I am fresh back from my first trip to the Grand Canyon. What better way to see something as expansive and old as over 300 million years, than to immerse one's self deep inside of said Canyon?
Our trip started with an uncanny happening. Car all loaded, and ready to pull out of the garage. Turn the key, and nada, nothing. Dead battery. Shit!! Ok. lets just jump it and we are off. Done, ok back on track and only 5 minutes lost. Now just fill up the gas tank and hit the highway. Oh, shit!! It won't start again, and this time it takes like 15 minutes to get it charge enough to start. NOT GOOD. We call a friend that has a car dealership and that is on our way, and he says "stop in we can check it out and fix it quick", so the battery is bad. I year old, and it is shot. Kris has a guy run and get us a new battery and install fast. After a few little strange car computer issues and 50minutes or so later we are back on the highway. Whew!!
The drive up to the Grand Canyon was actually pretty uneventful, we arrived to the Mather overlook pt. about 30 minutes before all the others that where meeting us. Just enough time for my first look and the huge hole in the earth. A couple quick pics and we are off to the camp grounds to set up our tents. A few Big Sky brews, some marsh mellows, and off to sleep to prepare for a 3am wake up call.
DAY ONE: We where all so excited to get started, and by 4:25am we where on the South Kaibab trail and headed to the Canyon bottom and the Colorado river some 6000ft below us. Did I mention, it is pitch dark as we start this very, very steep decent?
After roughly 2ish hours and about 4000 pictures taken we hit the bottom. It was sooooo nice to be on flat ground, as short lived as it would be I took total advantage of it. Mary new of a little side trail that leads to a cool little secluded water fall where we all sat down for the first time and noshed on our lunches. After about twenty minutes we where back on the trail and headed to what would be the hardest part of the day. (the climb up to the North Rim). as we crossed the Canyon floor we all fell in line and got a nice little running pace line going for about a hour. stopping only to refill our water at the last stop before reaching the top of the North Rim. This would also mark the last time we would see any flats for several hours. Mary (the billy goat) Knott took the lead as we climbed, and climbed and climbed. I ran up to her and we talked and stayed together for a while, before I kinda found myself alone at the front of the group. Just like in any race I have ever done, I started to focus on getting to the top. Stopping a few times to make sure everyone behind me was doing ok, and then off I would go again. As we started to crest the North Rim we started seeing the left over snow from the crazy winter they had in Northern Arizona. We could all start smelling the finish at this point and just wanted to get there already. Of course the entire day everyone talk about the need for some cold beers and a shower, and I think that keep most of us going forward. As I reached the top of the trail there where a bunch of other people that had finished just before our group and they where cheering us all and offering up free cold COKES! that was one of the best Cokes I have ever had. I sat there at the top waiting for the group and taking "finisher pictures" as each and everyone of us made it to the top. How freakin cool it was to see each of their faces as they realized the had made it. We tried not to think about the return trip tomorrow. I think the longest part of the day may have been the 1.5 hike/run to the cabins/saloon. Then after a few beers/shots, and some well earned dinner we where off to the cabins for a short sleep and another 3am wake up call.
DAY 2: After, basically no sleep due to the snoring idiot in the adjoining cabin. we where up and actually reading to get it on. The early morning temps where much colder. Me in my sleevless shirt and shorts, and everyone else in long sleeves and pants. I couldn't get anyone to start running with me to warm up so we just fast walked the 1.5miles to the trail head. Then we started all over again. a almost 7000ft steep decent down the Canyon floor. Luckily Eric gave one of his shirts to throw on and that kept me comfortable for the first half hour until I warmed up a bit, and the sun came up. The quads and ankles where a bit sore, but not as bad as I had guessed they would be, but after heading straight down the mountain side for an hour or so, I was starting to feel it. At this point I knew there was nothing I could do about it, and would just have to deal with the soreness until we got back to the car on the other side of the South Rim. With about 2-3 miles left in our decent Kata started to run, I was a bit hesitant at first, because of the trashed quads, but figured what the hell, lets just get this over with, so her and I took off straight down and around some really hairy switch backs, and before I knew it, we had made it back to Cottonwood and the flats. We just chilled out for a few minutes and we all gathered back up to start the run to Phantom Ranch. We started out little pace line again and it felt much better than hiking down hill. I tried to stay at the back of the group so as to keep an eye out for everyone else in case someone had a problem out there. I figured being the stronger of the runners, that if I was the one to fall off the back that I would be able to catch up at some point. Sure enough as we crossed over one of the bridges I rolled my left ankle all the way over, and stopped for a minute or two to gather myself and take advantage of the break to take a nature break. Then I was back off running, and really flying. I caught back up with the group before they even knew I was missing. We basically stayed together running for the next 1 1/2 straight until we reached Phantom Ranch and our lunch stop. We relaxed for 1/2 an hour and ate and drank, preparing our minds and bodys for the last really tough push up the finish at the South Rim. Back across the river, through the tunnel and bam, there it started. More steep switch backs then you could count for the next 3hrs. Almost instantly Mary (billy goat) Knott shot to the front again, and we started to drop the rest of the group. From here on out it was pretty much every man and women for themselves. Whatever you have to do to get yourself there. I once again (like yesterday) found myself off the front alone for most of the climb, but tried to keep an close eye on the rest of our group from the top of the switchbacks. Finally deciding about half way up that we should regroup and take 5. After a quick calorie push we where all back at it. This last half of the climb was the hardest part of our two days. The switchbacks just got higher and steeper with every turn. When we passed the sign that indicated we had actually passed the half way mark we all got a little extra energy boost, just when everyone needed it. As we inched closer and closer to the top we started passing more and more people that where out for a little day hike. It felt so good to know you where so much stronger than most of these people and that you are so close to accomplishing such a great endurance event (Rim 2 Rim 2 Rim)!!!
Finally I turned a corner and there it was, The sign indicating that I had made it back to the top of the South Rim just ahead of me. At this point I paused to wait for Mary so that we could finish the last few feet together. Hell Yes, we did it. I stopped at the top and yelled encouragement to the group, while snapping a pic of each and everyone as they crested the top of the finish line.
PRICELESS!!!!! After a few teary eyes and pictures we complete the 1.4 mile hike/run back to the car where we all dug into the food and drinks that we had waiting for us. We rearranged the car and all piled in looking for the nearest Pizza place. It was one of the best pizzas I have ever had, and then we started the long drive back to Gilbert with a lifetime memory that no one can ever take away from each and everyone of us. Thanks goes out to all of our crew. Eric, Kata, Nick, Rebecca, and Callie. What a cool group to experience this adventure with. A huge special hug, kiss and thanks goes to my amazing wife, for without her the day never would have
happened. I LOVE YOU MARY!!!
