Thoughts

[gurdymonkey]

Spent most of the day alternately dozing and watching bits of a "Firefly" marathon on cable's Ovation channel, though I did get some laundry done, including the duck for lining jinbaori.

A little mopy about missing Twelfth Night, not seeing friends and not getting to swan around in my new bits, but this way I guess they'll premiere at Investiture. And at least I haven't infected anyone with whatever this bug is.

Thinking a bit about the Grand Canyon/Estrella trip. I just ordered a replacement LCD screen for my camera, which I've been meaning to do forever. 
If I start driving out on Friday after work and overnight in Barstow, I could take my time driving the Saturday leg and perhaps detour through the scenic bits around Sedona or Flagstaff before heading up to the Canyon. There are plenty of inexpensive motel options in Barstow.

Reservations have been booked for the Bright Angel Lodge. My friend Nancy and I shared one of the cabins nearly 20 years ago, and I recall ending up in the lodge bar with the two wranglers from our mule ride instead of going to dinner. This time I booked into one of the lodge rooms, it being a little more budget friendly. 

Traveling alone and not being stupid means not attempting winter hikes into places I'm not in shape for. The Rim Trail is open in the winter,  parallels a paved road with multiple shuttle bus stops (allowing for a semi dignified retreat if conditions - including mine - warrant). Another possibility may be bike rental.  Hm, note to self, a Thermos may be a good idea, not to mention making sure I pack/wear enough layers for a place that gets a real winter. All plans are going to be subject to weather conditions no matter what, it being February at 6200 feet, give or take.

As an aside, I mentioned my plans to a friend at work, whose immediate comment was "You're so brave." She probably has never gone anyplace without friends or family along. Me, I've been living alone a big chunk of my life, so it's often go alone or don't go.  I can't help remember driving the leg from Needles to Barstow in January 2002. I'd been hauling a U-haul from New Jersey, alone except for interactions with waitresses and motel desk clerks for days, patting the dash and telling 'Tite Blanche she was a good girl. I had a cell phone and a CB radio, a full tank of gas, 2 gallons of water and a cooler with snacks in it, tunes on the tape deck, and I was certain I was going to die in the Mojave. Absolutely possessed by the sort of Nameless Dread (TM) you read about in Poe and Lovecraft. That's the thing about irrational fears, they don't HAVE to abide by logic. Gaius insisted this was proof I had died out there in a past life. I think it was probably the sheer magnitude of that stretch of desert and four days of solitude. Every time I crested a rise, there'd be more desert. It looked like it went on forever, like I'd never be able to get across it. Now, with several runs to Estrella under my belt (none of which convinced me I was going to die, BTW), I can't help thinking I have to drive that stretch of I-40 again and wonder what it'll be like. 

Comments

[mamapduck.livejournal.com]

Wondered where you were. Some fucker brought crud anyway. I woke up with a very sore throat. Grr.

[erink.livejournal.com]

I got to the Grand Canyon for the first time last November. Lots of awesome photos to be taken there. Sunrise and sunset were the best, though it was very cold (windy, and you're just standing there).

As I recall, parts of the Rim Trail are exposed & could be dangerous if the ground is slippery, but in general that's a good bet. Rangers should be helpful. Also, you can likely leave a message at your front desk with where you're going and ask them to send someone looking for you if you don't get back.

My favorite trail was Hermit's Rest, but it's pretty rough.

Sedona is nice. Warm. Weird new age businesses too.

[gurdymonkey.livejournal.com]

I did the Grand Canyon, complete with overnight mule trip to Phantom Ranch and back a number of years ago, but it was in September and it was with a friend.

All plans for daytime activities will be subject to weather conditions on the day. There are a number of ranger programs scheduled, so if an entire day out on the rim trail is a bad idea, there are certainly other things I can do.

[cryptocosm.livejournal.com]

The Rim Trail roughly parallels the road, yes. But there's a whole lot of it where the road isn't in view or quickly accessible (and, conversely, where you wouldn't be visible from the road.) And even when you're adjacent to the road, you may not be near a shuttle stop. Speaking as someone fortunate enough to have survived what was probably an episode of tachycardia while hiking that trail alone, and fool enough to have risked it even though I hadn't been diagnosed at that point: If you're concerned about your ability to hike it, DON'T GO ALONE. Not even leaving word of where you're going is much help if you get into a real emergency situation when there's no one else around - and even in peak season traffic on that trail is pretty sparse. I was there during a spring break when I got into trouble, and lay by the road half an hour before anyone noticed.