North Rim

Didn't sleep much at all as Larry's snoring sounds like someone trying to drown a Harley Davidson.  Grumpily awoke him about 7:30 and we motored down to the Glen Canyon Damn Information Center.  Major security.  Got frisked and patted down but was denied my request for a full cavity search.  Neat, informative tour of the damn, its history and power generation capabilities.  Then into Page for combination breakfast/lunch at drive-in - like we weren't going to get enough of the outdoors that day.

Gassed up and headed to the north rim, about 130 miles from Page, across some of the most desolate land in the country - reservation, naturally, and then an astonishing climb of about 1500 feet of elevation in less than two miles and boom we're in the tall pines.  Roads are immaculate and virtually deserted.  Got down to the north rim lodge, a gorgeous place with a huge south-facing sun room, climbed around a bit, and then took off for Point Final, a lesser known trek described as "1.9 miles each way and fairly easy".  LIARS.  Was really cool place, hanging out over the east rim, one other guy on the trail and that's it.  Found a USGS marker from 1903 stating that that particular rock was 7919 feet in elevation, and that there was a $250 fine for removing it.  Would almost be worth it.  No, no, no. No.

Now our feet hurt almost as bad as our butts, and it was getting dark and surprisingly cold, and we had a long ride back to beddy by.  It was long and it was hot and it was amazingly dark, so we did see a lot of meteors, but at 65 or 70 mph..

Got back to Page for a late dinner in the only place still open, and fell into bed, exhausted and aching about 11.  Not really looking forward to the long, hot ride back to Phoenix the next day.