Managed to use Jornada long enough to get two days worth of journal entries done and also to read two chapters in my book. Sun up at 6:10. Packed by 6:35. Eat breakfast.

06:55 - Utah Flats Route

Out of camp. Lost trail after that first drainage on the east side. Went cross-country and finally intercepted it again coming down the hill just west of the cactus garden.

07:30 - Utah Flats Route

Cross cactus gaden and managed to stay on the trail most of the way. Awesome view of Utah Flats with the south rim behind. Beautiful blue sky with a few white puffy clouds. Not a sound to be heard except the occasional buzz of a fly or tweetering of a bird. Even though I am less than a mile from Phantom Ranch the sense of solitude is remarkable.

07:45 - Utah Flats

Ten minute rest to sit, rest and write.

07:55 - Utah Flats

Start crossing drainage on north side of Utah Flats.

08:15 - Utah Flats

Saddle between drainages. Start down toward Piano Alley. Get a little disoriented with all the different drainages but finally locate the cairn at the top of the Piano Alley descent.

08:30 - Utah Flats

Top of Piano Alley.

08:40 - Utah Flats Route

Start down Piano Alley.

08:55 - Utah Flats Route

Below Piano Alley.

09:10 - Utah Flats Route

Rest spot above final descent - Banzai Route - to Bright Angel Creek. No hurry to get there, still very early. Rest a while and walk along ridge towards the river. Oh... my... God!!! The views from up here are to die for - I mean really drop dead gorgeous! Magnificent views of Phantom Ranch and the campground with Bright Angel Creek flowing along side. Spectacular view downstream of the Colorado River and the best view of alomost the entire length of the river trail. Its good to have time to explore things like this.

09:40 - Utah Flats Route

Start down Banzai Route.

10:10 - Bright Angel Campground

At camp, same site (as always).

10:40 - Phantom Ranch

Camp setup, gear stowed, go clean up. Wander up to canteen to get a lemonade. Check to see if there are any seats available for dinner - just for chuckles. There are?! For both steak and stew. Phantom Stew for dinner. Yeah!! Plug in Jornada inside the canteen and let it charge. Drink lemonade and talk with people hanging out in front of canteen. Met a very nice couple, Bill and Claris, who actually have the campsite right next to mine in the campground. Also met a very nice young lady, Cathy, who is just down to Phantom Ranch on a day hike from the south rim. She is a seasonal ranger at Glacier National Park in Montana and calls that home. Enjoyed talking with them all. 13:15 - Colorado River - Ran into Cathy again down by the river. I headed down there to eat my lunch and she was on the beach taking a picture of the Black Bridge before starting her hike out. I offered to take a photo of her with the bridge in the background and we started talking again for a while. She spotted the mules up above on the trail and was waiting for them to get to the bridge so that she could get a photo of them crossing it. After she left I watched her go up the trail with my binoculars and she was making excellent time - must be born to hiking.

15:20 - Bright Angel Creek

After lunch I hiked up the North Kaibab Trail to where Phantom Creek comes into Bright Angel Creek, just to get a photo of it.

16:00 - Phantom Ranch

Ranger program - History of Phantom Ranch, by Pam Cox.

17:00 - Phantom Ranch

Getting very cold and windy. Go back to camp to change into long pants and put on a clean T-shirt for dinner. Also get my jacket. Talk with Bill and Claris for a while and then head over to wait for dinner.

18:30 - Phantom Ranch

Meet a very nice father-daughter couple sitting across from me at dinner, Roy and Lorrie, who had hiked dow to the Phantom Ranch for some bonding. Made me wish I had a daughter to go hiking with. She surprised me and actually asked for seconds on the chocolate cake and she actually got three more pieces for all of us. That is a first for me at Phantom Ranch. I always heard that the meal was all you can eat except for the cake. Never under estimate the power of women.

19:30 - Phantom Ranch

Ranger program about Grand Canyon geology.

20:10 - Phantom Ranch

Met Bill and Claris at the beer hall and had a beer and talked some more with them. They are a very interesting couple.

21:30 - Bright Angel Campground

Head back to camp. Tried to take some photos of the moon light on Bright Angel Creek before calling it a day. Listened to some music before going to sleep.