the grand canyon.

my initial view

i have never been here before. when i think about the grand canyon, i think about a very structured canyon about a mile across and a mile deep that you look over and see the colorado river running along. in my mind you can watch as people raft down the river and you can easily see across to the other side, it is very orderly and well maintained.

that isnt the reality. and i always knew that, but having never laid my own eyes on this 6 million year old natural wonder, i allowed myself to get away with the flaw.

i left flag around 10am, after going to the post office and retrieving a piece of mail sent general delivery by my good friend steve, some of you may know him. i

dwarfed

checked my email and breakfasted, then hit it. the grand canyon is only about 80 miles from flag so it wasnt that big of a jump, but it felt good to get on the road again. to be moving and seeing new things.

so, a little over an hour after leaving i start getting real close to the canyon, i assume that i can see the gap in the world as i am driving up, even at twenty miles away. even though this thought betrays how i had always thought about it. anyway, the signs start saying 20 miles, 10 miles, 5 miles, and around 5 miles i am excited. i see a ranger station, the road opens up into 6 lanes and i pull up to pay.

$25! for a seven day pass, mind you, but still. it seems expensive. i paid and started driving in. i figured that everything would just be right in front of me

canyon

once i got in, but i kept driving and then traffic got a bit heavier and off to my right i could see it. and i could immediately tell that it wasnt how i had always pictured it. it was much different.

it my excitement i just parked as soon as i could, packed my water and some other drinks, my binoculars and camera and was off. there is a trail called the "rim trail" that, you guessed it, follows pretty close to the rim for about 9 miles from mathers point where i had parked. too bad they dont have a trail that follows the rim for the entire 277 miles the canyon stretches.

i had looked at a map online and figured that i could just start heading west along the trail. part of the $25 entrance fee includes a free shuttle service that stops

i want to take that road

a number of times along the trail and will take you back to where you parked, so i figured i could go til i was tired and hop the bus.

first, let me explain the view. the canyon stretches 10 miles from the north rim to the south rim, i am at the south rim. having been etched out slowly over time, the canyon has very clear ridges that cascade down towards sea level and the coloardo river. a descent of about 7000 feet. the cascades are clearly defined by their colors and you can clearly make out shelves of rock that are layered like pancakes.

i walked along the trail for a bit until i saw some people moving away from the trail out towards some of the ledges. technically you arent supposed to leave the

an outcropping i conquered

paved trail, but a number of folks were headed out towards the outcropping and i wanted to as well. the path didnt look particularly treacherous and i have a decent sense of adventure.

let me note, real quick, my attire. i had on a black t-shirt, loose black shorts, and open toe sandals. not the best hiking attire. i also carried a shoulder bag.

so, down i went. there was a bunch of loose gravel and some shorter sheer cliffs that i had to traverse. i left my bag toward the top of the path and went out to the point. it was great. i saw one a little further on and decided to go to that one. after snatching my bag, i noticed that there was a little beaten path that was off from the paved path and was closer to the rim, no ledges, and easier access to the outcroppings.

canyon flowers

so i took that path instead. i was the only person on it. and i did some crazy things. something that i have always wanted to do is go to the rock climbing gym and climb rocks. it seems like fun. and today i got a crash course in rock climbing that probably wasnt the smartest. considering that there was about a 7000 foot drop on one side and i was by myself with no safety equipment and no one even knew i was there.

i went with it though. and it was a blast. i think i nearly fell once, and i got pretty scratched up but i was way out further than most people could even fathom. after awhile i noticed that not only going out i was heading down as well...and i didnt want to go down. this is where my crash course in rock climbing started. i made it back up, but i was pretty scared and went on the paved path for awhile.

then i saw some more and just went for them. and this went on and on. i have pictures, a lot of them. i will post them soon. after what felt like a real long

my rock wall

time, in reality only about three hours, i had only gone about three miles. and i was beat! my ankles were sore, i was bleeding and dusty/dirty and i just wanted to start chilling out.

so i hopped the bus back toward my car. that was an adventure. if you have ever been on the number 4 bus in portland during rush hour add about thirty people and you had the bus i was on here. on a monday. i came here on the weekdays specifically to avoid the crowds. i guess they cant be avoided. along the way we passed the only showers on the campground, the driver made sure to point them out.

and with that i knew what i was doing. i hadnt showered since my first day in tucson...about two weeks ago. i felt real dirty and wanted nothing more than that shower. i got my truck and went for it. it was glorious. as glorious as an 8 minute low pressure shower can be, but i reveled in it.

and then i drove around the park, looking for a good place to park and sleep for the night. something that the park is very against. i found a good place and then came

and more canyon

back to where i stopped hiking to watch the sunset and finish my book. then i walked into this lodge, found some wireless internet and started typing.

and now i am tired. i feel like i had a lot more ready in my head to type, about the caves i saw and some other interesting facts i learned, my plans for the future. but i just got this wave of exhaustion and it is dark out, so i am going to sleep. tomorrow promises more hiking and exploration, and pictures! (if this link doesnt work, let me know...)