Time To Review

This weekend we're reviewing preparations, getting house/yard in order for guests while we're gone, and planning our final two weeks of physical conditioning. In addition to the Grand Canyon during our vacation, we're also staying at a couple nice resorts and visiting the kids/grandson.

This is our diverse vacation: the nicest of accommodations (5 star resorts) and some of the most primitive (cabin on north rim with no TV, phone, etc.), the most private moments (the resorts) and the most public (dorm at Phantom Ranch), time surrounded by family (kids/grandson) and surrounded by strangers (Phantom Ranch-men's dorm/women's dorm). This will be an interesting vacation.

We talked through our packing/clothing needs and did a little shopping this weekend to be prepared. Yesterday was by car but today we completed our errands in 10 miles via bike.  Add that to the rest of the miles this week and Nana rode 49 miles, Papa 35 miles. Nana got about 30 minutes of weight training for the week.  That will need to step up the next couple weeks.

One of the reasons I started this blog was the trouble I had finding "how to/what to pack" information on the web. Well, there are weeks of our training available now and below is our list of items packed in our day packs. In June, we will update with how the R2R adventure went, what we learned and what we'd do differently.  Hopefully that will provide some insight for middle aged, slightly out of shape individuals who want to do this in the future.

What's packed?  Here's our items:

First aid kit (packed in a clear makeup bag that zips closed):

• small flashlight
• quick clot pak for bleeding
• foaming cleaner/antibiotic
• diarrhea medication
• pain reliever
• New Skin
• ace bandage
• various size band-aids
• bug repellent
• sunscreen
• friction block for feet (blister prevention)
• water purification tablets
• moleskin
• cuticle scissors (for moleskin)
• inhaler (in case)
• sugar and salt packets (helpful for food but also first aid if need salt or sugar quickly)
• pocket knife (Swiss Army type)
• fingernail file and clippers
• safety pins
• Tums
• A and D ointment (good for cuts, dry skin, lips, etc.)
• tweezers

Also in day pack (along side the first aid kit and, in blue print, in small pouches attached the waistband for easy access):

• detailed USGS Grand Canyon trail map
• Bite and Sting Kit (Papa's allergic to bees and previous rattlesnake encounters give us respect for them)
• tissues
• gallon zip bag for trash (pack in/pack out)+
• mini tri-pod for camera
• bandannas (2)+
• glow/emergency sticks (2)
• headlamp (we plan to start North Rim going down before sunrise)+

• small spray bottle of Benadryl (itching isn't fun)
• small sewing kit
• cheap, lightweight poncho (very compact)+
• 2-16 oz. containers (we use these to mix electrolyte drinks when we stop for breaks)
• camera and FlipVideo
• iPhone (of course!) and back-up battery+
• ID, credit card/calling card, stamps, cash, hiking card*
• Lip balm, batteries, compass/mirror+
• Hand sanitizer
• Extra socks+
• Room to add pants/lt jacket as day warms (North Rim start will be in the 40's but it'll be around 100+ degrees when we get to Phantom Ranch that afternoon)

*Hiking card is an information (index) card with your name, address, medicines/medical conditions, destination, emergency contacts, and name(s) of people in your hiking party.

The entire day pack (hip pack), with water bottles empty, weighs 16.3 lbs. Compact still has weight.  In addition, both Papa and Nana have a 3 liter camelpak at about 6.7 lbs. so Nana will be carrying 23 lbs. on this hike.

Papa puts his camelpak bladder in his backpack so he has one bag. In addition, Papa carries all the food, lightweight blanket, duplicates of items marked with plus sign [+] above, 2 additional liters of water, extra shoe laces for both of us and both pair of our water shoes/sandals (for having fun at the waterfalls and light weight footwear at Phantom Ranch).  Depending on the food packed, Papa's pack runs around 25 lbs.

We're wearing the following items in addition to shorts/pants/shirts: hats, sunglasses with security strap, hiking poles and gloves and, have with us for the heat of the day, a water-absorbent neck tie that helps keep us cool. We also have gel toes in our shoes for the hike down.

The pack going down to Phantom Ranch via mule will have two changes of clothes for each of us, toiletries, chargers for iPhones (no phone or GPS in the Canyon, but we have music, books, games on them that we will access plus contact info for sending those post cards), snacks, and more water.  We've gotten reports that the main water line to Phantom Ranch is broken. Although they have water that's 'safe' the taste isn't desirable. We don't want to take chances; water is too important on this trip. We have 25 lbs. allotted in the duffel going down/up so we'll pack as much water as possible depending upon the duffel's weight.

That's our plan.  We have double checked our reservations. All meals will be at Phantom Ranch including a sack lunch for our ascent. Reservations at a hotel on the rim when we finally emerge as well as a reservation for a nice dinner, after a brief nap, to reward us on accomplishing the R2R are also confirmed. We're booked on the shuttle the following day (after a hopefully good night's sleep) back to the North Rim where we'll retrieve our car and continue on the rest of our vacation.

The preparations, except for continued physical conditioning, are complete.  Now the test. Are we ready? Did we over/under prepare? The answers will soon be known.