A Fool's Journey: Guide Books Can Be Wrong

Day 5 National Park 2010

I went to bed at 8:30 last night right after dinner, I just pass out, I was so tired. I got up at 7amish and slept for 11 hours straight. I did morning ceremony and cooked instant noodles for breakfast. Then it was a quick take down on the tent to drive into North Rim to get a campsite. I was distressed over the packing and unpacking of tent that I decided I would just fold it and shove it into my car so I can just pull it out and unfold it to the next site. This turned out to be an excellent discovery. I rolled all my sleeping pad, bag into a giant jellyroll and into the car it went. It’s camping, the car does not have to be perfectly organized nor does my tent have to be perfectly rolled.

I saw at the North Rim gate with the sign “all campsites are full”. I was shocked. Why am I so shocked? I feel like a kid who learned the things learned in books and schools can be wrong. The guide book said you never have to make reservations because the campsites here are never full and not as popular. I didn’t make reservations because of that. I pulled into the registration and tried to get a camp site. It was all full and they just gave away their last site. Ranger Susan was tough with talking to me, she can’t offer what she doesn’t have. I put myself on a waitlist for cancelations. I asked if I can drive by the campsites and see if anyone is willing to share. Ranger Susan was tough and unbending. She was caring like a stern parent and concerned for my safety, wanted to know why I was traveling alone and was probably staring the bleeding sore on my lower lip from the burning summer temperatures of south rim and now the very cold winter weather of north rim. She finally agreed for me to drive around the campsite and made sure I understood I will not harass anyone for me to crash with them. I wouldn’t do that.

I pulled over at site #33, most people were not at their site and there was no one to ask. It was their tent on top of the trailer that captivated me. A couple and a little girl with red hair green eyes and freckles had just gotten into their suburban and was about to roll off. I rolled my window down and asked knowing they were not using their site for tent if I could use it. I offered to pay for the site and it was already paid through reservation and they refused to take my money. Dave was the husband and Naomi was the daughter. Dave turns out to be an anesthesiologist and his wife is a nurse and the daughter was adopted. The family is from Flagstaff and is staying 2 nights. I tried to pay for the two nights camp fee but they family refused to take money from me.

I rushed back to Ranger Susan with excitement on scoring a site and she kindly gave me a run down on campground rules etc… She took down information on where I was from, etc… since I was traveling alone. I felt safe in the grounds she watched. I was super excited to know there is access to hot shower, laundry access and internet by the general store.

After setting up my tent I strolled around to see how others traveled and camped. I thought I would learn from others what is good gear for me since I am new to car camping. I know right now I want a hammock. This is important. I wondered why people brought giant propane with homemade wok set up ring. I later learned at this elevation and in this cold, it takes forever for my water to boil. Mosquito and rain, yup, I don’t have anything for me to avoid the mosquito and rain while I cooked or sat. It’s really too much work to put up a mosquito picnic bench covering for one. But really, it would be nice to be able to cook dry and mosquito free. This summer, I want to learn how to set up fire and a BBQ.

Why didn’t I bring a comfortable lawn chair?

Why didn’t I bring a clothes line with clothes pin for laundry?

Why didn’t I bring a folding table for one?

Why didn’t I bring a hair dryer?

Why didn’t I bring more food?

Why didn’t I pack a cooler with ice?

Why didn’t I pack more snacks?

Why didn’t I pack more cookies?

Why didn’t I bring a tripod?

I thought I packed food for 3 weeks but I am eating more than I thought. It usually is the case when camping, why did I forget? It’s a good thing I stopped at Williams Safeway and bought random canned food. It’s turning out to be a wise choice. Everything is triple times the price here at the national park store.

Lunch today, I had the rest of the dolmas, along with a tomato, and roasted eggplant. Today it is windy and cold. I then made tea, had it with cookies and mochi. What I thought was a lot of mocha and cookies is running short.

I came across Maya from Pennsylvania who is taking 7 weeks off with her friend to do this. They dehydrated 7 weeks worth of vegetables, they are super prepared for this road trip. One thing they weren't prepared for was 24/7 with each other for 7 weeks. They are thinking of cutting the trip shorter. They say their major expense is gas. Road trip, yup, lots to negotiate and take with care when doing road trip with people. I shared my cookies and tea with her. I told her about Sedona and she told me about Glaciers National Park, Yellowstone, Tetons, Zion, Bryce. They are backpacking tomorrow into the canyon from North Rim to South Rim, it is downhill for the North Rim stretch. They brought a hammock, a very light weight one made of polyester, weighed a pound. Why didn't I think of this? I shall put this on my wish list and be on the lookout for it.

It then hailed in the afternoon. I was not prepared for the cold or the hailing. It then snowed. I was so not prepared for this. I took the trail from campgrounds to the lodge. The clouds from this amazing weather was super dramatic to look at. The colors bouncing off the clouds was just an amazing show to witness. I saw rainbows in the sky. I enjoyed the trail. I walked with leg warmers on. Glad I had them, I so needed something to keep me warm.

I went to the lodge to warm up and looked around the area to acquaint myself. I considered having dinner at the lodge, they were all full. This place is the only place to eat within 50 miles. At the gift shop I discovered I didn’t bring my wallet. It was good thing the lodge was full. It would have been bad to have ordered, eaten and discover I didn’t have my wallet to pay.

I decided to head back to camp, since I forgot to bring my headlamp and it was getting dark, I decided not the take the trail back. I decided to walk along the road instead, it would be more straight forward in dim light conditions. As I walked an retired couple from Florida with miniature poodle pulled up and insisted on giving me a ride back to my camp because I was walking alone and they just wanted to do something for me to make sure I got home safely. They were so sweet. I am meeting amazing people who are decent and do small acts of kindness that warms the heart and brings smiles to my each of my brain cells.

I was dropped off at the general store and on my way back to camp I chatted with Sadie and her guardian. He lives in TX in the winter and the rest of the year he travel in his RV. He wanders with his dog. He seemed lonely.

I chatted with Naomi and her family about their camp setup. They have a 2^nd hand, imitation off another original brand. The top and bottom are two separate companies. The whole set up is $10,000. Plus the accessories it comes out to $20,000. Naomi loves horses and cats. Her favorite colors are blue and purple. She loves camping and she runs her mom’s life. Dad is the cook and the organizer. Mom seems to be easily fatigued, excited to chat but timid and shy that she was vegetarian for a few years but did not continued. I then made instant noodles for dinner.

I got into my car to shower. Just as I was about to shower I noticed the stall I was in was out of order. It was a good thing I did not first put the money in. I might have lost the money since the stall was broken. I switched to a functional one. The shower head I got was not the best. Somehow the whole shower process took over an hour. It was warm in the showers. Fortunately there was a hot air hand dryer and I used it as a hair dryer to dry my hair.

Then I went back to the lodge to wait for the star gazing for the night to begin. Yes I packed my headlights this time and all electronics to recharge while I waited for the stars to appear. Tired though, I really don’t know if I will last. Instead of the star shower, there was a thunder shower lightening show. I sat inside by the fire and waited for the sky to clear. I left at 11pm. I didn’t realize how tired I was until I began driving back to camp. My eyes had trouble with focusing. It was also partly due to my eye lids puffed from mosquito bites.

I did decide to stop at the general store parking lot to check email. I was so tired, disoriented, unable to focus, that when I was in the camp loops, I couldn’t figure out which was my camp so I went round and round, looking for my tent. I felt bad for the disturbance to others and more for the kind neighbors who let me camp.

The temperature was below 40 degrees. I went to sleep with layers on me to stay warm. I could not warm up fast enough in the sack. I was cold. I was not prepared for this cold. Why wasn’t I prepared? Why didn’t I know it snows in the Grand Canyons in June?

Here are some of my fellow neighbor travelers and how they roll. Most people show up at Grand Canyons National Park South or North Rim with RVs.