Check the Rim 2 Rim 2 Rim OFF the list!!

I finally made it down to the Grand Canyon.

After I was picked up and we drove to pick up the 4th member of our group, I looked at them and realized - I was the lone human in the midst of 3 lawyers!

We promptly got stuck in a traffic jam at the almost-always-horrible Point of the Mountain.

In Beaver Utah we stopped at the Crazy Cow Cafe to use the restroom and try the infamous "DFO"

Yup.

Deep Fried Oreos.

I'm not sure that's the smartest thing to be doing before attempting a double crossing of the Grand Canyon, but luckily I didn't seem to have any stomach issues because of it!

We made it to the North Rim about 9:45 pm and were changed and ready to go right after 10!

We headed down and Phil took off ahead. He was aiming for a PR and a sub 12 hour double-cross. Fast!

Trekking down the canyon late at night is a unique, surreal experience.

A steep and rutted trail illuminated only by your headlamp. Endless cliffs towering above you on the one side and blackness everywhere else.

It is a little disconcerting to have bats swooping down at your face every couple of minutes... But after a while you get used to it and then enjoy it.

On the way up the Bright Angel Trail we were alerted that a Bighorn Ram was not too much farther ahead - WOW it was majestic.

Bighorn Sheep

We stayed at the South Rim for almost 2 hours waiting for one of our group to feel better.

Not much else needs to be said. The Grand Canyon is HOT. There are beautiful vistas everywhere.

Here are pictures and my video!

Sunrise at South Rim

And then it was back down!
Don't mess with the squirrels - you could get the plague!

WARNING! Do Not Attempt to hike from the canyon rim to the river and back in one day!! Okay, I'll just do 4 times that much...  (seriously though - be prepared!)

Beautiful Canyon

Bright Angel Trail:

The Colorado River is huge. This picture might not look that big - but consider those tiny things on the far shore are about 40 people about to load onto rafts. Huge.

Wheelbarrow Surfing

North Rim Done - 17.5 hours:

I'm finally writing this post and being quite lazy about it after a month mostly because I finally finished the Video, which shows the journey very well:



What an amazing trip! I do hope to do it again - AFTER I've checked off some other things from the list.

Things like the Zion Train, Lone Peak, etc.

Steve likes to do it every year - maybe I'll go next year. We'll see. Definitely want to see Ribbon Falls again!

Strava Activity - Last 7 miles cuz my watch died. Total would be about 49 crazy miles!!

Fine then. Here are more pictures: