Sunset of a journey

Arizona
Sunset
May 2001

We felt really privileged going in the Grand Canyon corridor,
It has something mystical, It may be the very beginning of the way
to paradise.... Youssef Fassi-fihri, Tempe, Arizona

The sun was setting on this journey, but what a journey it had been. Just a few days earlier, a group of strangers had boarded a raft to emerge as a group of friends. If I were to choose a single word, it would be camaraderie - perhaps even more appropriate for its French derivation and our four French speaking travelers.

    There were undoubtedly thousands of people milling around the south rim, yet among them, we found each other. When did you finish? Who is still on the trail? The concern was genuine. Some finished quite early, including the graduates. I heard that Dalila finished in a little over four hours - remarkable! Yet, I think there was a shared admiration not only for the first to finish, but the last to finish. Completing the hike in four hours is impressive. Equally impressive is to give it your best for eight solid hours - battling heat and exhaustion - to achieve your objective. Both are heroes!
    To our guides: Mike, Matt, and MJ, our thanks again. Our experiences? How about: ice cold water, beautiful night skies, the big dipper, shooting stars, solitude and serenity, rock formations, rapids, limestone caves, fossils, poetry, a hike to the Anasazi ruins, Hance and Grapevine, and the Little Colorado.
    To my fellow travelers, it was a pleasure. I hope your memories are as enjoyable as mine.
    It was an experience of a lifetime.

Chuck Allan
Jacksonville, Florida
May, 2001