Taking you back a bit, Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Stats for the day:

·         27417 steps (on pedometer)

·         3.5 mi on Rim Trail

·         Miles into the canyon: 3

·         Miles out of the canyon: 3

·         Temperature in the canyon: 102°F

·         Temperature out of the canyon: °F

·         Number of nearly distraught, I’m way more out of shape than I thought girls: 1

My mom flew out of Flagstaff, AZ yesterday, and then Matt and I headed to Sunset Crater Volcanic National Monument, followed by a trip to the Grand Canyon.  Matt was quite impressed by the fact that Sunset Crater was a volcanic site, not just a crater.  I’ve never hiked the volcanic sites in Hawaii, but supposedly they are similar. 

We hit the east entrance of the Grand Canyon (Desert View) just prior to sunset, and so it was perfect to look at some views and then watch sunset.  Absolutely beautiful.

We camped at Ten-X Campground (part of the US Forest Service) just south of the South Entrance to the Grand Canyon.

Wednesday morning came, and Matt and I decided to walk the Rim Trail from the Visitor’s Center to the trailhead for Bright Angel Trail.  If we had it to do over again, we’d make a better decision.  The 3.5 miles prior to the actual trail, while easy and flat, was still 3.5 additional miles.  AND, it meant that we started our hike later than anticipated, so we were hiking back up the trail at about 2pm.  And in the canyon it was significantly hotter than out of the canyon.  I’m thinking this excursion will turn into some fun rate problems (rates, unit rates), as well as working with mean (average).  I know it’s surprising, but our rate up the trail was significantly slower than when we were hiking down.

Check out that RIGHT ANGLE tree, also at one time most likely a trail marker.

Matt will tell you that I was a bit hopeless at the beginning of the hike back up.  And he’d be telling the truth. I knew I was in for a long afternoon.  BUT, we made it alive and still walking fairly well.  The evening ended with an insane amount of food for two people and an early bedtime! 

If you look closely, the middle of the picture has a number of switchbacks.  That was part of the Bright Angel Trail -- just part of it.

And because I know the word will spread once Matt reaches some of you, yes, I got freaked out in the middle of the night by elk.  I’ll call myself out.  They were loud, which meant they were close.  And I know they had no interest in me, but it was the middle of the night, I was wide awake (I knew the early bedtime was a mistake), and we’d broken the number one rule of camping: there was food in the tent.  Let’s just say that while I was apparently a little ridiculous (I can’t always be logical and rational), it’s become a fun joke.

(There was no real danger of animals in the area where we were, but for my sanity, I’ve said no more.  We will be headed to CO eventually and I don’t want any trace of any scents!)

Math thoughts for today (and yesterday):

·         The structures designed by architect Mary Colter around the Grand Canyon.  She was hired in 1930, which doesn’t strike me as an overly popular time for a female architect.

·         Volcanic sites and likelihood of eruption could be a fun way to do some probability. 

·         Statistics and data were prevalent at Sunset Crater; lots of possibilities for graphing and the need for various types of graphs.

·         Bright Angel Trail will be a word problem of rates, unit rates, and means.  Plus, there’s some work in there with slope (rate of change), too!

Shout-outs:

·         Emily Garrett – Thank you for the Bath in a Bag!!! As disgusting as we were after our hikes, the campsite had no showers, and truth be told, even if they had, that would have been too much effort!