Tomorrow. A new beginning. My alarm went off at 05:30 am, I got dressed and stepped outside to use the restroom. On the way back, I opened up my back hatch and proceeded to make a fresh cup of coffee. While the coffee grounds soaked in the hot water I dressed for a day of hiking and by 07:00 I was in my vehicle with my coffee in one hand and the wheel in the other. I was off to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon!
I was ready to start anew and as I pulled out of the parking area the sun was just beginning to rise into the sky and the air was crisp and fresh upon my face. Mist hung just above the grass in the meadows that I drove by and at one point I just had to stop and get out of my vehicle to take some pictures. It was just too perfect an opportunity to pass up. Back on the road I passed a herd of buffalo with their young but did not stop instead I kept on trucking thru. Pulling into the visitor center I was early and it was not yet open so I took the time to fill up all my water containers. Once they unlocked the doors I asked the woman at the counter about hiking and by the time I left I had a plan!
I messaged my little brother to inform him of what trails I would be on today and that if he didn't hear from me by the end of the night to try to call me and then if that didn't work to take action. Unhooking my camper, I locked it up tight and left it behind in the parking lot and took off in my vehicle with a small sense of freedom at being able to zip around the curves of the road. As I pulled into the gravel parking area at the trail head I was greeted by an older gentleman and when I asked him how he was doing he responded with, "better now that I am finally on the trail." I couldn't have agreed more! With my pack full of all the essentials and my camera strapped across me I set off on the trail.
The hike was called the "Widforss Trail" and was 9.6 miles round trip. It was an exquisite hike with breathtaking views of the canyon! At one point, I was so taken with the raw beauty of the area and so completely happy that I wanted to cry out in joy. The air smelled so strongly of wildflowers and had a distinct lilac smell which is my favorite smell of all. Birds could be heard and seen flying everywhere, the leaves of the aspen trees quaked in the wind producing a a rain like sound and all around me was life. I could not get over the views and every chance I got I stopped and just stood there in complete awe. Its' a wonder I ever finished the trail to begin with. The hike itself was not difficult and meandered up and down forest hills with views of the canyon in between. I spotted multiple lizards and even caught a baby greater (mountain) short-horned lizard (Phrynosoma hernandes) which I took close to a hundred pictures of and realized I probably should get back to hiking and let the poor thing be on its way. I also spotted my first breeding adult male Western Tanager (Piranga ludoviciana)!
As I neared where the trail ended and one had to turn around I met up again with the older gentlemen from the parking lot. We talked about the upcoming eclipse and where we were going to be. He mentioned that he is joining a backpacking group in Idaho for the eclipse and that I should really think about it. I would love more than anything to do that; however, Idaho is in the opposite direction and quite a ways back at that. So of course now that was on my mind HaHa. Well I reached the end of the trail and the view was once again mind blowing. I just can not get over the beauty of this place it is easily my favorite place thus far.
Turning back to the parking lot I spent the majority of the hike day dreaming of different things and a couple times I caught myself for I was losing track on where I was at on the trail. At one point, I happened to look up to spot a huge buck off in the distance staring at me. I switched out my camera lenses and began clicking away. As I moved along the trail to get a couple different angles he just kept staring at me and I noticed that with him were several other younger bucks. He was so elegant and regal looking that he reminded me of the prince in the movie Bambi.
When the hike was over my foot was extremely sore especially where my blister was still healing from my backpacking trip in Montana. But I had more hikes planned for today so it would just have to get over it. Leaving Widforss Trail head I drove on the Cape Royal Road all the way to the end which was a fun road with all the twists and turns and it was a beautiful day for a drive. At the end, I parked and walked to Cape Royal and Angel's Window. Both were breathtaking and together were only 0.8 miles during which I began a conversation with a woman who told me about her trip to the Congaree National Park in South Carolina and then I told her about my current trip. Apparently, she was so caught up in talking with me she left her friends behind and when they caught up to us we all laughed about it. They were heading to Zion National Park after this so I gave them some pointers and must sees and then we said goodbye.
Back in my vehicle, I drove to the Cliff Spring hike which was also only 0.8 miles long and suppose to end in a spring but I didn't really see one; it was more or less a puddle of water with algae. None the less the hike was pretty cool and a good portion of it was under a cliff overhang. From there I went to the Wahalla Overlook and then to my last hike of the day, Cape Final Trail. I began the trail at 15:30 and was finished within two hours albeit in quite a bit of pain. When I started out on the hike I was already limping due the blister on my foot that had acquired a blister on top of that one. Didn't know that could happen. The trail was only 4.3 miles round trip and meandered down a forested ravine and was not difficult it just was slow going due to my foot. During the hike, I stopped twice to do ten push-ups on a log and on the way back I did the same thing for a total of forty push-ups with my pack on. Reaching the top of Cape Final it was extremely windy but I stood right on the edge anyways for the view was spectacular! I felt as though I was on top of the world.
The hike back to the parking area proceeded the Widforss hike in that I day dreamed the entire way and was shocked when I looked up and saw my vehicle. The trail just whipped on by me without me knowing. I drove back to the visitor center, stopping at the Roosevelt Point along the way, and filled up my water pack. By this time it was close to sunset so I hiked to Bright Angel's point (another 0.5 miles) and climbed up on a white stone that hung over the lookout area. There I sat back and took in the view. Here I had a spectacular 360 degree view of the Grand Canyon! It was starting to cool down and with the breeze I began to get cold so I put on my jacket and continued to sit there gazing out over the Grand Canyon not able to believe what my eyes were showing me. Due to an overcast sky there was not much of a sunset to see and my camera had died so I took one last look and climbed back down the rock and headed for my camper.
I left the visitor center behind me and with my camper in tow this time drove to a picnic area that had a porta-potty and camped there for the night. I was hoping to get somewhere with service for I really had an idea I wanted to run by my friend and I also wanted to let my family know what hike I was planning for tomorrow. Though in reality with the condition of my feet I probably shouldn't do the hike.
So I have not had a shower since Friday morning and I will have to say I really need one. I sat in my camper in only my underwear washing the dirt from today off my body with cleansing wipes and dared to look at my feet. The toe whose nail had fallen off isn't looking to well and I just hope the nail grows back. Like I mentioned earlier my blister has a blister and takes up a good portion of my foot. On my left foot, I have a blister and both my big toe nail and another toe nail are black and blue and getting worse. From what people tell me and from what I read it is probably due to me not having the right size hiking boots but I can not afford to go out and buy another pair of boots so my feet will just have to suffer I guess.
Once I was "cleaned" up and my feet had been assessed I drank a beer and ate my last roast beef and cheese sandwich. In total, I hiked 16 miles today and my whole body felt every one of those miles. When my sandwich and beer were finished and I had made my journal entry for the day I shut off the light and don't even remember falling asleep.
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