How Far Did That Sign Say???

Patty is again retired!  Due to her work schedule at the Village Market General Store, she has not been able to do much hiking.  We thought the road to Hermits Rest would be a nice day hike.  The problem started when both of the maps we looked at had different mileage for the same distance.  Oh well ... a little food and water and off we go.  We started at Maricopa Point.  I had discovered a partially paved old Rim Trail a couple days earlier.  Not wanting to go with the crowds, we took the old path.

We walked and walked, talking and taking pictures.  This little trail is soooo awesome!!  I'm sure no one else would have walked that narrow ledge with me!!  If it looks like we are on the very edge ... WE ARE!!!  The pavement soon ended and the trail became VERY narrow, right at the edge of the canyon where you could fall to the bottom at any time and became VERY scary in places.  No matter ... we are tough!!!  There were a couple of dicey moments where we had to literally hang on to tree limbs and rocks to keep from falling into the canyon.  I just can't imagine women walking this path in their long dresses and hats in the early 1900's.  This rock I'm standing on hangs way out over the canyon ... notice I'm not that close to the edge!!

I talked Patty into climbing out on this ledge for a picture.  This rock is hanging out in mid air.  There were boulders like this all along the trail.

We scrambled under and over pinion trees whose pinecones are breaking open to deposit the seeds for more pinion trees.  When I was a kid in Lake Isabella (before the dam was built) the family would head out to gather the nuts from these trees.  Did you know this is where pine nuts come from??  We gathered many sacks full.  The main problem however, is that these trees have more pitch than you can imagine. In getting one nut out, Patty had pitch all over both hands ... and it doesn't come off easily!!!    My mom would roast them in a skillet, shell them (no easy task) and use them in baking.  Now you know why they are so expensive!!!

These guys love them too.   I was surprised there were not more squirrels this time of year.  Maybe their pantrys are already full!!  Look how well he blends in with the environment.  

We were having so much fun, we kind of lost track of time.  Before we knew it, it was 4:00.   We had been walking this trail for over two hours and were nowhere close to the end.  Now we are tired, I'm out of water because it leaked out into my camera backpack and it's hot!!  There is a bike path that runs along the road at this point, and we decide it's easier (and faster) to walk the path.  Patty finally saw a sign that said we had another mile to go to the bus stop.  Really????  I thought we were only going 3 miles total ... I'm SURE we have walked 5 miles by now!!  Ugh ... we put it in high gear and hike the bike trail, finally rounding the corner to the bus stop.  That bus looked pretty good, even if it was standing room only!!!!   If you want a little exhilaration in your trip to the Grand Canyon, this little Rim Trail will definitely provide it!!!