Finished, But Not Home - Yet

Yes, Kari and her friend, Andrea, finished the Grand Canyon Rim to Rim hike in just over 12 hours!  I talked with her last evening and her first description of the endeavor was, ". . .The hardest thing I've ever done in my life! . ."  I'll drive to the Sacramento airport to pick her up (or scoop her up!) this evening at 8.  We'll see how she feels after 24 hours of "recovery;" I use the term recovery loosely as she predicts that day 2 will be worse than the first 24-hour period.

Hopefully, she'll have a few photos to share; although, she already indicated she didn't take anywhere near what she thought she would because the hike was just too darn hard.  Remember I said it was 26 miles; she said that about 13 of that distance was uphill!!!  The final 6 miles, climbing up to the south rim from the canyon floor took an hour per mile!  At one point she said her whole body 'seized' and she couldn't move for several minutes; the cause was dehydration and sodium depletion.  She took extra salt tablets and drank about a quart of water over around 15 minutes and felt better.  At the time we spoke (about 6pm) she said several hikers were still a long way from the finish.

And, finally she said, "This is my first AND MY LAST Grand Canyon Rim to Rim."

I just thank God she finished with what appears to be no serious or terminal injuries.  Ironman Cozumel will be much more "sane," that's the term I'll use to describe any / all of these extreme athletic events my kids seem to be addicted to conquering!

I'm off to get a little exercise myself; then I'll commence the chief cook and bottle washer duties for a fractured family dinner tonight, before I head to the airport to pick Kari up . . . More (with pix) later.