Canyon country

We are losing track of days. We know it is day 5 in the RV. We know that we are supposed to be at this site. We do not know what day of the week it is. We are vaguely aware that it is Wednesday? Maybe Thursday. Hard to tell.

This is my litmus test of a good vacation. It usually takes a few days to reach this point. I can't believe we have 20 or so more days of this. It would be more relaxing if we did not have to be someplace else tomorrow but the changing scenery, the new experiences, and the expectation of a new site make it worthwhile.

The kids are getting along. Now I say that and it sounds like there has never been a quarrel or squabble. Not true! But it is no more than any other time and, in fact, is greatly reduced. They have been coloring and writing journals of all they have seen. They are interacting well and entertain themselves more than at home. We are gradually letting them wander farther away from the RV. Not a 1/2 mile away, but farther each day.

The family is doing well and I am proud of us all. We are laughing and enjoying telling stories, playing games, really devoting time and attention to each other.

Enough sap, how did the Rodgerson's almost die today?

Well in several ways which I will relate to you now...

We woke up early to see the sunrise. There is nothing I love more than a sunrise. Especially if I haven't slept the night before. However, there is nothing I could care less about seeing than a sunrise. Especially if I have had even 10 minutes of sleep the night before. Last night I slept.

Teresa and I lock the kids in the RV (we cracked a window) and headed out at 5:30 a.m. to that outcrop to watch the sunrise. Walking out to a 2,000' vertical drop is one way to really wake oneself up. I was groggy crossing the road but fully awake one minute later scaling those rocks.

The day was hazy so it wasn't a great sunrise. Back to the RV and crawl into bed. Wake up at 8:20 and make breakfast. Eggs and bacon. After performing a simple test to confirm that the smoke detector is in working order we sit down to breakfast. (Note to self, cook bacon outside on grill from now on.)

We plan our day. We will drive to the farthest point on the North Rim and hike to the Cape Royal trail. This seems simple enough. We prep the RV and take off for the trailhead. As I turn on to the road leading to Cape Royal I pass a sign that states in a superior tone that vehicles larger than 30' long are discouraged from taking this narrow road. Teresa tries to dissuade me from continuing but I am a guy and guys: a.) never notice warning signs, 2.) like to think that all warning signs are made by men who have eaten Cream of Wheat every morning since their mommies made it for them when they were five and have never, ever thought bungee jumping looks like a really cool thing to try.

And so we forge ahead — slowly. After all, its not my RV. I wouldn't want to damage it. After 23 miles of tight squeezes and sphincter-tightening hairpin turns we reach the summit. We abandon ship and hike to the lookout point. Stunning views. The only view of the Colorado from the North Rim, the sign says. This sign is posted on the edge of the rim in front of a railing, purportedly installed so that people don't wander over the edge like lemmings. I'm down with that. I get that. What I don't get is that the fence consists of two parallel rails, the first of which is about two feet off the ground, the second is about four feet high. There is chain link from the ground to the lower rail. There is nothing between the lower and upper rails. So I guess we have solved the crawling baby horror scenario but everyone else is screwed. I mean I was watching my kids walk up to a rail that could accommodate their entire body with a simple duck of the head.

Look, you can't fix stupid and anyone that walks off any canyon rim is stoopid. And I don't think we should try to keep stupid people from doing stupid things but if you go through the trouble of installing a guard system why would you enclose only the bottom two feet? What study concluded that most fatalities occurred because double-jointed limbo experts crabbed their way under a 24" high barrier only to meet their demise at the end of a 2,400' bunny hop?

After a day of sightseeing we head back to camp. We need to empty the tanks at the dump station. This was my first experience at mobile home sewage removal. There is nothing to report.

We have reservations at the Grand Canyon Lodge for dinner but first, wouldn't it be nice to shower for the first time since Vegas? Yes, yes it would. We jump out and head for the showers. No hot water. No warm water, in fact, no tepid water. Quick showers complete, we head out for dinner. Very nice dinner with great views. We finish up, hit the general store for dessert (no s'mores!) and watch another lovely sunset.

The wind is picking up tonight and it will be about 34 degrees. We head out to Bryce Canyon in the morning.