Wednesday, July 09, 2014

Sorry for the interruption

I've been laid low with a tummy bug for a week. Since I suffer from IBS as a daily thing, I first thought that was the sauce of the cramps and sessions in the small room. But it has now gone on for over a week and while I am not running to the loo as frequently, things are very gurgly, sore and uncomfortable. I see my GP tomorrow. My arm is almost healed. It still hurts when I lift anything or pull, but the rest is fine now.

To return to the trip narrative, before Vegas we stayed for 5 days in Kanab, Utah, which is just over the border from Arizona. This was an AirBnB trial and it was perfect.  Our host was as nice as anyone could ask, and his house was charming and beautifully decorated. He had gorgeous roses out front that would be the envy of any gardener, and hummingbird feeders for the black-chinned hummingbirds that were constant visitors. We watched the male staking his territory, calling females and doing aerial acrobatics.

A most typical north rim photo. Near Bright Angel Point
Kanab is about equidistant from the Grand Canyon north rim, Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park.  We did them in that order. What I didn't know and was unprepared for was that most of these sights were at over 8000 feet and some at 9000. I know I don't do well at high altitudes. I was gasping for breath after the shortest of walks. I do have compromised lung capacity and I felt it!

Angel's window. To give you scale, there are people walking on the top and you can just see the Colorado  River thru the hole
The Grand Canyon is certainly the most awe-inspiring place I've ever been. The scale is almost impossible to get your head around. It's over 10 miles from the north rim to the south and the north is 2500 feet higher.  I had the most problems with J, who is very afraid of heights. I am not, but he was constantly telling me to get back from the edge and not to walk to lookouts

Me in purple defying the admonitions

We were visiting at the beginning of the season but the place was still full of people. We went thru the Grand Canyon Lodge and out to Bright Angel Point and then drove to the various other lookouts. There were lots of trails and places like to top of Angel's Window we didn't do because of my inability to climb up or down or someone else's fear of heights.  It was everything I had hoped for and is not over hyped in the slightest. Every American should do it and the attendance figures (especially the south rim) seem to indicate that they are trying. Do be aware of the heights issue because I know J is not the only person who feels that way and be aware of the altitude.