paulChristopher

Last year Sept. 16, 2006 I made a wise choice to Hike the Grand canyon with a professional guide. I found an excellent guide on the Internet on www.grandcanyonhikes.com His name is Shane. I highly recommend. The website will show that He lead the National Geographic on hikes for photographs.
I traveled to Phoenix, Arizona, rented a car and drove to Se dona for a few days then drove to Grand Canyon National Park and stayed at the Bright Angle Lodge for $55.00. The Lodge is perfect! Its situated right on the Southern Rim where the Bright Angel trail begins(or ends if you ascend from the canyon.)I arrived a day before our three day hike into the canyon. and enjoyed a full day of walking along the South rim for a good nine or ten miles. I recommend this hike because it’s very easy and absolutely gorgeous! The best part is if you ever get tired you just need to wait 10 minutes and a shuttle bus will come and take you in either a forward or reverse directions. This Hike was perfect because it teaches you things to expect when you are down in the canyon. like drinking water and being properly prepared with enough food, drink, sunscreen, hat and most important a good attitude.
The next morning, I checked out of the lodge and put all my belongings in the trunk of my car and went back into the lodge to meet my guide in front of the fire place.
Shane was standing their with his shorts, tee shirt and of course a pair of good hiking boots. He greeted me and four other hikers like myself gave us all a good look over and with a smile asked us if we are ready to see the most beautiful place in the entire world. All we needed was our hiking boots, shorts a tee shirt, socks plus two extra pair, filp/flops two changes of underwear, extra tee shirt and a tooth brush/toothpast. All food water and medical supplys where supplied by Shane.
So with our great attitude’s we all packed into two cars and drove to the entrance of the Kiabab trail where we met up with an assistant guide named Bob. There we were all given our backpacks which contained a small sleeping bag and a thermarest self inflating sleeping pad. Shane gave each of us a 3 liter frozen bottel of Gatoraid, and two 3liter frozen bottels of water plus one bottel of water to place in our hip side holder.
The frozen water was great because it kept our sandwiches cool that Shane prepared for us (hot pepper turkey with cheese lettuce and tomato om a multi grain bagel…um um)Our backpacks also contained High fiber Odwala power bars, payday bars, Potato chips, fredos and dried fruit. Shane expected all of us to consume everything during our first day down the canyon to the Phantom Ranch. He told us, “if we eat we will feel better the next day and we won’t be as sore.” Shane also gave each of us two leki Hiking poles and instructed us that according to Backpacker’s magazine, “two hiking poles take 60% of the weight off your back and knees”. Shane and his assistant also use them.
At first I was scared that the Backpacks would be too heavy and that I would get tired, but as I began walking, I discovered that the poles really do work very well indeed. Before we walked into the canyon Shane and His assistant stoped at a water fountain and started drinking with great intensity. I never saw drinking like this before, They were like two camels filling up before a week trek across the Sahara desert.
Their example was convincing enough for the rest of us to do the same. then with a big Hurray we were off for our first day, our descent into paradise. As we walked down the first part of the canyon Shane explained to us about the ancient sea life fossils surrounding us and showed us the proof of 50 million year old specimens. As we walked further Shane pointed out ridge for us to take a break in the shade and instructed us if we wanted to go ahead while he stays behind us but to wait for us at the shaded ridge. He encouraged us to take off our packs and to enjoy a side hike if we wanted in the area, but warned us to try to stay in the shade as much as possible and to eat even if we were not hungry. The commendatory was nice on Hiker was from Maine where she is a prison nurse, Antoher was a female police officer in Las Vegas. and the two were a couple in their late forties from Los Angeles.
After several rests and side hike we finally made it to the bottom of the inner canyon and cross the Colorado river over a swing bridge. we then found our campsite st the Phantom ranch and took a cool dip in wonderful river spirng. Our first day Hike we trveled nine miles for 54 hundred feet in nine hours. We could have walked it in 5 hours but stoped and enjoyed sites and many side hikes.
The Phathom Ranch, is between a ridge in the middle of the north and south rim. The tent sites are equipped with picnic tables, small metal food lockers and pole to hang your backpack. The ranch has a nice little lodge that serves a lite lunch and dinner and of course, COLD BEER! it closes between lunch and dinner and reopens at 8:30pm for social gathering. Shane instructed us to look inside our bags for head lamps and to use the red lite around camp so as not to disturb others with the beam of white lite. He also mentioned that the red lite doesn’t scare off the wonderful wildlife to enjoy in the canyon. Shane prepared us a meal of turkey tetrazinie which he added fresh broccoli he also prepared some wonder full horderves made with fresh vegetables and Colby cheese chunks.
The canyon is draped by the heavens with its bright star constellations. The peace and tranquility the over comes you is so divine as this canyons breath blows its warm breeze and kisses you upon your cheek. We are hidden from everything in this inner canyon, Here we cannot see the top of the rim and they can’t see us. Only our Creator, the mountains and animals watch us as we marvel back at them. Tonight we sleep a sleep of gratitude and dream of the cosmos that we are in.
The Next morning Shane awoke and began his cooking we enjoyed oatmeal enhanced with raisins, almonds, walnuts, fresh black berries and blueberries. I must say, “Shane can make a hell of a good cup a coffee”. The campsite was a trash out site meaning no thing left behind what you bring in you must take out.
This morning I started out alone with Shane’s blessing and headed for the Indian Garden campsite on the top of the inner rim. Along the way I explored waterfalls, swam and cooled off in streams sat in caves and met some very nice hikers.
by 3:00 I made it to the Indian gardens campsite situated under a grove of cottonwood trees which was fed by a stream. This quite, idyllic setting is perfect for napping or reading. You are entertained by the sights of the rim above (Halfway point) and a long parie out to the rim of the inner canyon. After a short nap Shane and the rest of our group assembled for a lunch of sun dried tortillas filled with canned chicken breasts (the kind that comes out of the foil bag from starkist mixed with fresh avocado, mayonnaise, diced cherry tomato, hot pepper cheese and tomato pesto. What a delouse wrap!
The rest of the afternoon we spent exploring this fertile oassis. its animal inhabitants were mice, squirrels, foxes, badgers, raccoons and weird animals I never seen before that looked akin to a half cat and half raccoon with a thick tail used for hanging from the trees.
The sunset was nothing short spectacular with its rays glowing on the north rim walls. The white quartz rock was now on fire glowing a cherry red. the sky opposite was filled with pink, orange, purple and blue. The vertigo was mesmerizing as you walked to the edge of the inner canyon and stared down upon the Colorado river. As the sun sank her gift was a twilight of azure and violet, darkness crept slowly under the quite spell of this glorious canyon.
In darkness equipped with our red led head lamps we walked back to camp witnessing a black and white striped king snake crossing our path. We saw tiny frogs and various betels and spiders all of which were oblivious to us except for the vibrations of our footsteps.Back at camp Shane had a meal of beef and vegatable Lasngas prepared for us. That evening we played rummy and enjoyed each other stories.
The third day was probably the most difficult because it was the steepest up the bright angle trail. I started the out early with some instructions from Shane of where to do some side hikes. As you hike up in this area the switch backs greet you with some beautiful views. Every now and then I took off my back pack and rested or wandered off trail a little. As you climb the Bright angle caravans of mules journeying into the canyon with weary looking tourist are making their way down together with the smell of Mule urine these episodes are fortunately brief. As you climb further You see some really dumb day hikers carrying only one small bottle of water with no hope for any refills for a least three hours of continued hiking. This scene unfortunately gets more common with people even wearing flipflop’s. On average their are two rescues a day from the Grand Canyon mainly from unprepared hikers due to dehydration. As We reached the top we all gathered for some farwell photos and poudly made it back to the bright angle lodge.
As I turned around and look back at the canyon. I knew that I was a different person. Each step that I took was like living a day or mabe even a week. When ever I was alone and gazed at the beauty within this canyon I lived a new life, a life of discovery, a life of gratitude and peace.

The combination of cinnamon, icing sugar and crushed almonds hidden between the layers of Phyllo and the sweet and savory chicken filling is excellent!
6 servings
1 hour 20 minutes 1hr prep

2 Tabl. olive oil
1 lg. onion chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 small Thai chile (or chile flakes, to taste)
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon good- quality Madras curry powder
1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger
1 teaspoon grated fresh lemon zest
4 cooked (baked/ roasted) chicken legs, bones removed and meat chopped coarsely
2 pitted prunes
1/4 cup spicy green olives, diced
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 lemon juice of coarse salt, fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1 Tabl. icing sugar
2 Tabl. whole almonds
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup melted butter
8 sheets phyllo dough
1 egg lightly beaten
2 Tabl. chopped fresh coriander (also known as cilantro)

1. Brush one 10-inch pie plate with some melted butter and set aside.

2. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil; saute the onions until soft (about 5 minutes) then add the garlic, chile, cinnamon stick, curry powder, fresh ginger, lemon zest and chicken chuncks and saute for two minutes.

3. Stir in prunes, olives, chicken stock, lemon juice, and the salt and pepper; bring this to a boil.

4. Reduce the heat to low and cover and simmer, without stirring at all, for ten minutes; then remove the lid and simmer for 5 more minutes, or until the liquid has evaporated; let this cool completely (remember to dicard the cinnamon stick)

5. Meanwhile, in afood processor (the mini one will work, pulse the icing sugar, ground cinnamon and almonds until coarsely chopped.

6. preheat oven to 375F

7. When the chicken mixture has cooled completely, it’s time to begin the assembly: on your work surface, arrange a sheet of phyllo (keep the remaining phyllo sheets under a damp tea towel) and brush it with some of the melted butter.

8. Lay the sheet of phyllo in the middle of the pie plate, letting the excess phyllo hang overthe edge; repeat with 4 more sheets of phyllo.

9 Stir the lightly beaten egg and chopped corriander into the chicken mixture, combine, then spoon the entire mixture into the pie plate, on top of the sheets of phyllo in it.

10. Fold the phyllo edges that are hanging over the edge of the pie plate, one at a time, onto the middle of the pie, sprinkling some of the almond/sugar/cinnamon mixture between each layer; do this loosely and not tightly.

11. Butter one piece of the remaining phyllo and sprinkle with some almond mixture; place over filling and tuck in any overhang; repeat with remaining phyllo and almond mixture. DO THIS ONE BY ONE, NOT STACKED, TO ACHIVE A LIGHT< BLOSSOMY TOP.

12.Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the top is browned and crisp; let stand for 5 minutes before cutting into wedges to serve.

So far I’ve edited two stories. Now I’ve earned enough credits to submit my own.