June 7, 2005
Day 21: Hiking the North Kaibab Trail
Well - - Itty just didn't get up this morning. We had to get our bikes and panniers to the shuttle before 7:00. That would seem extremely early, except for the fact that Arizona stays on standard time, so the sun rises at 5:00. I hollered over towards Itty's tent a few times - made lots of racket while taking down mine - and still no response. I figured he was totally pissed at me and was going to blow me off. So, I left a note under a rock on the picnic table and headed off to the lodge to meet the shuttle. As it turned out, Itty did get up and met us at the camp store just in the nick of time. He told me I should make certain he was awake. I demurred.
The Grand Canyon Lodge on the North Rim is one of the most spectacularly-sited buildings on earth. It sits right on the precipice with rock walls and beamed ceilings and three-storey windows looking out over the Grand Canyon. What's more, there's a huge verandah stretching to the very edge. We had a not-so-spectacular breakfast in the dining room then walked out to Bright Angel Point to admire the canyon.
Vickie gave us a lift out to the trailhead. She works for the mule rides and isn't too fond of hikers. She is even less fond of cyclists, so we didn't feel it prudent to let her know we were "those" kind of folks, too. She feels that hikers are rude to mule riders. Unfortunately, most cityfolk hikers don't like the mule shit on the trail and are unaware that it goes with sharing the trail. Itty was duly impressed with Vickie. No nonsense, indeed!
Itty was amazed by the Grand Canyon as I was, too. We had the nicest time together, yet. I never get tired of hiking down into the canyon. Down, down, down - switchbacks after switchbacks.
You have to turn around and look up at the red walls to get a sense of the heights. There is, however, one stretch where you are on a narrow ledge with a huge dropoff to your left. Because of the wet spring, the agave were in bloom everywhere.
Rutha and Cynthia were waiting for us at Ribbon Falls, a little more than halfway to the bottom. We had a late lunch and cooled off in the spray of the falls and spent the afternoon just being lazy. We all had blisters except Itty.
We should have left sooner because we ended up getting into Phantom Ranch after dark. Seems like Rutha and I have the same travel patterns. We pigged out on tostadas in the employee kitchen, climbed into the loft, and slept like the dead.
Today's ride: 14 miles (23 km)
Total: 1,097 miles (1,765 km)
| Rate this entry's writing | Heart | 0 |
| Comment on this entry | Comment | 0 |