small things...

Day 3 Hike Day!

My alarm went off at 4:15 am, but I was already awake.  Nerves.  I’d laid my clothes out the night before and quickly slipped into them.  I checked and re-checked my pack to make sure I had everything i needed and then at 4:45 I slipped out the door and quietly headed down to the dining hall to meet my group for breakfast. 

We’d been instructed the night before to not make a peep while walking through the halls out of respect for all of the hotel guests still sleeping.  I saw one of the earlier groups silently making their way through the hall in single file headed towards the back of the hotel to the waiting buses.  The energy was electric, but nobody made a peep.

I wasn’t too hungry but got a bagel and banana down before we took this pic and made our own quiet trek to the buses:

The bus took us in to the park and then we caught the inner park shuttle to our first stop, Yaki Point.  We got there just after sunrise and the light was amazing

 

 

Turns out our guide had brought us here just to see the view.  We hopped back up on the shuttle and started our official hike near the South Kaibab Trailhead.  Our hike would follow the South Rim trail to Mather Point, on to the Yavapai point through the old village which includes the El Tovar hotel, Bright Angel Lodge, the bright angel trailhead and finally winding around to Maricopa point.  About 6.5 miles in all.  With all the stopping and breathing and trying to soak in what we were seeing – we were on that trail for about 8 hours!  A pretty slow pace, but worth it.  Here is the rest of what I saw:

(Click here for a slideshow including photos from the entire trip)

In a nutshell, this trip – the whole journey really, since January when I decided to do this – has been amazing.  I was able to challenge myself, I was able to honor my parents and I was able to reach out and connect with friends and family who wanted to ‘do something’ too.  So THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to all of you who gave your support – monetarily and emotionally!

I plan to stay involved with the Leukemia & Lymphoma society and I plan to continue to push myself to stay healthy and get healthier. 

Speaking of which…anybody up for a Century Ride this fall (or part of one)?

:)

love and completed journeys.

Erin

Day 2 – First glimpse of the Canyon and a party

Driving up to the Grand Canyon is strange.  Strange because you can’t see it until you get right up to it!  I guess because it goes down instead of up…?  You could walk right by an inverted mountain if there are enough trees.  But then, all of a sudden there is this:

I think the words I uttered were “Holy…..shit.”

I mean it’s a backdrop right?

The tyrants who were running this show only let us be here for 10 minutes before we had to get back on the bus. 10 MINUTES?!  Not to worry.  There is much more to come.

We got back to the bus which took us to our hotel just outside the Park’s entrance.  We had about an hour to settle in before heading downstairs for the Inspiration Party/info session for what to expect the next day. 

Everybody was given a grand reception, complete with hoisted hiking poles:

I sat again with my Illinois peeps:

And we were entertained with some good ol’ cowboy music

 

During the presentations meant to get us all pumped up for the hiking to be done the next day we learned:

• That the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Team in Training has just passed the 1 BILLION mark in dollars raised
• That all of us in that room had collectively raised nearly $800,000

They presented awards to people who had raised the most money (including Ron from our group!!!  He raised the most out of anyone there that night).  They also gave out “Triple Crown” pins to participants who’d raised money and were involved in their 3rd event.  I realized that having done a marathon and now the hike I only need one more event to also be a “Triple Crown” athlete!  Cycling here I come.

We heard from a cancer survivor about how money raised for LLS had contributed to the medicines he’d been able to take to treat his cancer.  There were several cancer survivors on the hikes that weekend.  It was amazing.  There were hikers in-treatment, post-treatment, in remission and currently cancer diagnosed….all there to support the cause and hike the Grand Canyon.  If that isn’t inspiration to start living your life now…then you aren’t paying enough attention. 

After the presentations we had the opportunity to meet our trail guides and find out details about the next day’s hike.  The only detail that stuck out in my mind was the one stating that I needed to be up, dressed, packed and ready for breakfast at 4:45am.

I headed up to bed, tummy all butterflies and tried, TRIED to go to sleep.  I think I got about 4 hours.

Tomorrow…the hike!

love and inspiration,

Erin

Day 2 Sedona to Grand Canyon

I’ve decided to go back and continue the recap of the weekend in order.  Please accept my apologies if anything seems a little loopy – I didn’t get back home until 4:30am today!

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The bus ride from Phoenix to Sedona takes about 2.5 hours (time may vary depending on whether or not you are on a rockstar tourbus filled with TNT hikers all geeked out by what lay ahead). 

What we saw on the ride up:

Sedona is known for it’s energy and you may think that’s what you see swirling around in these photos, but really it’s just the passing of the bus….or is it?

It’s beyond gorgeous here and perhaps this is why it is also a strange little tourist haven.  We pulled into town and one of the first signs we saw was “tour buses park here” and so we did.

I’d been given the tip off to eat first.  There are throngs of folks wandering the 2 block long strip and if we wanted to eat and sightsee we needed to eat first.  We obliged.  There were 5 of us from Illinois on this trip and we mostly stuck together.  We were father/daughter team Ron and Liz, Sandra, Maureen (who kept us informed all weekend) and myself.

A few sights around Sedona:

::Sandra, Ron and Liz.  So happy for a little Mexican fuel for the road

::grilled chicken taco salad = happiness in my belly

:: There is not a ton of color to be seen in Arizona.  It is mostly brown and green.  Sedona tries to spice things up

::see I was actually there, double glasses and all

::What if this was what you saw at the end of your street every day?  The thought on loop in my mind all day was, “People actually LIVE here and run errands and stuff.”

:: Sedona resident

We spent the remainder of the afternoon tooling around Sedona shops.  Sandra, Maureen and I wandered into a energy/healing/rock shop where we were scolded by the shopkeeper and then informed that she could sense our energy and knew we weren’t connected at all.  I was totally insulted – even thought I had really only met these women the day before.  Nobody likes to be told they aren't connected. 

we didn’t buy any of her rocks.

To soothe my ruffled feathers we bought raspberry sorbet cones.  After that we must have had a good Sedona-energy-glow because no less then 4 other groups of people asked us where we got those lovely raspberry cones and then got them for themselves.  For a few moments in time we single-handedly raised the raspberry-sorbet-induced-happiness level up a few notches.  I didn’t see any vortices in Sedona, but maybe we created one of our own.

Next…the first glimpse of the CANYON

love and lizards,

Erin

Grand Canyon: Check

Dudes. I did it.

 
I promise a full recap of the trip tomorrow when I get back home.  But I couldn't wait to share the fact that I survived!

Day 2 – Phoenix to Sedona to the Grand Canyon

Good morning, peeps.  In case you forgot, I am HERE:

Source

The rest of yesterday was a bit of a sleepy blur.  My friend Rebecca B. picked me up in her cherry red Chevy impala and drove me across town for dinner with her husband Aaron and their cutie-pie daughter Lia.  (oh and also, Cosmo, the goosing-obsessed lab).  I don’t think I was too much fun last night b/c I was tired and slightly distracted all night long by the prospect of sleep.  But it was great to see them and their home and meet their daughter.

That bed I showed you was as comfy as it looks. 

In about an hour we head on charter buses for the 4 hour drive to the Grand Canyon.  We’ll make 2 stops on the way – First in Sedona (where I will try to find out if vortexes are for realz), then a stop at the Grand Canyon for our first peek at what we’ll find tomorrow (writing that made my stomach drop one centimeter!) then finally to our hotel!

Sandra (from our Chicago group) and I met for an early breakfast and then proceeded to hoard food for the rest of the day.  Here are the snacks I scored for the bus ride

Alright, I’m off for the day!  I don’t know for sure if I’ll have internet access or not at the next hotel.  Fingers crossed!

Love and snacks,

Erin

ps – I bought a hat for the hike.  And I wear sunglasses over my regular glasses.  Don’t fight my style, just go with it…

First day – Phoenix

I woke up to a lightning storm and rain blowing sideways into my bedroom.  It was about 5am and I was sure, SURE, that my flight would be delayed or cancelled.  As I moved about the apartment with last minute packing, tidying up for the guests who’ll be staying at my place while I’m gone and checking on any ceiling leaks from all that crazy rain…I kept checking the flight status.

on-time departure. on-time departure on-time departure

The rain was coming down in sheets! I’ve flown in storms before and I don’t like it.  Twice i’ve had the pleasure of experiencing a plane going through a static discharge.  (It feels like the plane has been struck by lightening…only it hasn’t)

I left on time despite feeling convinced my flight would be delayed or cancelled.  Found an awesome parking spot in long-term parking, got soaked on my way to the train.  Every chance I had I checked for the inevitable delay,

on-time departure, on-time departure, on-time departure

Got a bagel. found my TNT peeps. got on a plane.

On time departure indeed.

We landed in Phoenix a mere 3.5 hours later to the welcoming warmth of the desert sun.

Two kids in town for a knife-salesperson convention (wah?) jumped into our shuttle with us.  The male of the duo brought his guitar, and he asked us if we had any requests.

I replied, “Play us your best song.”

And so he did.

::Thanks, Blake.  I’ll tell everyone I know I saw your first gig at the Supershuttle.

Our itinerary for this first day has already ended (arrive in Phoenix – that’s all!)

The rest of my afternoon will consist of this:

But first a I will become better acquainted with this lovely:

Later tonight I’ll be picked up by an old college friend who lives in town to come by for dinner at her house and to meet her young daughter….hope to post again before bed!

thanks again everyone for all your support, donation-wise and motivational

love and on-time departures,

Erin

Here we go.

The bag is packed

I'm amazed that the weekend is finally here.  It doesn't actually feel like reality yet.  Check back in with me tomorrow and that will likely all have changed.

In fact, I'll be blogging all weekend and trying to update as the trip unfolds. So follow along, leave comments (please!please!please) and join me virtually on this trip to the Grand Canyon.

love and early morning flights!

Erin 

Count down…

No hike this weekend, instead I met up with two of my coaches and a woman who’d done the Grand Canyon hike before to pick up my itinerary for next weekend, get some well thought out tips from Terri (the expert!) and drink a few celebratory toasts to the journey ahead.  Sigh. I love people who like to drink before 10am. 

Some of the tips Terri and our other coach Sue shared with us:

1. Bring your swim suit the first day is a great day to sit by the pool.

2.Take your boots and backpack on the plane. You can buy new cloth but it's hard to find and break in a good pair of boots.  (also clean underwear…with an emphasis on “clean”)

3. The first morning get to breakfast early the line backs up and you don't have time to eat.

4. Bring a hat to shade yourself.

5. Bring hiking polls. You need them for balance.

6. Have fun.

7. Put sunscreen everywhere, even under your shirt. And reapply all the time to the skin that shows.  (And, really, wear a hat with a brim--all the way around.)

8. Take Gatorade or another electrolyte.  You can get powders at REI and other places.

9. Stop at El Tovar afterwards for a prickly pear margarita.

 

I plan to do all of these things! with a special emphasis on #6 and #9.

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It seems appropriate that the hike takes place a week after mother’s day. When I did the marathon back in 1999 it was the same weekend as father’s day and was my first father’s day after he died.  As powerful experience as that marathon was, it was decidedly painful – emotionally and physically.

Today has been difficult so far.  But that is par for the course.  I had breakfast with my sister and nephew at a famous north shore establishment.  Chased Emmett down for a hug which sent him squealing in giggles and I received a new nickname.  Many in our family call Emmett “punk-o”.  I accept that it’s a have-to-know-him kind of nickname.  Today when we parted ways I called out, “See you later, Punk-o!” and he returned with, “See you later, Junk-o!”

I’ll take it.

I have a good friend and her brood rolling into town this afternoon for some much needed distractions.  Hoping to soak in a little sunshine.

love to you and your mutha,

Your friend,

Junk-o

Super secret weekend locale…

Does this give it away…?

Tucson!

I was in Tucson for 48 hours this weekend for a quick vacation with 2 girlfriends.  We were there for only 1 full day which included much time spent here:

I did get a hike in too – a short one, just over a mile is all.  But it was lovely and hot and dry and my face still didn’t sweat, but it didn’t seem to bother me as much.  Maybe all that dry air is good for my hot, hot face…? That bodes well for the canyon.

(Someone asked me yesterday if I was considering boycotting Arizona and my trip to the Grand Canyon given the recent immigration law and all the political hullabaloo that goes along with it.  So in case you too are wondering the answer is: No, I will be in Arizona to complete this journey.)

Anyhoo….on to the desert pics!

::ewww…creepy dead cactus. beware of cactus nightmares now

:: Are one of these beauties a desert rose?

::Zombie-cacti.  Seriously, Cacti are scary.  They will cut you.

::Some cacti in Arizona cross-dress as pineapples

:: If you can’t have your hanging peppers next to your phallic cacti in Arizona then WHERE CAN YOU??!?

:: Me and my cute friend Annie made it to the middle of the maze and made a little prayer that we could one day find our way out of it.  Eventually, we did.

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The trip was great and felt like a trial run of sorts for packing, the heat and the time change.  The trip is only 9 days away!!  I have a few more things to pick up before I go, but otherwise am feeling ready.

Question for the experts: Any suggestions for good light, quick-dry clothes to wear? No cotton, right?

Thanks, peeps!

love and cacti,

Erin