SUNRISE After a night with temps in the low 30s, we awoke early to see the sun rise over the Grand Canyon. The ranger giving the interpretive program the night before recommended Yaki Point for viewing the sun rise. We drove the car to a parking area, then walked, and walked, and walked! Finally, after about 3 miles, we found the site, and the sun was already up. A robust discussion ensued about the seven Ps (Proper Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance). Anyway, we made it back to the car with Donald suffering only 2 blisters, one on each foot.

RIM TRAIL Following a big breakfast, we walked the remaining west end of the Rim Trail, adding another 2 miles to our already stiff muscles, but saw some beautiful scenery. Included in the walk was a short jaunt down Bright Angel Trail to observe some pictographs and petrogliphs. Some of the edge was a sheer drop, but Kay made it okay, hugging the wall side.

DRIVE TO DESERT VIEW Driving in, we passed several view points on the eastern edge of the park, and decided to drive back there, some 27 miles, and take a look this afternoon. We drove almost all the way to the East Entrance to Desert View and noted the spectacular landscape from up in the Grand Canyon. From there one can see the Colorado River at the bottom of the canyon.

On the way back "down" to our campsite, we were stopped by a number of elk crossing in front of us.

HIKER OVER THE EDGE The sirens we heard yesterday was in fact related to a hiker going over the edge. A 47-year old man from Prescott, AZ, apparently fell off the edge at Desert View, just as one enters the park from the east. He fell 250 feet to his death. It’s amazing that more people don’t fall. We watched dozens upon dozens of folks, many in flip flops, standing on the very edge, with nothing below for several hundred feet. And the pushing and shoving to get a good view…

SUNSET Kay wanted to view sunset over Grand Canyon, just as she wanted to see the sunrise (remember the 7 P’s). Yavapai Observation Station was recommended and it must have been the place, because everyone else was there as well. The sunset was not that special in and of itself, but the colors and shadows cast on the east wall were spectacular. We returned to DunnGone for a brief rest, we drove to Shrine of the Ages for the evening interpretive program, Stories of Phantom Ranch.The ranger did a great job mixing humor with history.