Backpacking @ MindSay

The drama has apparently passed - our great new Aussie friend, Ben, was at work today during the dayshift so that he could get his mate, Mark this evening.  Ben's wifey was with them both tonite when I arrived and there was a fun buzz regarding the new myspace page. www.myspace.com/mervsrestaurant

Mark, like Ben, has done an impressive amount of travel in the past couple of years - he told me stories of southeast Asia, Europe, eastern Europe, and the states. I never began to travel until I got into trucking and could afford it, at age 38 or so, and Ben and Mark are in their mid-20's. Like them, I did a couple of years of hostels and backbacking, but unlike them, I have always been a bit intimidated with the more extreme ventures either in culture or in language. After a couple of years, I quickly graduated to nicer hotels and familiar places and I'm sorry I haven't found the strong adventure to pry myself away from the comfort of Ireland and get out to the south Pacific, or even China or Russia, all places I want to see someday. But Mark is still the carefree spirit letting his schedule be determined by the money in his pocket and the promises of places to stay he has gathered from previous trips. It'd be cool to go off with them for a while, but of course even Ben, now married, is probably beyond that freedom. Still, the stories set against the backdrop of good tunes, cold beer, and the click of pool balls is fun!  Or, as the Irish say - good craic!

Cheers!  Ben on the left, Mark on the right

So, I'm in Bangkok and the first leg of my holiday has begun. True, it has not been the smoothest start, what with me getting travel sick for the first time in my entire life! Either it was that or food poisoning but either way, it was no fun. At least I was right near the toilets (the first time I've been grateful for that!). I don't know whether it made a difference, but I had taken half a sleeping tablet and will probably not do that again. No fun.

 

Bangkok's new airport is .... new and big. I felt like I was walking for miles and miles to get to the baggage claim area. Nobody even looked at me through customs - I'm so used to coming home to Australia and being given the third degree. I don't know what Australian customs people think I'm up to but they always question me. Dumb asses.

 

The hostel is quite nice. I decided not to stay on Khoa San Road just because I'm kinda over the loud drunken backpackers - although some cute guys would've been nice. There are some Canadians staying her but I think I insulted them by thinking they were American. My accent ear is usually very good but I was tired ... There are two German girls in my room and we spent the day together - temple-hopping and a little DVD shopping. I have a nice little collection going for about AUD$50. I'll be glued to my TV when I get back, and you're all invited.

 

There's nothing about the coup around here - nobody seems interested, except that there are signs everywhere about 'long live the king' which I find quite cute considering I've never lived in a country with a king. There's been some festival on but I couldn't figure out what (I think it's someting religious).

 

Two more days - tomorrow we're going to the floating markets and then I'll head off to do more shopping I think. I've been given orders and I need to fill them!! Plus my handbag collection is in dire need of replenishing.

 

More to come and then off to Israel for a week and Canada for 2 weeks - keep reading for more tales from the travelling side.

 

M

oxox

  I seem to have gotten sidetracked some in the past week or so by the here and now. . . but I did promise to post pictures from the last half of our Grand Canyon Adventure on the Royal Arch Loop in March of 04.   A little background and the beginning of our trek in the previous post here - Royal Arch Loop- Part One.

  

Once we left the Royal Arch itself and headed back up-canyon we had a startling encounter with a group of hikers from the University of Arizona.  They had started down the day after we did and so had been a day behind us up until now.  It was actually a relief to face the upcoming rappel with some more experienced and confident climbers.  We headed out to allow them to enjoy the Royal Arch area, figuring we would see each other again a few miles down the trail. 

 

Arriving at the route heading down to the rappel, we realized that perhaps the toughest part was the narrow, exposed route leading to the 20 foot cliff itself, where ropes made the remainder of the drop feel much safer. 

  Together with our new companions, we managed to descend to the next plateau above the river just as darkness was falling.  We all decided to camp right there for the night.   The University hiking group included an astronomy professor who treated us all to a tour of the stars and planets in the night time sky.  It was interesting to share our space with other people after three days of isolation.  We enjoyed the conversation and getting to know this group of mostly physics grad students- an interesting encounter!

  The next day, we continued down to the river, set up camp for the night and then set out for a day hike (sans our heavy packs) to Elves Chasm- down river, requiring that we pick our way through the sharp rock of the inner gorge for a mile and a half.    The UofA hikers were heading out to camp in the next canyon along the route, leaving us alone once more after our sidetrip.

  Red Bud tree blooming in the canyon bottom

 This little mushroom found a moist area to pop up in.

  Elves Chasm was the enchanting oasis that we anticipated.  

  This was the ultimate destination we were headed for all along.  Arriving here on the 27th anniversary of our first date- St. Patricks Day- was a fitting celebration of all of the life-changing adventures we had weathered- and all those that remain to be experienced in the years ahead.

  It is spring in this desert

  Had to capture a picture of this "double barrelled cactus" - brought a smile

  Hiking down the main canyon allowed for expansive views over the next days as we completed the loop.

 

  In the Canyon, water can be "right there" but nearly impossible or dangerous to get to.  Being aware of basic survival needs is an essential mindset. 

Locating water over the hot days ahead became the challenge.  We welcomed every hidden pool, although the runoff in some canyons was nearly too salty to drink.  One night we boiled up a pot of very salty soup for dinner, saving and rationing the little bit of more palatable water . . . searching the next drainage for potholes or springs in vain.   The final few miles along the Tonto, in the afternoon sun, after our last drops of non-salty water had been downed, was accompanied by the anticipation and tinge of concern that the next canyon may be dry.... which would require a longer hike to the Colorado River in search of water for the hike out of the Canyon the next day.  Luckily, the frog-egg laden pond in Bass Canyon was ample for the frogs' and our use!

  The hike out and the views looking back on familiar landmarks was bittersweet.  Another fabulous adventure of a lifetime behind us.

  Sunset on the Canyon is always the appropriate final chapter.

 

We look forward to sharing the beauty of the Grand Canyon with our grandchildren some day soon.  There is nothing to compare!

   Thanks for letting me share this adventure with you. It has been a fun excuse to relive this special, memorable week and escape the stress of recent reality.   I should resize some of these photos, but they look ok right now- maybe later.  Enjoy.

In 2004 we returned the South Bass trailhead to complete our intended itinerary from the previous year. (see http://cllecr.mindsay.com/grand_canyon_adventure_photos.mws ).

 

This was no doubt the most challenging route I have ever attempted. . . one my husband had traveled with friends decades before.  He had often promised to take me to Elves Chasm someday- a place he described as one of the most beautiful spots he had ever lingered in at the bottom of the Canyon.  Although frequented by rafters in the Canyon, getting there on foot requires miles of "boulder scrambling" down Royal Arch Gorge- a route that would not have been advisable a year ago, with the late Spring snowstorm. 

 

We studied our planned route in advance on maps and internet trail reports.  One notorious spot called "the ledge", described in trail reports as a finger-and-toe-hold shuffle across extreme exposure, had me worried- I was encouraged to find a couple descriptions of an alternate route on the opposite canyon wall.  The final descent into the inner gorge on this loop route also required a 20 foot rappel- a task we practiced in advance and took equipment to manage, but admittedly felt somewhat inexperienced to accomplish.  My husband did not even remember these obstacles from his previous trip in the opposite direction along this route many years ago. . . perhaps they were exaggerated, or there were alternate ways to traverse them. Regardless, this was to be an adventure of a lifetime. 

 

To share the major highlights, I will divide this entry . . . here is the first part:

 

In contrast to the year before, the weather was beautiful as we headed down the trail! 

 

 

Ruins, fossils and javelina scat discoveries along the first few miles. (I'll spare you the scat photo )

 

 

The first leg of the trip took us across the Esplanade- a higher plateau at this level of the Canyon- above the Tonto.  Here we spotted a red fox lounging in a ravine.  He jumped up and sauntered away as we approached. (sorry, no picture other than in our memories)

 

  The first night we camped at the upper end of a sidecanyon to the Royal Arch Gorge.

Potholes for replenishing our water supply were less plentiful this year.  We fixed breakfast and used iodine tablets to treat water this first morning. 

We had been unsure of exactly what to expect "boulder scrambling" to look like.  Here is a typical section of the "trail" which really amounted to picking your way through the riverbed bottom.  Some boulders were larger and more wedged between the walls than others.

 

The infamous "ledge" was beyond my comfort level..... backtracking, we were able to locate the less obvious trail that had been scouted along the other wall.  There was a bit more scrambling, but the exposure was not quite as "breath-taking"

Reaching the main canyon gorge, the trail narrowed and deepened.   We marveled at the "narrows" area, where the canyon walls towered overhead leaving a mere slit of sky above.  We managed to find the canyon bed dry in areas where we had to drop into narrow ravines over wedged boulders- fortunate, as a cold swim would have added much to the challenge!  In several places my husband and I would rig up rope tethers to support our weight as we slid over huge boulders and maneuvered our way down awkward crevices to the streambed below.  I felt certain that we would never make our way back UP this canyon, we were committed to the rest of the 45 mile loop of our journey!

 Pottery chards were an exciting find.  We photographed these and left them in the canyon.

 We spent the second night just above where we would ultimately find running water again the next morning- and make the final scramble to the first major point of interest along the route- the Royal Arch.

 Hidden in the canyon walls, the arch itself lies rather hidden here....

  But the 200 ft waterfall that plunges just beyond the arch, makes this a startling turn-around point where frogs and running water add to the unique ambiance. 

The view beyond the plunge hints at the expanse of Canyon we have not seen since Day 1.

 

 We linger to refill canteens, relax, and "reflect"....

 

 

We have been on the trail for 3 days- and have not encountered any other hikers!  The wilderness experience is amazing, and humbling.  At this point in the adventure, I approach every hazard with the knowledge that any "emergency" would require approximately 3 days of travel in either direction for help!  Caution and alertness takes on new importance. 

 

Now we need to backtrack to our campsite area from the night before, and locate the spur of the trail that will take us up, out of the Royal Arch Gorge and along the Tonto Plateau. A few miles on, we will look for the path down to the 20 foot rappel required to reach the Colorado River in the inner gorge.  We plan to camp at the river and hike down river to the much anticipated Elves Chasm the next day- the 28th anniversary of our first "date"- St. Patricks Day. No green beer this year- heck, no cold beverage of any type will be available for some time yet!

(next entry soon)

The Grand Canyon is one of my favorite places on earth.  It is so much more than any one person can ever see.  While college students at NAU in Flagstaff, AZ, my (now) husband and I discovered that a week-long backpack over spring break is the finest way to get to know this amazing place.  Fill your pack, hike a mile deep into the earth (enjoy the warmth of about 20 degree change in temperature!), explore  40-50 miles of trails over several days, sit on the edge of the Colorado River in the roar of the inner gorge, marvel at your own insignificance, and after a week of "strength training and pack-lightening (eating)"- you hike back out of this amazing slash in the earth.   

     I think I've spent about 8 weeks of my life this way, at this point . . . and I have no doubt there are more GC adventures in my future.  Most of the adventures were before children.  Then, about 16 years later, when all four could carry a pack, we introduced them to the experience; now, as empty-nesters, we once again rediscovered our love for this place. . . .

     On the past two trips, in 03 and 04, I have taken along a digital camera- to capture some of the spectacular scenery- although the 360 degree effect is definitely lost- and is the essence of the whole experience.  Nevertheless, I have been inspired to share some of my favorite photos. . . .First, our trip down the south Bass trail in March of 2003. . . . .Enjoy. 

 

In March of 2003, after weeks of gorgeous spring weather, winter took one final swipe as we ventured forth on our week of Spring Break vacation!  We raced the snowstorm across the 30 miles of dirt road to the western side of the national park, hoping that the road would be passable a week later when we climbed back out.  The gaping canyon lies hidden in fog below the rim the next morning as we made final preparations and wondered about the trail conditions and the weather that was in store in the week ahead.

 

  We hesitate on the rim before hoisting packs and venturing into a soggy first day and night along the Esplanade

  The next day reveals snow on the north rim and a continuing threat of cold weather.  We decide to head down south Bass toward the river- a slight change of plans for the week.

 

 

Once into Bass Canyon, the south rim, where we descended, is no longer visible.

The Colorado River is muddy from runoff.  The weather remains cool even here at the bottom.

 

 

 

  We arrange a sheltered "kitchen" area near the Bass/Tonto junction this night.

     

  There is no lack of water pools on this trip, to replenish our canteens.

 

 

The crash of rocks across the canyon reveals this lone bighorn sheep scrambling along the wall. We watch as he maneuvers then finally reclines on a ledge.  This is a first for us- seeing a bighorn sheep in the depths of the Grand Canyon. (Poor picture, great memory!)

   

 

  Sunset on Dox Castle (that's the Holy Grail point to the left of the light shaft), from the warmth of my sleeping bag where I have retreated as darkness fell in our canyon.  I watch as the clouds and sun dance, finally giving way to the strip of stars in the sky above.

 We rise early and hike out a day early, reveling in the views in  the cool morning light.

 

  We decide to spend the night at the south rim village, and stay another day before heading home.  This view is practically out the front door of the cabin we spend the night in.  A warm shower and middle of the night bathroom facility is greatly appreciated after nearly a week below the rim.  I still found myself burrowed into the bottom of the sheets, as I had been in my sleeping bag all week. 

  Great sunrise views!

  We decide to splurge and take a helicopter flight over the Canyon for yet another perspective .  Here is where the muddy Little Colorado River meets the green cold water released from Glenn Canyon dam below Lake Powell- here the once muddy, wild Colorado regains its color as it heads into the Canyon.

 

  Sunset that night is an experience in itself.  We take the shuttle out to Hermits Rest (the farthest stop west on this route) and stay to watch the sunset, hoping that the final late shuttle will return and save us a five mile hike in the dark.  There we meet another group of sunset seekers, including a musician (Daniel Jacobs) who plays his guitar and serenades us through the final light of day.  His songs are his own- and one seems written for the moment, when he discovers we are teachers he tells us this one is dedicated to his HS English teacher. . . about himself as a student, told to imagine himself as a separate part of the world- a metaphorical perspective.... his answer.... "I am the wind... I know because my teacher said "what are you... where do you live... when you think of it in the abstract""  The lyrics took us on the wings of the ravens playing in the wind currents along the canyon rim.  When I look at this sunset shot- I am there again.  I AM THE WIND.

P.S.  I did a search and discovered that Daniel Jacobs now has 3 albums.  "I Am The Wind" appears on his "Notes from the Road" album copyright 04.  All I can say, is that I heard this song in a solo performance at Hermit's Rest, in the fading light of sunset, on the rim of the Grand Canyon- it doesn't get any better than that. 

I don't know how to embed music here, but this link will take you to a site where you can play a part of this song for yourself:  I AM THE WIND