Snuffy's Grand Canyon Adventure! Snuffy's Grand Canyon Adventure!Day 2, Saturday, February 10
I'm awake by 5:30 AM. It takes a day for my body clock to adjust, so I just get up and shower. I know that I'm not going back to sleep now. I head for breakfast at 6 AM. Bacon and eggs with hashbrowns and toast. Not bad.
I hit the craps table for one last hour of play. I finish up another $149. Up $450 for the trip. Paid my way out here.
After packing up, I drive down the strip and try to go up in the Stratosphere Tower. But it doesn't open until 10 AM and I decide not to wait. I hit the road and drive to Boulder City and on to Hoover Dam. I park at the dam and walk back across the dam and shoot some pictures. It's 10:15 AM on one side of the dam and 11:15 AM on the other. The dam is located on the Nevada/Arizona border, and Arizona time is one hour ahead.
The dam is quite impressive, I must admit. After walking around I hit the road headed for Kingman, Arizona and Interstate 40. I reach I-40 a few minutes past 12:30 PM and then it's just 80 mph east for a hundred and fifty miles to Williams, Arizona. There I'll turn north for the South Rim. I make a stop for gas and again at the Safeway in Williams, AZ for supplies.
I finally reach the park entrance at 3 PM. I check in at the Bright Angel Lodge and unload the car. I'm staying in the Powell Cabin.
The West Rim Highway is open to cars this time of year, so I drive out to Hermit's Rest stopping a number of times along the way to take pictures at the observation points. The weather is very good. Sunny with a few clouds, but almost 50 degrees. The wind is gusting up pretty well though, so it does feel a little cool. No snow this afternoon and really not much on the ground.
At dusk I drive over to Yavapai Point and then on to the General Store to pick up another few things and some ice crampons. I had noticed that the top of the Bright Angel Trail was covered with snow and ice so I'll need the added traction.
I head back to the Bright Angel Lodge for a supper of corn chowder and a burrito plate. Hope that's not a big mistake. I always seem to eat a more exotic meal the night before I begin big adventures for some reason. After supper I head back to my room to pack and get to bed. It's well dark now at 7:30 PM and the wind is howling. Glad I'm not out tonight.
I sort out all of my gear and pack for tomorrow morning. I can tell the altitude is bothering me a little. I've hydrated well, but I can feel the dull headache coming on and my sinuses are acting up a little. I could tell that I was a little short of breath this afternoon just walking on the Rim Trail.
To bed at 9:30 PM.
