THE BRIGHT ANGEL TRAIL...Hmmmmmmmmmmm...This very well is my get out of jail free card day...It started out innocent enough by having a restful night's sleep on the pine needles we layed out under our tent.Coffee n a "Big Breakfast" at Mc D's,we proceeded to the canyon and the Bright Angel Trail and my 9 mile round trip hike to the bottom of the canyon and back...Feeling confident,I keep a jogging pace all the way down thinking"take advantage of the gravity Bill...it's saving you energy"...I get to the bottom and proceed to Indian Gardens campground where people are laying down,drinking water,and setting up camp for the night.I think,what?ARE WE TIRED?WUSSN' OUT?I change my socks,take a sip of water,and off I go to THE TOP OF THE CANYON!!!.....O.K......Now,I have yet to discover I forgot my food for the trip...I haul ass up the slight incline as I am approaching the canyon wall.Suddenly as I ascend the steep trail UP (which I never considered how gravity works AGAINST you on the flipside of the hike),I decide it's time for a snack.Opening my bag I discover no food....HELL WITH IT!I CAN BEAT THIS BITCH OF A CANYON!!!So I trudge up the canyon side keeping a modest pace,defiant to the notion that some people don't make it out on thier own.Halfway up,I get dizzy.3/4 of the way up,I start to vomit the water I am consuming(at the same time,I am thinking of Survivorman and "what would he do?"...By that time,I forget about anything but I WANT TO LIVE!!! And push on 10 yards at a time....Luckily a girl passes by and feels sorry for me enough to give some trail mix.WOW!!!I see how important food is on a hard hike!I made it out with a respectable 7 hours of hiking(the trail info says 6-9 hours is the norm.I hurried to my love who took care of me,feeding me fluids and "not" giving me the "You dummy,know your limits old man".All I know is I have a new respect for the canyon...and my Lise for allowing me to conqer the canyon...
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