Gut Check!

I didn't manage to blog yesterday and I was afraid to ask one of the students for fear that I would have a mutiny on my hands!

They might be smiling in this picture but it was likely momentary! I have found them receptive to food at the middle of a hike-probably this is another reason for smiling besides the fact that we were sitting in the "Window," the midpoint of this hike.

Yesterday was a test. I had forewarned them but I don't think I was taken seriously about the difficulty of the hike. I did get their attention at the beginning of the trail when I showed them that, not only would this be a long hike, as they expected, but one with some serious elevation change (~4000').

I wanted to know if each of them had the courage to continue when things got tough. I didn't tell them that, if they could "do" this hike, they should be able to hike the canyon in and out. But, I had to know whether to look for a mule to arrange to get them out of the bottom of the Grand Canyon!

After 6+ miles we arrived at 7200' and ate our lunch, took pictures for posterity's sake, and then managed for 3 hours and 30 minutes to brace ourselves for the MANY steps to get back down the mountain. We arrived back at the trail's beginning about 5:45 pm, seven and a half hours after our start! As tired and sore as we were, we were all quite pleased and amazed at our accomplishment! I was super proud of them!

Dinner was substantial. By 8 pm, after having many hands to prepare, we "dined" on chunky white bean soup, bread, fruit salad, lettuce salad, and chips and guacamole. All of this was homemade even after the long day and a true TEAM effort!

Unfortunately Theodore, the only male brave enough to put up with all of these females, is nursing a sore knee. He is kind enough to wait for us while we're hiking the hills and will be back at it when he's healed a bit more. That's why he is missing from the picture.

Today is a well deserved off day. We did a mini hike to stretch out and now all of them are doing their own thing till dinner. For most, it sounds like they'll be shopping.

Tomorrow we leave Tucson for a short stay in Phoenix and then on to Sedona.

KEF

Sent from my iPhone