9/8 Grand Canyon North Rim

The north rim of the Grand Canyon is a lot different from the south rim.  It is over 1,000’ higher, so not too much bike riding for me, I suspect.  Good thing, however, is that it is definitely cooler—highs in lower 70s instead of lower 80s.  It is also heavily wooded with big trees and is wetter, and most importantly, it is much more out of the way, and therefore less traveled to.  Very, very slow internet here, but at least I have some access. 

I chose to stay in the park at the North Rim Campground.  There are no hookups at all, but there is a dump station, good water, and a market.  I can run my generator twice a day at specified times for two hours to charge up my two big coach batteries.  Not being hooked up also means it is a lot easier to drive to the dump station and refill my water tanks with nice, cold spring water.  That warm Lake Powell water was driving me crazy—tasted funny and you did not hardly even have to use the water heater to get it hot.  So, no AC needed here, and it is nice to be able to open windows to get a cool breeze.  Smells good up here in the unpolluted woods, too!  Here is my campsite:

I arrived yesterday afternoon and other than a couple of long walks haven’t done much of anything.  I’ve been working to get my Fall class ready to open in a couple of weeks, and checking on the Summer semester that is just ending.  As soon as students finish finals, I will enter final grades.  I’ve spent some time catching up on my reading also.  Got a new book about Mary Colter who designed many of the hotels and other buildings for the Fred Harvey Company in the Grand Canyon and elsewhere.  I also got an electronic copy of the Lilly Ledbetter book and have been reading it late at night. 
 
I’ve been able to charge my laptop, cell phone, and jetpack a couple of times with no apparent effect on my batteries.  Everyone seems to be running generators during the brief times allowed, but I still have lots of power.  Only problem right now is water.  I was parked at an angle when I filled up, and so may not have completely filled my tank.  Now I am on a slightly different angle, even with my leveling blocks, and it reads only ¼ full, so I hope I can get a shower tonight and have enough for flushing.  I’ll go out tomorrow and dump and refill the tanks—this time I will wait until it starts to overfill so I can be sure I have enough for at least three days of careful use.  Sixty gallons does not go far! 

Here are some photos I took today.  Tomorrow I will drive the two miles to the visitor center where the view is better, but these are not bad from very close to where I am camped.

 P.S. It is easier for you to comment now, if you want to. I had the wrong setting that required you to register your email, but it is now fixed.