Houston: we have crops

So just one crop- 5 little bitty potatoes.

BUT I HAVE HARVESTED CROPS FROM MY GARDEN- WOO HOO!!!!

Just look at them in all their glory:

So you have  to look really closely to see them, and the biggest one is not much bigger than a golf ball, but I grew them.  I grew them all on my own, and I'm going to eat them tomorrow for lunch.  Yippee!!!

The cucumber vines are getting out of control and are flowering, so  it won't be long before they start producing cucumbers (yum!).   We also have a sweet pepper that is getting big.  I can't wait until it grows large enough to eat.

This is so exciting.  Next year I will have to do a much better job with planting so I can reap the benefits of my sowing.  How exciting!!!

The Great Grand Canyon Adventure

I don't even know what words to say to describe our trip.  Amazing.  Incredible.  Inspiring.  Humbling.  Awesome.  Silent.  Exhilarating.  Breathtaking.  Hot.  Tiring.  Challenging.  Fascinating.  Marvelous. Stunning.

None of those words can come close to describing the Canyon from the inside.  I'll try to let the photos tell the story.  Here we go...

In the car on the way out.  We're still smiling here.  After spending 2400+ miles in the car- we weren't smiling quite so much.

 Hot air balloons in the sky while we ate breakfast at our overnight stop in Albuqurque on the way out

We finally made it to AZ.  As a native Zonie- I felt great being back on home turf.

On the way to GC.  This is the Navajo Bridge near where the Colorado enters the Grand Canyon

We made it to the North Rim after a long day's drive.  Nearing sunset at the Lodge here.

Yippee- we're here!!!

Beautiful view from the rim

Day 2 on the rim doing some light hiking and sightseeing.

more GC views

I'm going to be down in there tomorrow.  Yippee!!!

 
With the super duper zoom on the camera, you can see the Bright Angel Trail and Indian Garden on the South Rim

Day 1 of our 4 day hiking adventure.  

Rian and I at the start at 6 am

Rian on Day 1 of the hike down into the canyon

 

More Day 1 hiking shots

 
about halfway down (mile wise), but more than halfway down elevation wise

sunset from our campsite at Cottonwood on Day 1

and look- you can see the Lodge on the rim with the super duper zoom on the camera

Day 2 in the canyon

A swamp on the way to the bottom on Day 2

Another beautiful view while hiking

 
In "The Box."  One of the 4 bridges you cross over Bright Angel Creek on Day 2. 

We made it to the mighty Colorado River.  Rian taking a very brief swim in the frigid water.  The water is only about 45-50 degrees.  Too cold even if it was 120 degrees F.  Black bridge is in the background.

Crossing the Colorado via the Black Bridge.

Looking at Black Bridge over the Colorado

Day 2 was hot.  In the sun the thermometer read 140+.  The ranger said it was really only about 120 ish degrees in the sun.  ONLY... 

We wandered over to Phantom Ranch to the canteen.  We bought an ice cold lemonade and 3 bags of M&M's.  Thank goodness for the mules.  It was seriously overpriced, but who cares??? I got a cold drink and chocolate.  I was happy!!!

Day 3 in the Canyon

Day 3- hiking back to Cottonwood Campground.  This day was the hottest day of the trip.  We took a side trip to Ribbon Falls.  It was well worth the hike and fording Bright Angel Creek to get there.

In the midst of the parched  desert,  it's amazing that you can find an oasis of cool water and an incredible micro-climate like this.

Sitting in the creek after the day's hike felt soooo good!

Day 4 (after we'd been hiking for a couple hours).  We left just before sunrise at 4:45 a.m.
I'm already drenched in sweat after only 2 miles.

We didn't take many pictures on Day 4.  It was a focused grind to get to the top before the full sun hit us.  The last 2 miles from the top were the hardest miles I've ever walked.  Steep uphill, in the full sun, hiking in deep sand.  It was incredibly tough.  Had to rest every 10 min.  Made it by 10 am, tho.

Here are the backpacks resting after our climb out.

After hiking out 7 miles uphill, and gaining 4200 feet of elevation, we showered at the campground, then headed to the lodge for lunch and celebrated with a Grand Canyon Ale.  It was the best beer I've ever had.
Then we checked into our room and took a well-deserved nap.  

We look rough, but we are clean and super happy after beer and lunch (and some air conditioning)

From the Lodge at the rim, you can see Cottonwood Campground 4200 feet down into the canyon
The campground is kinda in the center of the picture- where the clump of trees are.

 After we left GC, we stopped at Zion National Park.  It was equally beautiful there- just different.

 We rode our bikes  in Zion NP.  Part of the road is closed to cars- only the shuttle buses are allowed.   It was so nice not to worry about those pesky cars.

Then we stopped by Lake Powell and the Glen Canyon Dam on our way home. 
We took the dam tour- it was fascinating!!!

After the dam, we stopped by Horseshoe Bend.  It was a 3/4 mile tough hike, but was well worth it.  The views were amazing, but it was kinda terrifying.  No guardrails- just a sheer drop off.

The last big hike

Today was the last long hike in prep. for the Grand Canyon.   Hiked for 1:30 (which isn't very long, but I was dead tired and my legs were like bricks, so I suppose it was long enough).  I guess it was good practice to hike when I was so tired.  I had to stop a lot (under the guise of getting good pictures) to give myself some rest.  Good thing I'll have plenty to photograph in the Canyon- plenty of opportunity to stop and rest. ;)

Went out to Arcadia lake to hike the hills (again, and again and again). 

Saw a ladybug, and caught some birds in flight over the water.

It was extremely windy (in the 25-30 mph sustained range), and it was warm, but the wind kept the warm from being too much.
It really was a nice day to be outside.  Even my ridiculous allergies couldn't keep me from having fun outside.
I only walked about 4 miles, but it was good practice.

Look out GC- we're coming your way in a week!!!  I hope you're ready for the Brown Invasion!