Grand Canyon May 2015

In May, Mike and Sue and Larry and I headed for the North Rim (elevation 8200 ft.) of the Grand Canyon for a two night stay before the guys walked the 25 miles to the South Rim (7200 ft.) while Sue and I drove 220 miles (approximately five hours) from the North Rim to the South Rim.  Sue and I delivered them to the North Kaibab trail head at 5 a.m. for them to begin their adventure and arrived at the South Rim at around 2:30 p.m.  We marvel at the large number of tourists encountered on the South Rim versus the North Rim.

The guys (and there used to be five of them) started hiking the Grand Canyon by hiking rim-rim-rim meaning they hiked from the South Rim to the North Rim in one day and reversed the hike the following day for a total of approximately 50 miles.  Larry has done that hike eight times.  Sometime during those eight years, the guys got smarter and figured out they should spend at least one night on the North Rim before hiking back to the South Rim.  The distance is 10 miles as the crow flies.

Larry and Mike are the two left that "want" to do this type of hike out of the original five and have limited the hike to just the South Rim to North Rim two times.  We spend at least two nights at the North Rim.  This is the first time Larry and Mike have hike from the North Rim to the South Rim.  They've done the hike in as little as nine hours and as much as 13 hours (with extenuating circumstances).

We had a wonderful time meeting different people and enjoying some of the other hiking trails and weather!  We were rained and snowed on.  This is the third time we've been able to get reservations at the North Rim for opening weekend.  The North Rim is closed from October - May due to weather.  It is a very special time to be able to stay.

This picture is of Humphrey's peak outside of Flagstaff.  I took the picture on our way to the Grand Canyon.

This picture was taken on the road to Page at Lake Powell.  It recently reopened after having been closed for a couple of years due to a land slide so we took the slight detour to enjoy the view.  This looks to the Vermillion Cliffs and shows the beginning of the Grand Canyon.

This is a picture from Navajo bridge of the Colorado river.  This is the beginning portion of river rafting trips on the Colorado through the Grand Canyon. 

 

 

 



The picture below is of Humphrey's peak as seen from the North Rim.  It was a cloudy, chilly day and therefore not giving us the colors we are used to seeing when at the Grand Canyon.

 

 

We enjoyed a drive and some hiking to take advantage of the many different vistas.

This picture is of Angel's Window.

 

We met some nice people from Napa so they took our picture and we took theirs - such nice people on the North Rim.





 

Another view point of Angel's Window.

 

I had a tripod for this picture.  What a treat for us - snow in May in Arizona!

 

 

 

 

 



We went for a hike, in the rain, and encountered what we think was a grouse.  I still have to look up what it might be.  We're thinking there was a nest nearby because he/she didn't like us being there.

The Aspen just starting to leaf out were pretty.

The day the guys left for their hike was beautiful, cool and sunny.  Another great trip to the Grand Canyon!

Spring in the Desert

Larry's mom Dorothy arrived for a visit in February and his sister Linda from Wichita and brother Wayne and his daughter Sophi from Portland were all able to come for a long weekend visit while she was here.

Friends Virginia and Dennis traveled from Lake Havasu to visit us allowing for our first ever picture of us, them and Mike and Sue.

 

We were able to make it to Bartlett Lake for some spring flower enjoying and kayaking!

Speaking of spring flowers...the desert is in bloom.  I love this time of year!

Larry throws bird seed on the ground for the Quail and turns out Javelina like bird seed too! so we've seen a lot more of them than usual.

March returned Dorothy to Wichita and I soon joined her.  About a week after Dorothy left, I flew to Wichita and Linda and I drove Dorothy back to her home in Harrison by way of Omaha, Lincoln and Kearney.  We remained in Harrison for a few days and reversed our trip but skipped Lincoln and Omaha.  I'm not sure how many miles we put in but it was a great road trip and allowed us to see nieces and nephews and a whole lot more of Nebraska and Kansas than I care to see in the winter!

Larry and I celebrated our 33rd anniversary on April 17th.  We were living in Battle Mountain, Nevada, and were married in the Methodist church in Chadron by Larry's dad.  Our wedding was a simple gathering of friends and family celebrating the official joining of our lives.  Oh the places we've gone since then!

Our next trip takes us to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon in May with friends Mike and Sue - always look forward to that trip! 

On the health front, my April doctor appointment resulted in me starting oral drug therapy again - Temodar.  It is an easy therapy.  I take the drug for five days every 28 days with what seems to be only good side effects.