Day 3 - The Canyon

 Sunrise from my tent

 Watchtower at the Desert View

Day 3 seems like just a continuation of Day 2 since I didn't get much sleep last night. Number of issues: I was 2 hours ahead and was bone tired at 8pm canyon time so  I went to bed. Their was still a lot of camp noise for the next two hours and I didn't have any ear plugs. I do now. I was comfortable in my sleeping bag but my head sticking out had my ears and nose cold. Finally in the middle of the night I pulled the sheet up over my head and that provided some relief. And I was just "awake" for some reason. I think I got about 2-1/2 hours sleep total and was awake at 5:30 when it started getting light. Needless to say I didn't make the Easter sunrise service but viewed the sunrise from my tent. Wish I had brought my muscle relaxers for tonight.

I fixed my coffee and ate an oatmeal bar and around 8am headed out to the rim to walk the rim trail. It was in the fortys and I had worn layers. About half way through my trek from the Verkamp visitor center to the Mather outlook I had to shed my outer long sleeve shirt as the temp was warming into the 50 by 9-9:30. I finished my 2.5 mi trek around 10 and caught the shuttle bus to the Canyon Cafe for some refreshimnt.

One of the things bothering me today besides the lack of sleep is that my thighs are sore as all get out from wrestling with the campsite set up yesterday. 10 days of sitting in a hospital room followed by two long days driving causes the muscle tone to go downhill fast. The altitude doesn't help with the exertion walking. I got a little sunburn/windburn on the trail which makes my face feel a little warm so maybe that will keep me warm tonight.

I went back to the campsite around noon and just as I got in the tent it started raining and rained a little over an hour. I tried to take a nap but to no avail. When the rain stopped I headed back to the Canyon Cafe for lunch and to post yesterday's entry. After lunch I took a drive to the Desert View 25 miles east of the Village with some stops and scenic overlooks and the Tusayan ruins. I'm now back and again at the Canyon Cafe (since they have wifi) and posting this then headed back to the campsite with a possible detour to the rim to see the sunset.

Tomorrow I have to break camp by 11am and have a helicopter ride at 3pm. Tomorrow night I stay at the Yayapi Lodge next to the Canyon Cafe and Tuesday head to Las Vegas for stopover on my way to Death Valley. Death Valley is in the 90s this next week so getting cold will not be an issue.

When I get to San Francisco next weekend I will see about getting a Flickr account set up to post pictures. Also I may need to get a new camera as this one is starting to drain batteries quickly and I'm not even using a flash.

No bug count today and I forgot to post the trip mileage which was igsignificant since it was touring around the park, etc.