Grand Canyon Hike

A group of 25 from NorthGate travelled to the Grand Canyon on Memorial Day weekend. Lanny and Michelle organized the trip and talked all of us into doing something we normally wouldn't dream of...hike from rim to rim in one day. The trip is 24 miles, just short of a marathon and if you haven't seen it, the canyon is kinda deep.

4 guys (Lanny, James, Ryan and Scott) left at 8 pm to hike from the south rim in the rain and darkness to meet us on the north rim. We met them at 6:30 a.m. The weather was perfect for me. It was cloudy, rained when I was sweating, sunny when I needed to dry off, and hailing the last 1.5 miles. Lanny and James turned around and hiked it again. James made it out by 8 pm to reach his goal of getting out in 24 hours. Lanny after having diarrhea on the first way across was a stud and waited to get a man 84 years old out at 11:30 pm. My brother in law, Brent, set a monster pace for me and we got out in 10 hours. I feel good!

Lessons Learned...

1. Be prepared
2. Hike with a partner
3. Watch out for donkey dung and piss
4. Thank Jesus for the little things on the journey
5. Life is not a highway, it is a kick butt, make you wanna cuss canyon but you'll make it out if you don't give up