I have fallen behind.  Shamefully behind.  I kid you not, I have stared at the blank page for longer than I care to admit, going cross-eyed wondering where to begin.  I close my eyes, take a deep breath and am swept back through the last few months.  I land here, right in the middle of the Grand Canyon.

Between Cottonwood and Phantom Ranch the trail snakes through sheer cliffs, following the river.  The sound of the flowing water is deafening, precluding conversation and leaving the mind silent.  These cliffs appear utterly different coming from this direction.  Yesterday we traveled from Phantom Ranch to Cottonwood and yet I would swear that I had never witnessed such majesty.  Ahead of us looms a sheer rock wall, a solid face of sepia, auburn, crimson and even violet.  As we approach the canyon walls move away from each other, revealing the continuing path.  We are hiking at a steady clip, the perfect speed to witness the unraveling of these optical illusions.  Even for myself, scientist practically by birth, this place feels overwhelming magical.  My thoughts dwell only upon the mysteries of the canyon, my senses completely saturated with the sights, sounds and smells of the Canyon.  I reach out and allow my hand to brush along the rock face bordering the left side of the trail and for a brief moment I am connected to this place.  I feel suddenly grounded, completely aware of my heart beat as it becomes just one of the millions of pulses throbbing around me.  Even the rock seems to beat with life.  A smile plays across my lips and I draw my fingers away from the stone to adjust my Camelback.  Glancing up at the stone walls at the black stains left by rivulets streaming down the steep formations, I cannot help but see the stains of tears.  Tears of sadness and beauty and joy; all of these human emotions, my own emotions, absorbed by the rock surrounding me.

Gabi and I hiked 47 miles in two days, down South Kaibab and up North Kaibab and then down North Kaibab and up Bright Angel.  I will likely make many attempts to find words to describe the experience, but I do so with full knowledge that I will never succeed in capturing the magnitude of this hike.  The sights were awe inspiring; the roar of the river and the silence that followed equally deafening; the icy water at Ribbon Falls exhilarating.

 

 

 

 

Ribbon Falls

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

South Kaibab

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

North Kaibab

 

 

 

 

 

Deeper beauty existed still in my own experience as little by little, I crossed one of the wonders of the world, not once but twice.  The last three miles, coming up Bright Angel Trail, we were completely exposed to the sun as the path made sweeping switch backs up the side of the Canyon.  With every corner turned I could see the day hikers strewn across the cliff, marking the trail leaving no doubt that the end was literally no where in sight.  I counted my blessings with every step.  ”I am thankful for being able to make this trip; I am thankful for the clouds that drift across the sun; I am thankful for the sun that makes the colors glow; I am thankful for Gabi for giving me this opportunity; I am thankful for the Superstitions, which prepared me well; I am thankful for Charles for giving me weekends off of work so I could train; I am thankful for these shoes on my blisterless feet; I am thankful that my parents took me hiking; I am thankful for the yoga which has kept my body flexible; I am thankful that my ankle, so badly twisted, has carried me so far; I am thankful for that moment at the bottom of Camelback when I decided not to give up; I am thankful for the existence of these trails that traverse the Canyon;” on and on I found one more thing for which to give thanks.  There I was with aching feet and sore legs, drenched in sweat and covered in grime and completely happy.

You may think I exaggerate, but the trip across the Grand Canyon and back literally changed my perspective on life because it changed my relationship with myself.  With five weeks to train, my body survived 47 miles and 8,000 vertical feet in two days.  And I loved it; every moment of it!   I had to call on mental determination and faith and there they were, waiting for me to put them into action.  One foot in front of the other and little by little I made the journey all the while a smile on my face.

There are so many memories to recount from the training and the trip, I feel daunted as I try to figure out how I am going to fit it all in this tiny blog update box (yes, I know it scrolls up and down, that’s not the point).  Little by little the story will unfold as I reminisce and wax eloquent about philosophical epiphanies I had whilst on the trail.

But for now the present calls me back to the moment and I must away.  I hope to return shortly with more on hiking, yoga, diving and life.

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