2003 Grand Canyon Adventure
OK, the 2003 ("how old does that make me?") Grand Canyon ("we have to walk out of that?") Adventure ("don't you think Disney World would make a nice next vacation?") is now complete! Everyone survived magnificently and walked triumphantly among the heathen tourists at the South Rim.
The trip went incredibly smoothly given the logistical nightmare of planning two years in advance. We had several cancellations from weak, wimpy individuals, but eventually filled our party with stalwart companions -- other than Mark and I (both of whom were canyon veterans, and thus crazy to do it again), our party consisted of Jill (a friend from business school), Steve (a friend from Melrose), Pete (Steve's brother), Tim (a friend from long ago in Wallingford, CT), Liz (a friend I used to work with), Jason (a friend I currently work with), and Karen (Jason's wife).
When you are ready to start looking at the pictures, click the buttons above to enter the Canyon (I have also made a gallery of all the pictures I have, since some didn't make it on these pages).
Top Memories of the Trip:
- Jason hiking with a freakin' broken ankle!!! Yes, you heard me -- a broken ankle...
- Liz eating two bowls of beef stew and then the next night pouring blood from the platter on her baked potato...
- "No Tim, this way"...
- I will have the Mountaineer.
- "Jill, don't worry; the end is just around that corner...OK, maybe not that corner, but we are getting close..."
- "Hmmm, I thought it would be lighter at 5 am in the morning..."
- "No one can beat me at sweating and I will prove it!!!"
- "Ah, Tim, I don't think the American Association of Hiking Enthusiasts recommends a diet of Goldfish, Fig Newtons, & Chocolate Twizzlers?"
- Karen can really boogie when she is looking for the facilities...
- "Sorry, he can't ride a mule without two good legs" -- sorry, Jason, I guess you will have to walk...
- "Hey Liz, when they say bring plenty of fluids, they are not talking champagne!"
- Soap, soap, we don't need no stinkin' enormous bar of soap!
- Tim hunting down and viciously killing flies with such joy!
- The dinner at El Tovar which took longer than the walk out of the canyon...
- Al, the female park ranger...or wait, is she male?
- "I didn't ask for an amphitheater!"
- "I think it is great that you are hiring the handicap"
- Laurence falling off a rock...
- Anyone want some Trail Mix?