It was cold, 27 outside, and 28 degrees inside the tent. We waited for the sun to warm us. We only had 3.5 miles to reach the town of Tusayan. I had no coffee and only a few peanuts. We moved quickly. Other hikers were descending on the town. And there it was: a Starbucks. We emerged from the trailhead looking like Pigpen with a cloud of dust surrounding us. Everything about us was dirt. Yet we lingered on the love seat with coffee and pastries for about an hour. Hot coffee and warm pastry and a seat to sit on. Holy cow!
We moved quickly to the Grand Canyon Visitor Center 7 miles from Tusayan on a asphalt trail fast, but hard on the legs. The visitor’s center was closed. So we checked into the Yavapai Lodge and began our long list of chores. Showers and laundry were over too late to stand in line for dinner, but pasta salad from the deli seemed like a treat.
Mountain Peace 