19 - The Beer Chugging Champion of the Grand Canyon
After leaving Las Vegas, Bruce and I arrived at Grand Canyon Village at 9 PM. We went to a nearly abandoned bar and went into the adjoining rec center. We played some pinball, a little ping-pong, and I played chess with a guy named Mark and got whupped, but he told me about some cool hikes we could take the next day. We camped out on a cold, clear night in Mather Campground, for free. Looking back on the entire 1978 journey, Bruce and I skipped over so many National Parks and other natural sites with nary a mention, including Glacier, Yosemite, the Redwoods, and Joshua Tree. Fortunately, we visited Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon; but it was apparent we did not have a plan on entering either. For example, we did not even start thinking about hiking the Canyon until we awoke. Decided on descending the South Kaibab trail, go along the Colorado River, and up the Bright Angel Trail, about 16 miles and 12 hours. [Actua