We started hiking our 11 mile trek at 4:30 AM,
 …when my shirt buttoning skills were not the best.
About 1/2 way down.  The Grand Canyon is
about a mile deep, and the temperature goes
up by 3 degrees Farenheit for each 1,000 ft.
When we started in the morning, it was 45
 degrees on the rim.  By the time we got to the
bottom it was a toasty 105 degrees.
Sunrise just around the corner 
on Bright Angel Trail.

     

Finally!  After 5 1/2 hours, we made it to
Phantom Ranch, where we sat inside at
air conditioned picnic tables and drank
cup after cup of ice water.  Ice!  Yay!!
Phantom Ranch is the only place in the United
States where official US mail is carried by mule,
three hours one way, every day.

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