The Big C
I was hoping to get a sunrise and a sunset photo at the Grand Canyon. But when I got up my first morning there, the weather was being uncooperative. It was rain snowing, which sounds like sleet, but it really wasn't. I drove in and pulled into the first lookout I came to. Now, I've been to the Canyon before, about 21 years ago. But when I got out of the van and walked to the edge and looked out, it was like I was seeing it for the first time. Even without the sun, it was breathtaking.
I walked from one lookout to the next, snapping hundreds of pictures, like a total tourist. I finally made it to the Grand Canyon Village, which was where the Bright Angel Trail started. I had researched some trails online, and I knew that this was a four mile hike. I was really looking forward to it. But when I arrived at the trail head, I realized that this was a rim trail. Meaning, you're not on a paved trail with railings. Not at all. What it means is this. You are on a narrow dirt trail that has patches of the recent snow and ice.
Those black dots to the right just below center are people hiking. That thing to the left is a 3000 foot drop. About this time, my healthy fear of plunging to my death kicked in and my head said loudly and clearly to me, "Oh, HELL no!" So I took my fogie self back on up to the paved trail and took off. I saw a show on the Travel Channel about the Grand Canyon and how they spend five to ten years training the mules who take people down that trail. I figured, since I haven't been trained for five to ten years, it's probably better that I stay off of it.
To be continued . . .
I walked from one lookout to the next, snapping hundreds of pictures, like a total tourist. I finally made it to the Grand Canyon Village, which was where the Bright Angel Trail started. I had researched some trails online, and I knew that this was a four mile hike. I was really looking forward to it. But when I arrived at the trail head, I realized that this was a rim trail. Meaning, you're not on a paved trail with railings. Not at all. What it means is this. You are on a narrow dirt trail that has patches of the recent snow and ice.
Those black dots to the right just below center are people hiking. That thing to the left is a 3000 foot drop. About this time, my healthy fear of plunging to my death kicked in and my head said loudly and clearly to me, "Oh, HELL no!" So I took my fogie self back on up to the paved trail and took off. I saw a show on the Travel Channel about the Grand Canyon and how they spend five to ten years training the mules who take people down that trail. I figured, since I haven't been trained for five to ten years, it's probably better that I stay off of it.
To be continued . . .
posted by Mom Thumb at 6:45 PM
2 Comments:
Holy crap, you will NEVER see me hike down that trail, that's for sure. I have the most irrational fear of edges of anyone on the planet. I love your beautiful pictures though!
Thanks! Yeah, I used to be a rock climber and didn't have any kind of fear of heights, but that was a long time ago, and that trail scared the crap out of me.
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