Via the North Kaibab and Bright Angel Trails for Day 2 of the R2R2R. It was motivating to have Emilie, Marcus and Angela along with me and make it so fun. We descended the North Kaibab at a brisk pace. Half way down, we went off trail and crossed the Bright Angel Creek to visit the stunning Ribbon Falls. The detour took 70 min including a 25 min break to recover from my unfortunate slip into the creek. Luckily, I had an extra pair of dry socks and bandages in my pack. Back on the main trail, we moved at a fast clip through The Box and into Phantom Ranch rest area at the river. The 7 mile hike up the South side was an exhausting challenge in the high temperatures, full sun exposure and 5000ft of steep switchbacks of the Bright Angel. The kids walked ahead and I caught up at every 1.5 mile rest stop. The finish was a slog and I was working on an empty tank. I pushed though the tourists at the trailhead to find a welcoming reception by Celine and the Family. The group photos there was my favorite part of the day.
