainly aging and the 'lady' is becoming more attractive. It seems unfair but never bet against nature. She's going to be growing thousands of years after we have left the world. Makes one wonder how important we think ourselves.

    

        

This was the second pack of mules we crossed. A woman leading the first pack engaged in conversation which always adds to the hike and leaves us something to think about, a chuckle or two and always an opportunity to learn something. What was rewarding was to learn that she was living her girlhood dream. Wonderful!  

  

 

 

First sighting of the Colorado River, on the day.

 

River deep, river spectacular, in one of a thousand places.

    

One of the many paths down toward the bottom. Higher up on the trail the mule train we passed earlier is visible.
 

Whoever passes this way is impressed.
 

'I'm not a mule...I have rights...this is America. And by the way, I have arthritis; the joints in my legs are killing me.'

                

Shadows tell us it's getting late in the day.
   

Cheers,  

Jenni and Jeffrey