The Final Challenge

I'm sitting in the Grand Canyon community library (south rim), charging my phone and gearing myself up for the last big challenge: that steep, breathtaking gorge which runs a mile deep.

Mom is sitting nearby, catching up on her internet access as well.

This is it. This is our stopping point. But we have three days in the canyon first. She was a superhuman those first three days on the trail coming out of Flagstaff, and then the heat and rocky terrain took it's toll. Blisters again. They weren't as bad or as numerous as before - the medicated foot powder did a phenomenal job of decreasing the moisture - but when my mom gets overheated in any temperatures over 80-85 degrees, her feet swell and the skin just seems to shred.

We called it quits together after 66 more miles. Well, sort of. We decided to finish with the Grand Canyon. But for thru-hiking, that makes about 650 miles for me from the Mexico border to the Moqui Stage Sation Trailhead.

I simply didn't want to be alone again, and I didn't want my mom to feel the frustration of having to abandon the trail and her partner again. From that location on, there weren't more challenging spots except the Grand Canyon, and I felt I had proven to myself that I could have done it. I have no regrets. I am not defined by the number of miles I tick off, but I am defined by my relationships with my loved ones.

Laurie came and picked us up, and Mom and I spent two days recovering in Flag. Then we drove to the south rim and started working on getting permits for the inner gorge.

My mom has never hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon. I have, but it's been 20 years, so I'm thrilled to do this with her! I am very confident in her ability to achieve this lifelong dream of hers. For starters, it's quite cool up here. It is supposed to snow a little tonight, which means rain in the canyon. It took us an extra day, but we obtained permits for Wednesday and Thursday nights. We head in tomorrow morning and will face temperatures below her "melting point." 😉 Also, we aren't cranking out 20-mile days. We will be cautiously descending 4700 feet over 7 miles of the South Kaibab Trail, which I feel is conducive to healthy feet.

Wednesday night we will camp at Bright Angel campground, very close to the Colorado River. There is water available at this site. Thursday morning, we will do a day hike to Ribbon Falls, a little side trip which most AZT hikers take. This is a 13-ish mile day for us with mild elevation gain and loss. We return to the same campground Thursday night, so it will be nice to only take water, snacks, and lunch on our hike.

Friday morning we will take the less steep, more shade, plenty of resthouses and frequent  water option - Bright Angel Trail. It is 9.5 miles with a 4300-foot elevation gain. We can do it. Even if she gets blisters, my mom is tough enough to do these three days. Before, there was not really any point in continuing because the blisters would have just worsened, so giving up was the right thing then. Now, giving up means death...or an extremely expensive medical evacuation, if one is even possible. She'll push through the pain to avoid either of those scenarios. Or I'll carry her...🤣

Anyway, this all means I'll be home this weekend! I'm so excited to be with my girls again! I am so grateful to everyone who has helped take care of them in my absence, and with the teacher walkout, we might have even more time together! Lol!

Wild Man is scheduled to finish the Grand Enchantment Trail shortly; he has had to kick into Beast Mode to accomplish that crazy trail! So I look forward to having our little family back together again!

Crossing my fingers for the next three days to bring blue skies, restful nights, and healthy feet! 💙👣