#mthumphreys

Veterans Day. A day to thank the brave men and women who serve our country and also a day off (I know, I’m the worst kind of person but who doesn’t appreciate a day off from the old 9-5). Did I mention it was Wednesday? FREE NATIONAL PARK DAY!

I woke Dianne (From this point on she will be called Dev) up mad early so that we could attempt to do a hike I have been DYING to do, Mt. Humphrey’s Trail, which leads to the highest peak in AZ. I checked the weather the night before and the forecast said COLD AF. So naturally I told Dev it was gonna be 50 and to wear layers and it would be gucci. I navigated us to Flagstaff which is an hour or so away and messed up getting to the trailhead. As I navigated us into the trees Devan began to question my navigational capabilities but I reassured her that my natural sense of direction would prevail.....it didn’t (Darnnnn) and we ended weaving in and out of trees and I told Devan to continue driving into the depths of the woods. It was only until we came across a large puddle that was reminiscent of the Pacific Ocean that I knew we had to turn around and take the road more traveled. That puddle would’ve swallowed the Jetta whole and I wouldn’t have been able to look the AAA driver in the face when he would have inevitably had to come and pull my whip out of this mini ocean. 

Fast forward 45 minutes and we’re at the trailhead, we put on our layers and began to forge out of the parking lot into......children, children sleigh riding. There was snow EVERYWHERE. Naturally, I continued to walk but then my feet got cold and wet and I realized our imminent death had we choose to continue into the woods and up to the summit of Humphrey’s Peak. As we turned back to the parking lot I was bummed, I have been dying to do this hike and just haven’t had the time and now I would have to wait for the spring....(cue the dramatics......”I’ve been shot”).

But as I got in the car, I had an epiphany....”Let’s go to the Grand Canyon,” I said. And that we did.

It was a happy little accident that brought us to the Grand Canyon on this day but after a 60-minute drive north, we were there. It was Wednesday and it was free. Boo-Yah. So we blew right past that park ranger keeping our $30 in our pocket and we drove that 25-mile scenic drive,stopping off at many of the view- points. 

From there we parked the car and proceeded to walk the West rim and snapped some awesome shots amongst all our fellow tourists. 

As we were standing amongst the crowd, Devan put her ears to good use and was eavesdropping on a random passer buyers’ convo and overheard that there was a portion with no railing and some psychos were down on the rock. We walked over to check it out. We then looked at each other and proceeded downward to join our fellow psychos. 

We got some of the best, unobstructed views of the canyon, not to mention a little exercise after being in the car all day.

It was unreal, it was grand. After that, we ascended the side of the Grand Canyon and headed home. We figured we didn’t have to explore it all in that day since we are bound to be back every time we have a visitor (Paging family and friends...).