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Sunday, April 28, 2013

We were Robbed!

We were robbed. But before I tell you about it, I want to write about our challenging hike on Friday.

By walking the Rim Trail we were able to get a feel for the vast size of the Canyon. The length of the park is over two hundred miles. Our thirteen mile walk was just a taste. On Friday we ventured down into the Canyon to sample its depth. Forgive the clichè, but this was like strolling into the vestibule of a fabulous cathedral. Just a taste, just a peek, but amazing.

The most popular trail to the bottom of the canyon is the Bright Angle Trail. It is the one the mule riders take. Hiking to the bottom and back in one day is not recommended. For those that choose to go to the river, there is a hotel at the bottom to overnight in. We did not want to, nor thought we were capable of going all the way down. The top part of the trail has three rest stops. One at a mile and a half, one at three miles, and one at four and a half miles down. We aimed for the three mile stop, which turned out about right.




Although it was only three miles one way, it was 2100 feet down. That means a lot of switch-backs. 

Craig stayed ahead of me most of the way down. I purposely went slow in order to save my knees. The trail had a lot of rough sized steps made with logs imbedded in the dirt, and each was a small jolt to my knee joints.



When we walked along the rim we looked down or across the canyon and marveled at the many rock towers. As we hiked down the Bright Angle trail, we got a different perspective and viewed some of the huge rock formations and canyon walls from below.  



It's hard to know the actual size of the feature in the next image. It's a large, natural amphitheater created long ago.


As we hiked on the trail to the left of this feature, we heard delicate music on the wind.  If you look at the blow-up of the image you will see someone far to the right who was at the bottom making the music we heard.




The hike was hard, but satisfying.  We did it!  Three miles down, ten miles back up.  Well, not really, but it felt like it.


Oh, the robbery.  When we reached the three mile rest house we stopped for a picnic lunch. We found a nice place along a stone wall and had our sandwiches and fruit. There are many signs around that advise people not to feed the wildlife, so when a fat squirrel came begging, we ignored him.  Our backpack was open on the wall behind us. We heard a rustling sound, and as we looked back this guy was dashing away with a snack bag containing some  sweet onion and cheddar tortilla chips. 

We were robbed!


The culprit!

18 comments:

  1. Ha ha! I'm glad it wasn't anything more serious!

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  2. Wow, I'm impressed with your hike! We've seen that trail, and there was no way that we would have gone there, even on a mule. Thanks for sharing the great photos! Good thing you have a security camera and got a good photo of the robber for identity purposes.

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  3. Although we have been to the Grand Canyon several times we have never tried any part of that Bright Angel Trail. Nor do we expect to. After both of our heart-related episodes this year, we are not currently planning on stressing up a whole lot. So glad you made that 3 miles down and ten miles back up!

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  4. thievery!..even on a trail in the Grand Canyon!

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  5. Too cute!

    What a hike! I'm glad you posted about it because I have wanted to take a hike down into the canyon. Now, I think we will also give it a try! Wonderful photos again Merikay!

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  6. Love the Grand Canyon but won't be doing any part of that hike down into it. You sure got some neat photos looking up and I really enjoyed them. Brazen robber wasn't he - with you guys sitting right there. But oh so cute.

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  7. Great job on the hike, don't know that we could do it!

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  8. Congratulations on the tough hike, you have come such a long way and you look great!

    Well, if that's the a actual culprit, I'd say he's done it before. He's a roly poly little guy, isn't he?

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  9. I'm sure glad it was only a squirrel that robbed you! You know, I had to go to the end of he post before I could read about the hike!

    I'm glad you didn't go much further. I think that was a good choice for the first hike into the canyon. Lovely pictures.

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  10. Oh no, glad it was only a squirrel. I just love the canyon, I have not hiked below the rim yet and hope to do that in 2014.

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  11. Squirrel jail!! haha, I was really afraid you'd mean that someone broke into your rig. But then, I thought you'd not be doing all that happy blogging about walking trails if that were the case. Love the photos - definitely want to go there sometime. Now I need to get on with this surgery so I can walk trails again! (I hope). I'll bet that walk back up was a bit difficult as you'd be going up hill then. Ouch.

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  12. That was cute...I'm sure you had us all going you got me. Great job on the hike, and cute robber.

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  13. Just goes to show your stuff isn't safe anywhere! :cO

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  14. I admire your fortitude able to hike down there. Way to go.

    Yea those little critters have no sense of right and wrong.

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  15. I hiked the Bright Angel Trail on an overnight to celebrate graduating college back in the dark ages. The trip back up was a killer, and my companion almost didn't make it. I had to carry her backpack as well as mine. Thanks for bringing back those memories. Great pics as well.

    Bet that squirrel has indigestion tonight with onions and chips!

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  16. Great job on the hike- enjoyed your pictures. That squirrel wasn't really stealing - he was just helping to lighten your load.

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  17. When I read the title, I was sad. Then when you said you'd get to the robbery later, just knew it had to be a joke.

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  18. Just wanted to say how fit and trim you look!! Isn't it wonderful how you can actually get out and hike etc...good for you!

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