Day 6 National Park 2010
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| Let your imagination fly with this one! All natural no CGI. |
I woke up from dreams of enjoying looking at photos of me
in various places I have been, will be and the joy in my face and contentment
was what made me beautiful and enjoyed to see.
Morning ceremony took longer than usual because I was
distracted from worries of coming weeks.
It was all useless, mostly distractions, drawing me into tensions and
knots. I had to compensate and slow it
way down and lots of restarts. So I was
behind my schedule. What is this
schedule, simple, I need to do laundry and go on a hike and make it early
enough for the lodge $16. Pasta buffet at a window seat. Is it really that critical? Well, I really would like to feel what the
big deal it is to get that window seat.
Met a neighbor who is from Europe and has been doing the Panamericana RV trails year after year. I asked them what happens when the RV breaks down? She said you have to stop and get it serviced even if you are in middle of Chile. 
I came across Maya and her friend getting ready to hike 2
days into the canyon. A hike had to get
air lifted out yesterday for dehydration doing the rim to rim hike. Honestly, I’ve seen too many episodes of “I
shouldn’t have survived this” to scare me enough to not do rim to rim. I watch way to much TV. But I think such shows really do educate so I
don’t end up dying or shattering all my bones etc…
The hike was lovely. It was crowded and full of very nice people happily helping me to take photos of me.
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| I found an ice machine at the village. |
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| Trails in the village were lovely for strolls. |
I insisted on eating with my left hand and taking my time
to chew my food, a change in digestion attempt.
I sat down at 11:30am and my bill landed on my table at 11:56am within
30 minutes after I got my table,….. really? …..Seriously? I let it sit there and went for a second
plate and continued to enjoy this experience.
I even contemplated ordering a blueberry pie. However, my server came to me at 12:48pm and
publically made a scene and said I had been there for over an hour and half and
there are guests waiting for my spot. He
publically shamed me. I don’t know what
was so shameful about eating my lunch and taking an hour to do it. I almost cried but I didn’t want to cry. I was happy, this is a happy trip, a happy experience. I did not know there was a time limit to my
lunch. There is no sign nor was I informed.
In truth, I had only been there
for an hour. This was all and all
turning out to be a disappointing experience.
I paid for this???? I paid to be
publically humiliated and put in a demeaning place. I didn’t want to make a fuss and get this man
fired by filing a complaint. It’s not
worth it. I cancelled my dinner
reservation for tonight and just walked out of there super disturbed and in
shock.
I had plans for another hike this afternoon, the cold was
okay, but the rain, I was not prepared for.
Due to the rain there was so much more traffic in the fire place that I
had to put on ear plugs to block out all the people noise in this very echo
wood room. At 3:30pm the down pour
turned into showers that turned into sprinkles.
The sky was so interesting I had to walk in the drizzle and get wet to
photograph the dramatic sky and the canyons.
I had to take cover underneath a boulder so I can stand in the cold and
wind and wet to watch this scenery. I
like breathing the cool air. I finally
had to call it quits when my battery ran out.
When I went to the parking lot to pick up battery
chargers, I saw cars pull up full of snow on their hood. I inquired.
They said it’s a blizzard a mile out, pretty much where I camped at the
National Forest Land area. I am glad I
didn’t drive to those areas to hike. I
would have been caught in a snowy blizzard conditions and I don’t have chains
or anything for the snow.
Back at the fire place I met rim to rim people who do
this every year from South Rim to North Rim 23 miles in 9 hours. They start at 5:30am arriving 3pm ish at
North Rim. They get a place at the Lodge
and stay for two nights and then they hike back from North Rim to South
Rim. They had their luggage shuttled
from south rim for this.
Here is Paul’s pointers:
1.
Carry enough water
2.
Wear comfortable shoes
3.
Keep feet dry, will save toe nails, change sock
and use baby powder
4.
Stay on trail
5.
Start early
I met another guy name Phil who is a grandpa with white
hair in great hiking condition to backpack off road. He showed me how to read trail map and
different trail conditions, sit, no campsite, water, no water and permits,
etc… I really didn’t expect me to remember
all that. But he was super excited to
pass the info along. Maybe too excited
because after that he followed me around or somehow we kept on running
into each other. He wanted to know
details of my car so he can track me down in Bryce. All sorts of alarms went off in my head and I
ran for it. Was this guy just creepy or
did I somehow not get a social cue somehow earlier. Really, does listening to someone talk about
maps mean more than that? Am I really
that dull and slow and socially out of it?
I went for a shower, the heater in the shower is a
plus. It really is a draw, even when I
am pooped out tired. When I went back to
my camp site, I noticed the family left.
A new neighbor told me they packed out around noon. So I didn’t get to give the little girl a
stuffed horse I got for her as a gift, one of her favorite animals. I had to return it. I think they got stuck in the blizzard.
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| Where to dry your laundry when it's hailing, snowing, raining outside? |
For dinner I had Spanish giant beans and Indian spinach
paneer. The spinach was way too
spicy. The beans were 200 calories. I filled water at the drinking water faucet
and it tasted like rust. It tasted so bad I couldn’t even mask it. It’s a good thing I have 5 gallons of water
in the car.
It’s so cold my skin hurts. It is going to be at a high of 32 degrees
tonight. It feels cooler than that. I lifted my windshield wipers to watch for
frost. I don’t know if I will get any
rest tonight because I am so cold.
I went back to the Lodge for more star gazing. At 9:15pm stars appeared. I got to see Saturn at this elevation, clear,
big and the rings were super beautiful to see.
Where else can I star gaze like this?
How could I have planned it better?
It is just wonderful to marvel at the sky.
I left around 11pm after two hours of bone chilling cold,
a sacrifice, all for the beauty of the night sky. I was tempted to stay in the warm lounge
couch and sleep where there is heat. But
I refused to wimp out. I prefer to camp
and sleep in my luxurious tent even if it is in the low 30’s and feels more
like 20’s.
On my way out I met a couple who is headed to Idaho. The female is from inner Mongolia and the
male companion was eating instant noodles with beer bottle in the other hand
and smoking weed all in the same time.
They did not have a place to sleep tonight, all camps were full and the
lodge is too. They plan on sleeping in
their car tonight. I have no sympathy
for people with such talents. The female
wanted to follow me back to camp and offer to put up a fire for me. Nope! I don’t think so. A drunk, high weed smoking , synthetic carb
loading couple to hang around with, dangerous is all I can think of. I referred them to the Kaibab National
Forest. Super beautiful and amazing but
they don’t seem to get that, especially not in the dark.
My upgrade technology to stay warm tonight, 2 beanies and
6 layers of clothing for the top and two sets of cotton leg warmers and two
pairs of pants and two pairs of sock. It’s
all I’ve got, it’s all on me.
I learned quickly what camper language is today and it
goes like this:
“Hi I am Sandy” , shake hands
“I am from….” Wait for your neighbor’s info, length of
stay , number of people, know your neighbor and make proper assessments
“That’s my set up over there….” Short talk about gear, equipment
And to conclude,
“If you need anything, just let us know….” Yes say ‘US’
especially as a single female traveler, ALWAYS say US or WE
