I am obviously not getting an early start today but there is really no hurry. It feels good to not be rushing about. I woke up around 5:30 (guessing), went to use the head, and then crawled back into by sleeping bag. I could not go back to sleep though so I got out my book and read another chapter.

I finally started to get up and start the day around 6:30. I decided to switch to my other pair of hiking pants. I was going to try and get another day out of the trashed pair but the duct tape isn't holding and the tear is increasing if I am not careful and bend the wrong way---too much of me, too little of them. The pair I have on now is about a size (or two) too big for me and has patches for tears I got when I was over here in 1999. There was obviously more of me then.

We had some wind last night but nothing like the other day and it only lasted a couple of hours. This morning started off clear but is now completely overcast... and cool. I remember the forecast for today said "some showers" for Grand Canyon so I should probably put the rain-fly on the tent before I leave. Showers on the rim may not even make it down here but I do not want to take any chances.

Today I need to take it easy. The heels of both of my feet are messed up. I noticed it yesterday morning and it must have happened on the way over from Phantom. I patched them up as best I could with moleskin and duct tape but that shifted out of place by the end of the day yesterday and this morning they look worse instead of better.

The duct tape I have must be a clone and not the original as it doesn’t seem to hold up very well to any kind of heat.

The wind is picking up again and it looks like something might happen. Better get that rain fly on.

13:15 - Ariel Falls

I have been here about an hour already---slight change of plans for today. I was going to try and get into Obi Canyon but I spent too much time getting up here and goofing off up here so I will probably just head straight back to camp. I spent a lot of time taking photos of the falls and they are really quite lovely. It reminds me of Upper Ribbon Falls but prettier somehow... brighter. Upper Ribbon Falls seems more tucked away and dark. Maybe the sun just wasn't right when I was there.

There is not much sun here today. It breaks through a little occasionally but it has been mostly cloudy---overcast. It has been cooler too, great for hiking. The sun is trying to break through right now and I wish it would. I would love to see this with blue sky behind it.

16:30 - Back at camp

I waited a while for blue sky but sort of figured it wasn't going to happen.

My neighbors changed last night and the group of 4 guys left and a group of 6 others replaced them. I hiked with them for a while this morning as we were headed in the same direction. Nice folks, some from Flagstaff, some from Grand Canyon. One gal works at the Grand Canyon Backcountry Office. They did not like the looks of the weather today and don't have tents so they moved camp up canyon under an overhanging cliff for protection.

Right now the weather is looking like if might break/change again---more sun, some blue-ish sky and wind picking up.

I found some petroglyphs on the way back to camp, on the side of a huge block of Tapeats, just east of Obi Canyon.

18:50 - Hunkered down

The wind started to whip up again just as I was finishing dinner and I can’t tell what's going on with the sky---very strange clouds, all mixed up. I talked to Robin and wish I had asked her to check a weather forecast for me. It takes too long, I like to keep the air time short. I had a hard time getting a signal tonight and don't know if that is weather related or what?

Dinner was absolutely yummy tonight---seafood chowder. I am going to review my shots from today, then read a little more. In about an hour it will probably be dark. I am hoping for a nice sunny and warm day for tomorrow's hike up towards Cheyava Falls.