:: W4B photography's companion blog ::

:: Monday, November 22, 2004 ::

Eating at 3 mile rest house after climbing up from plateau point 3 miles back. the hardest zig zags were just done, but i was still only half way up... I did make it though. and yeah, I was tired at the end. :)


We had gone 300 feet on the trail before we stopped as three deer or elk crossed it and stopped. They were grazing on the scrub grass and oblivious to us. We didn't want to startle them so we waited for them to move on. When they at least cleared the trail, we walked by, the closest female being about 3 feet from us. No pic because I would have needed a flash and startling her would possibly have been bad. I commented that this was what rush hour in the Grand Canyon was like and she chuckled. She told me she had come to the GC for her birthday and was going to a spa the next day. She said she had just turned 50.

I was really surprised and I wished her a happy birthday and told her that I had her pegged for no more than 35. She really looked good. I guess that adjusted the age range of women I am attracted to slightly... Anyhow, Donna beamed at the complement and I think that put a bit of a spring in her step and soon enough we could see civilization at the top of the trail. Before parting company at the Bright Angel Lodge she told me she had never gone on a hike alone - her husband had ankle surgery recently and couldn't do it and was back at their room - and she sincerely thanked me for 'rescuing her.' I felt like tipping my hat and saying 'no problem, ma'am, ' but I know not everyone does that sort of thing. But hey, I am Canadian. :)

The tally? Started at 930am. Reached the top at 4:45pm (more or less). Distance traveled: 12.2miles / 19.6km - of which about 4.6miles / 7.4 km was all up hill/vertical. Change in elevation each way: the Rim is at 6785 Feet and Plateau Point is 3770 Feet for a difference of 3015 feet /918.9 meters. Took me 2h51m down and 2h55m up! Twice as long up? Not for this guy. I know it is my tag line for all my posts, but it certainly meant something to me this day.

Carpe Diem

:: Mike Wood 19:02 [+] :: 0 comments
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