The Grand Canyon South Rim

We arrived at The Grand Canyon to find that due to Earth Day, all National Parks were allowing free entry.  Additionally, the next weekend was Easter.  As a result, there were a zillion people at the park and virtually no camping spots.  Sarah was able to negotiate a tent site for us - a small plot of land with no hook-ups.  This was OK - from previous experiences we'd learned to make sure the RV was always ready to go - full of fresh water, gas, and LP, and empty of waste water.  We were all set, and our little Brave fit just fine in a small parking spot designed for large cars bringing tent campers.

After settling in, we went for a hike around the rim.  The views were spectacular.

The following morning we woke up to 43 degrees outside.  The furnace I'd rebuilt had kept the cabin at around 63 degrees, which was nice.  (It could have done better, but if you turn it up any further, it just gets stifling inside in the middle of the night, which is a terrible way to wake up)  I got up, built a fire, and made a pot of percolator coffee.  We had a really pleasant morning.

We decided to hike Bright Angel Trail. This trail went over the rim and down into the canyon.  We went to the 3 mile rest area - descending over 2000 feet.  The walk down was pretty and strenuous on the legs, but the way up was grueling.  We were really tired when we were done, and the mile or so long walk back to our campsite seemed more like a hundred miles.  It was the most difficult hike we've ever done.