Summer of Hell - Days 3-4: Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon is one of the most iconic National Parks in America. Photos don't work, it's too big, too colourful, too stunning. Monday we hiked a short section of Bright Angel trail and some of the South Rim Trail, but the kids got hot and upset so we ended up chilling out at the RV park. Tuesday we rode mules along another section of the Rim Trail, then drove to Lake Powell.
Grand Canyon National Park
We were up early and took the free shuttle bus to Verkamp's Visitor Center. You can't really see the canyon until you're right up against the edge, it's awesome.
Bright Angel trail
Bright Angel trail descends from the south rim all the way to the Colorado River. It's fairly steep, 4,500' elevation in 8 miles. We weren't in the mood to do much more than a half mile and 250' down.
I've always wanted to try the 23mi 5,250' Rim-to-Rim, but the kids didn't like the idea very much. They were more about taking it easy and eating gummies.
So we headed back up to the Rim Trail and walked a few miles West/North from the visitors center. It was hot!
By the time we caught the shuttle bus back to the visitors center, the kids were done. No amount of pleading, cajoling, bribing, or threatening was going to get them to hike more.
Cranky kids mean miserable parents, so we bailed!
Trailer Village RV Park
We went back to Trailer Village RV Park, and played Cat in the Box while they carved sticks with their new Walmart pocket knives.
We transformed the RV each stop from "driving mode" to "sleeping mode". We put up curtains around the front windows to keep the heat out, converted the table and bench into beds, and sent one kid, usually Charlie, up into the crows nest. It really worked!
Mule day!
The next day was mule day! Beth had been so keen on this we let her talk us into joining, what an adventure! Unfortunately Harriet was ONE INCH too short and the jerks wouldn't make an exception, so she and Sara explored more of the Grand Canyon's historical buildings instead. Harriet wasn't happy, but the girls got to ride horses later, so it worked out in the end.
The mule guides immediately sussed out our personalities. Some mules need to be "motivated", which means whacking them with a leather strop. They sussed out right away Charlie wasn't the whacking type, and put him on Blueberry, who was as gentle as a lamb and entirely willing to carry him anywhere without so much as a nudge.
Miles, however, dressed like a traffic cone, volunteered to take the most stubborn mule they had if it meant he could whack it with the motivator. Miles spent the entire ride smacking his mule with the whip. The guides explained the mule liked the action. Miles was happy to oblige.
The guides put me on a mule called "Phantom", which I quickly realized was short for "Phantom Menace", because this animal was evil. We got along!
We did some unauthorized passing, I'm pretty sure my mule bit Charlie's mule on the butt, and also we dropped some poo landmines that I think weren't accidental.
It was so much fun. Beth was 100% correct. When in the Grand Canyon, ride the mules.
Drive to Lake Powell
We met back up with Sara and Harriet, packed up the RVs, and drove 2.5hrs to Antelope Point Marina on Lake Powell. There were a few strange rock formations along the way.
Hot and windy evening on a surreal slab of concrete. Kids were happy for chillout time.
