A classic running road trip. Join Geoff Palmer, "Rain no Train" Jackson and friends for an attempt at conquering the Grand Canyon in Arizona before the snow flies.
Invitation only to those with a note from their significant other stating they will not forget to pack their headlamp and space blanket. Planning meeting Tuesday 2 October at 7:30 at Jackson's place. Show up at 5:30 and we can also do a Capilano Eagles interval workout. (If the monsoons continue unabated, we can paddle there in my kayak.)
Please refer to the ongoing discussion in Geoff's blog.
Weather in the Grand Canyon
Comments
The boys are back safe and
I can't wait to read the blogs of Ean, Glenn, Colin, Daniel, Rick and Geoff and see more photos. (guys, please post your stories as blogs (rather than comments on the original event posting) and I can attach your posts to the original event posting. That way the stories are preserved in your blogs as well as under the event.
As for photos, please add to the Flickr Club Fat Ass group, tag with GrandCanyon GrandCanyon2007 ClubFatAssEvents ClubFatAss and anything else appropriate. Photos of the Club shirts should also be tagged with TravellingColoursContest and TravellingColoursContest2007
This guy has done the R2R2R 11 times!
Ron Adams passed this story along about a fellow who has attempted this challenge almost as many times as Ron has done the Knee Knacker.
Renting a Van
I made a couple of calls to find out about renting a Van to drive to the Grand Canyon. Since we are crossing the boarder it looks like our best option in Budget.
This would get us a mini van that can hold 7 people and gear. The price will go up the longer we take to book the van. We will need a commitment of who is in so we can book the van sooner rather that later.
An other thought is leave the Wed night way wait until Thur morning? We could be at the Canyon late Thur then spend all day running on Friday and have Sat/Sun to drive back?
Colin
The South Rim it Is
Ok,
Sounds good. I didn't think I could make this one work, sorry I missed all the planning and stuff. But I looks like I am in.
Cheers Colin
PS. I think what ever the GPS say will call the actual distance.
The South Rim it Is
A fine meal of stale pretzels and wasabi peas was enjoyed by all, washed down by a few cool Sleeman's as several keeners pored over maps on Tuesday night. Many thanks to David Crerar for sharing photos and pointers from his two R2R2R adventures.
Resolved:
- we depart from the south rim. It makes more sense as, at the end of the run, we can dine on steaks in a restaurant rather than potatoe chips, spam and whatever gels are left in an isolated parking lot on the north rim
- the current plan is to slum it in our down bags under the stars near Grand Canyon Village, do an alpine start and run the road section to the South Kalibab, avoid donkey trains as we make our way down, across and up the north side of the canyon. Celebrate 1/2 way with some beef jerkey, then return by the more heavily travelled Bright Angel Trail just in case the wheels fall off and we need one of those fat asses to carry us out
Resolved:
- Rick Arikado, Glenn Pace, Geoff Palmer and Rain No Train Jackson are in
- Daniel Probst and Steve Deller are interested but unconfirmed
Resolved:
- leave Vancouver on Thursday by 06:00 at the latest. Drive till we drop. Sleep a bit, then drive the est of the way to Grand Canyon Village
- run on Saturday. Hit the trail around 05:00
- drive back home on Sunday and (maybe) Monday depending on the legs
UnResolved:
- Rick is driving if we are 4, but need to rent a van if we are more
Resolved:
- we will all carry headlamps and emergency bivy bags!
- we will call our significant others as soon as our sorry asses have completed the R2R2R and we are safely in the pub
- unless the weather is really crappy, we will come prepared to sleep under the stars
- we will prepare for wind and sand storms, lighting, snow, rain, flash floods and other acts of God as best we can.
- we will bring our cameras to share the adventure
- we will not cross the 49th parallel without travel insurance
Resolved:
- Pace will be responsible for selecting the route to and from Grand Canyon Village
- Palmer will be responsible for confirming vehicle and lodging
- Jackson will make sure all prospective road trippers have been identified and properly informed of the hazing
- Arikado will figure out the order of picking up and dropping off the road trippers at the start and finish of the adventure
Anyone else interested? Anyone have any thoughts or suggestions? (Montreal Pete, you there? How might we beat your stunt of getting photos of different years of Club Fat Ass t-shirts at different millenia in the canyon's geology?)
The Boss said leave
So a date has been set!
Hard Rock Veterans Welcome
Great to see you're keen. Planning meeting tonight, so will let you know logistics. In a pinch, I was looking to ride down with you on your bike!
Thoughts from David Crearar
"First off, R2R2R is so damned fun -- perhaps the best run on the planet.
Could be quite cold -- we had snow (actually warm snow) in May.
Check on the faucets. Apparently they shut them down some time in the autumn. No fun if they are not on (although you have creeks nearby for most of the run: giardia is preferable to death).
I'd recommend: down Bright Angel and up (return) South Kaibab -- both are stunningly beautiful and Bright Angel is a bit boring and difficult to do both ways (the agony of the return switchbacks is lessened if you are at least seeing new sights)
Usable light starts quite a bit earlier than sunrise (I suppose that is true everywhere, but especially applicable for GC). I'd have started each run I've done a little earlier.
Read up on the geologic history -- it's amazing to literally run past 3 billion years of colour-coded history. Also on animals and cacti, etc
Buy/read Death in the Grand Canyon (but after you do the run).
All of the food in the GC Village sucks: go to one of the official lodges on the canyon edge?
Consider a day in Sedona en route home - awesome running, there too."