The Summer Suck it. . .not near a Bucket. . .LIST!!! 1

I have a friend or three that seems to be screaming the same message. . .Find more joy in life.

They speak of art classes, and learning conversational Italian, and vineyard tours.

They speak in some days, and ifs, and maybes. . .

They speak a language I understand far too well. I speak the language of someday fluently.

Let's find more joy in the long lazy summer days! Let's seize the moment. Let's get to living. Life is precious and fleeting. Seize it. Love it.

Offer your best self. Someday is unforgiving in its swiftness.

I'm developing my own Summer Suck It . . .Not Near A Bucket list. . .Please share yours.

C's Grand Canyon Trip #10

Here's a good shot that gives an overview of our hike. The trees in the middle are Indian Garden, where we camped braving the elements (38 degrees and 40 mph winds at night!). The trail veering left is towards Plateau Point. The valley to the right is where Bright Angel Trail heads down towards the Colorado.

Once I took this photo we all jumped in the rental Prius, speed to the hotel, got hot showers and real food.

Did you feel like you were in a cathedral? Yeah, until I stepped off the trail to take a photo of some flowers and looked over and saw a big pile of doody and toilet paper by a rock.

Isn't that against the park rules? Yeah but what are you gonna do?

C's Grand Canyon Trip #9

I'm not sure if it's easier to hike down yourself or ride a donkey on the edge of a seventy foot drop. I think I'll stick to the hiking. I did appreciate one of the mules was hauling 30 packs of Budweiser.

C's Grand Canyon Trip #8

We saw tons of cool little waterfalls throughout the entire hike. Most of the major falls are on the other side of the canyon. The hike to those falls are a lot longer in distance and a little more varied in elevation.

C's Grand Canyon Trip #7

What's this? I did the hike to Phantom Ranch Overlook. If you go about half a mile past, you can see beautiful views of the Colorado. Learned later, that one of the park rangers was married close to this point. Neither the Bride or Groom's parents attended.

What did she wear? I didn't ask. From the sounds of it, none of the parents attending was how they planned it.

Anything else? It was windy as anything. And there were some pretty steep drop offs along the edge of this trail. The trekking poles were a big help for this sort of hiking.

Once I was done with this hike, I met up with my Dad before we crossed the Colorado again. He pointed out a branch about 10 feet away that has just snapped off and fallen to the ground. Dad was laying on a park bench and he heard something that sounded like gunshots and this huge 150 pound limb fell to the ground close to him. Apparently a bunch of park rangers came running out of their ranger station.

So a limb almost fell on your Father? Yes. Did he tell your Mother? I'm sure she's heard that story about 3 times by now.

C's Grand Canyon Trip #6

Flowering Prickly Pear Cactus

C's Grand Canyon Trip #5

C's Grand Canyon Trip #4

The second day my Father and I hiked down to the Colorado River and a mile beside it.

Is that a bridge? This is the bridge we use to cross the Colorado River. On the way back, we encountered a 40 mph gust of wind and had to stagger and cling to the sides of the bridge to make it back across. This was all made worth it by the bagel and cream cheese we got from the snack post at Phantom Ranch. The extremes you'll go to for food that isn't dehydrated. . . Probably would have crossed a glacier for a veggie wrap at that point.

The point at which we crossed the Colorado is close to Clear Water Creek - which has another campsite.

C's Grand Canyon Trip #3

Ah hahahahahahahaha!!!!!!

C's Grand Canyon Trip #2

This is a view of the Colorado River as seen from Plateau Point. This was taken in the early evening.

Plateau Point is a popular spot where many guides take tourists to watch the sunset. C said they were about an hour too early for the sunset but that was nice because they had the spot all to themselves. He could see folks riding the rapids and setting up camp for the evening along the river.

Towards the right in this photo is Bright Angel Trail, which is the trial they hiked the following day to the Colorado.

C's Grand Canyon Trip #1

So C and I are sitting here going through his photos. He's selected a few to share and he's going to narrate as we go.

What's this pic? This was taken on the hike to Plateau Point. This is a yucca plant.

Is there more? It was really windy. Don't add that. . .This was a smaller hike we took after we hiked down five miles and set up camp. Later that evening we decided to hike to an overlook of the Colorado River.


How long did the hike down take? 5 miles in 3 hours. The hike to Plateau Point was a lot shorter. Only about a mile and a half out and back.

Can you tell me something about yucca? There are different varieties. Some are used to make soap, which we seemed to be in short supply of on this trip. Soap not yucca.

Happy Memorial Day #14

The Eastern Kingbird. . .As best as I can tell. :)

Happy Memorial Day #13

Happy Memorial Day #12

Happy Memorial Day #11

The fishing pier at Downes Park is really nice. A little ways beyond the pier is a beach dedicated to off leash dog swimming. On a clear day, I would imagine the views of the Bay Bridge would be wonderful from the fishing pier. A little too hazy and humid this morning.

Happy Memorial Day #10

Happy Memorial Day #9

Flora that very much resembles honeysuckle. Although it looks more like a bush and less like a vine.

Happy Memorial Day #8

Berries ripen at Downes Park. C said these are Mulberries. I contend they are raspberries/blackberries. I think mulberries grow on bushes. This appeared to be growing on a vine covering a bush.

Despite continued warnings "not to eat berries in the woods!" I did eat berries in the woods when I was a kid. I seem to recall raspberries/blackberries looking exactly like this.

Plus, I'm fatter and should just inherently know more about foraging.

Happy Memorial Day #7

Another Eastern Kingbird. . .This one at Downes Park. I like that these birds belong to the family of "Tyrant Flycatchers." They aren't the biggest birds yet they are "tyrant."

Happy Memorial Day #6

Crab fishermen working their pots off the shore at Downes Park in North Anne Arundel County.