I met lots of good people on my travels. Folks on the trail I shared rations and stories with. One for example was Doug, a 65 year-old man who works in the local hospital. He was on a shift when a young man was brought in after attempting suicide at the Canyon by driving his car off the cliff. The car landed in a tree hundreds of feet down and he escaped with just scratches... if that's not a message to keep living I don't know what is! Then there was Ernie who took 20 minutes to file away my Harley key so it would work again (though would take no money from a fellow biker). And let's not forget Mandy the Ranger who advised me not to hike back out in the heat of the day, but since I was determined to do it anyway, she taught me to change into a cotton shirt so I could soak it in the creek to keep me cool and refreshed while I hiked out. WHEN I take this journey again, it will be with a cadre of friends, and we will make the trip more of a pilgrimage than a grueling marathon.
Besides having great pictures and memories, I carry with me some pride knowing what I can put my body through. 20 miles of hiking up and down 6000+ feet over 13 hours straight was something I had not prepared for. I finished it with a smile, but also with a dozen foot blisters, deep boot abrasions on the high ankle, bruises on the hips and sore shoulders from the heavy backpack straps, and a toenail that decided it would rather just fall off than endure any more stresses! But don't be turned off to the trails... you too can do this and in a more sane way. If you are reading this, you are cordially invited to join my posse for next year's return trip!
And what's more, a $100 camera and a Grand Canyon hike can turn a Schmuck like me into a professional photographer...
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