Adventure

Road trip Adventure! (Part 2 of 3)

elauervose

Go to Road Trip Adventure part 1 or Part 3.

May 20, 2021

We finally made it to a repair shop with the correct parts and available staff. I just want to give a huge shout out to the wonderful crew at the Automotive Pros out in Fresno! No seriously, I love them.

We did end up having to wait a couple days while repairs were being made – mainly everyone was waiting for a critical part to be special delivered to us. This is the new adjusted route where we had to cut out our stop at Sequoia National Park and our stop at Mesa Verde. I was so dissapointed! … but I can’t complain too much. I did sign up for an adventure after all. And what’s an adventure without adversity?

May 22, 2021

We arrived in Grand Canyon National Park and settled in with enough time for a short hike along the top of the canyon.

The view from the South Rim trail.

The next morning, we got up before the sun and made our way to the Bright Angel trailhead. Chuck and Mia stayed to watch the sun rise from the trail head while I hiked 1.5 miles down the trail to the mile-and-a-half rest house and back. I hiked those 3 miles at a botanical pace – which is to say, very slowly, taking plant ID and canyon vista pictures every few feet. Even with the short distance and slow pace, I have to say that hike was harder for me than most of the hikes I done to date. I am really, really not acclimated to altitude. I was panting like I was running a marathon the whole 3 miles. And, speaking of marathons, I did actually see two people run by at sprinting speed in marathon runner gear – I had to stop and catch my breath just watching them! Wow!

Sunrise at Bright Angel trailhead
360° view from the Bright Angel trail.
  • California Brickellbush (Brickellia californica – Asteracea)
  • California Brickellbush (Brickellia californica – Asteracea)
  • Green ephedra (Ephedra Viridis – Ephedraceae)
  • Male cones of the Green ephedra (Ephedra Viridis – Ephedraceae)
  • Female cones of the Green ephedra (Ephedra Viridis – Ephedraceae)
  • Gambel oak (Quercus gambelii – Fagaceae)
  • Mountain snowberry (Symphoricarpos oreophilus – Caprifoliaceae)
  • Pallid hoptree (Ptelea trifoliata – Rutaceae)
  • Pallid hoptree (Ptelea trifoliata – Rutaceae)
  • mile-and-a-half-rest house
  • Fragrant Ash (Fraxinus cuspidata – Oleaceae)
  • Fragrant Ash (Fraxinus cuspidata – Oleaceae)
  • Cliff fendlerbush (fendlera rupicola – Hydrangeaceae)
  • Cliff fendlerbush (fendlera rupicola – Hydrangeaceae)
  • Flower bud on a Cliff fendlerbush (fendlera rupicola – Hydrangeaceae)
  • Fremont barberry (Mahonia fremontii – Berberidaceae)
  • Fremont barberry (Mahonia fremontii – Berberidaceae)
  • Still trying to id this grass
  • Gooseberry / Currant (Ribes sp. – Saxifragaceae)
  • Gooseberry / Currant (Ribes sp. – Saxifragaceae)
  • Arizona Thistle (Cirsium arizonicum – Asteraceae)
  • Funnel web? Still trying to ID the spider that wove this.
  • I saw these white balls stuck to the stems of several different plants – maybe an insect’s eggs sac?
  • The white balls were absolutely all over several plants.
Bright Angel trail highlights

I got back from this relatively short hike about as tired as I might have been after a 10 mile hike. My amazing base camp support crew had coffee and oatmeal waiting for me!

My fantastic base camp support crew!