Day 6: The Grand Canyon
Good morning America! Today we woke up bright and early at 4
AM to hike the Grand Canyon!! We started off our day with a breakfast that we
had made the night before- a peanut butter bagel and a banana. We were told
MANY times to drink lots of water and be sure to stay hydrated.
When we arrived, Counselor Heather led us in a group stretch to prepare for the GRAND hike. We parted ways to hike our distance of choice: 2 mile, 3 mile, or 6 mile.
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| The 6 mile crew |
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| The 1 mile crew |
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| The 1.5 mile crew |
As we began our trek down we were able to see the sun sparkle over the horizon. The dodging and ducking of mule poop and rabid squirrels was over shadowed by the magnificent view of the dusty canyon. The cool morning air and brisk breeze made our descent very enjoyable and less difficult. As the sun ascended so did the temperature and the brave hikers of TWB. Though the hike up was difficult teamwork and encouragement allowed for a successful hike. After reaching the summit we indulged on our various fruits and pre-maid peanut butter sandwiches. We heard the daily cringey but clever joke from counselor Kendall… “What did the dad do after hiking the Grand Canyon? He had a Grand CanYAWN!”
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| Jana playing the guitar |
After a wonderful post hike nap we had the famous but mysterious Deaton stew which consisted of leftovers such as chocolate chip cookies, smiley fruit snacks, great value lucky charms, mustard, apples and much more. Imagining the disgusting concoction these conflicting ingredients would make, it was very tasty. Though many of the campers were repulsed by Deaton’s stew there were plenty of leftovers for campers that enjoyed it. After lunch the TWB participants were released to explore the vast wonders of the canyon and the beauty of the park. Many were eager to call home while others headed to the showers and washed their dirty clothes. Some visited the general store to acquire souvenirs and others enjoyed an ice cream cone with a view.
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| You never know what you will find in Deaton Stew! |
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| V mixing the Go-go juice to refuel our bodies after the hike! Yes...that is a golf club she is using to mix it |
Time for Laundry!!
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| Counselor Heather leading ab workouts while we wait for our clothes to wash, lol! |
Later in the evening as the
sun began to set we all came together for a group sing along. During the sing
along we celebrated Hayden’s 18th birthday by allowing him to lead
the song that he requested: Margaritaville.
After the sing along we were gifted a shirt that recognized our accomplishment
of hiking the Grand Canyon. The gray long sleeved 2018 TWB shirt depicted the
Grand Canyon on the back and said “Down is optional, up is mandatory.” The effects of the long hike and the early
morning set in and all the campers laid down for a good nights rest and
prepared for our next adventure in Las Vegas.
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| A lot of wild animals in the campsite |
Time for research from Ashlyn and Abby
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| Happy Birthday Hayden!! |
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| Gabe getting in on the singing! |
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| Grand Canyon Stars |
Thank you for your patience with the blog as we had no service in the Grand Canyon. We are at UNLV now and about to head to Las Vegas tonight. The kids are so awesome and I am proud to be their counselor, I know I can say the same about the other counselors and how impressed we are with your kids. See you in a few weeks, I hope you are enjoying the blog! :)
-Counselor Heather Welch
