A Walk in the Park...

I know this is cheating...I did not take those pictures today - in fact I didn't take them back in 1991 either - a fellow hiker I met on the trail did. It is a page taken from one of my old photo albums. Why post it today? 

Because my friend Mary who lives in Grand Manan but who also wintered in AZ as I did, called today to tell me about this new book she was reading ... .A Walk in the Park - The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon,  by Kevin Fedarko. (see extra)
 
We both love the Grand Canyon and in the past used to read as much about it as we could; so of course, that book is a must-read!  Her description of what she has read so far, sent us off reminiscing about the good old days spent there in our relative youth...patting ourselves on the back for doing then what we could not do now...

I used to spend a lot of time at the canyon - on both rims - and would rave on and on about it to Mary, until finally she agreed to accompany me up there one February and attempt a short hike down to Cedar Ridge; it was her introduction to the canyon below the rim and it has been for her, a highlight of her life as my adventures there have been for me...

My biggest adventure was the time, when feeling braver than I should have, I booked two nights down at Phantom Ranch and set off by myself to hike to the bottom! (main) It was the experience of a lifetime, but it had its drawbacks...my knees to be exact.! A price to be paid, but wow, what a high! An adventure never to be forgotten...

Memories for a lifetime......the hikes and rim walks, solo camping on the north rim, the vistas, the vastness, the sunsets and ever-changing colours...and albums full of photos to let me relive those experiences when my memory starts to fade...

PS: I did order the book and was most disappointed that it will not be delivered until September! Boo hiss.