Arizona in October…

Wes and George enthusiastic before their first Arizona hike!

Wes and I deliberately picked late September and early October for our hike to avoid extreme temperatures.  We felt that autumn would be in the Goldilocks zone - not too hot or too cold.  Well, climate is what you expect, weather is what you get!  Arizona decided to enjoy a hot spell during our trip!  Temperatures were at or near record highs and often topped over 110 degrees Fahrenheit.  My training in Michigan and Alaska did not prepare me for the Arizona conditions, and both Wes and I were getting concerned about how to handle the heat.

 As I mentioned at the end of my last blog segment, disaster had struck after my Alaska cruise.  I had about three weeks before the end of the cruise to the start of the Rim-2-Rim hike.  I wasn’t home two days before I developed a crippling upper respiratory virus.  The first week I didn’t want to get out of bed and only after that week did I start to recover.  I was driven to do some light hiking to try to get back to normal but I struggled with short hikes on flat ground. Even that little exertion left my lungs aching and breath jagged. I was worried my lungs were not recovering fast enough to be ready for the canyon.  I had to request a steroid inhaler from my doctor to try and get my lungs back to normal.  The inhaler helped but I was still reliant on it when we flew out to Arizona.  I was doing great after Alaska but this was a dramatic physical and emotional setback. 

Image of the Phoenix terrain from our hike.

So now Wes and I found ourselves heading to Arizona and both of us were concerned about hiking in the hot weather and me worried about some of my lost conditioning.  We arrived in Phoenix late on a Friday night and discussed going for an early morning hike on Saturday to try and get acclimated to the climate.  We thought we’d be able to get out before the day got too hot to get some idea what hiking in the heat would be like.  Well, Saturday morning didn’t go quite as planned.

The backdrop to all of this was the continued warnings about hiking in the canyon and people having to be rescued because they didn’t follow guidelines.  The warnings about hiking in the heat hit home which is why we wanted to get an early start.  The need to get acclimated and conditioned for the heat, rather than avoiding it, seemed like the logical move as we discussed the morning hike.  Our cool weather preparations seemed wildly inadequate.  With some heat conditioning we would be ready for the canyon! 

The early start didn’t happen and we found ourselves heading to the trailhead after 9:00 am.  There was no sense of urgency despite us checking how quickly the temperature would rise.  We got up later than planned due to a late arrival in Phoenix.  Even breakfast, critical so we’d have energy for the hike, was at a leisurely pace.  Our grand canyon backpacks include a bladder to hold three liters of water. Since these were not available for our Phoenix hike, we realized that we needed a way to transport enough water for the hotter climate. This translated into a side quest to Walmart to get cheap backpacks and bottled water.  Even with the mounting delays, we felt great about the precautions we were taking. 

In our attempt to be smart we picked a hike that didn’t seem too extreme in duration or elevation gain.  It was a loop hike about three miles long.  We were used to doing this type of hike all the time as part of our training.  Coming from Michigan, though, we didn’t realize that there was little to no shade.  When we got to the trailhead and saw the rocky, open terrain, we were undeterred.   We were pumped!  We were trained!  We were prepared!  We had this!  With plenty of water, sunscreen, moisture wicking clothes, hats, etc. and a can-do attitude. We were going to knock out this hike and enjoy sightseeing in Phoenix.  We didn’t even consider not going.  What we hadn’t factored in just how hot it was going to be that early in the morning.  It started out over 100 F and got hotter.   But as we Midwesterners love to point out, it was a dry heat so we set off regardless! 

We started out with enthusiasm and set off at a decent pace.  We drank plenty of water but after about a mile into the hike I started to observe signs that I wasn’t doing well.  I felt a bit weak climbing the hills. Was I still recovering from the virus? We continued to climb and now I was feeling slightly nauseated and maybe just a bit faint. We hadn’t even reached the halfway point on the hike. I shared how I was feeling with Wes. I explained my symptoms and concern about continuing the hike. I was worried that if I was in the early stages of heat exhaustion or stroke we could make a bad situation worse by trying to push on.  Wes, to his credit, respected my position and was supportive.  We agreed to turn back.

As we made our way back to the car, I continued to deteriorate.  I made a point of stopping to rest and drink water but my strength continued to fade. I took exaggerated care with my steps as my concentration and focus waned. All I wanted to do was rush to the car and escape the heat. I forced myself to keep a reasonable pace and push through. My thoughts teetered between placing my next step and how much further we had to go. It was maddening! I could see the car but mentally, it was a world away. We eventually made it back to the car and I handed Wes the keys telling him that I was in no condition to drive.  I collapsed into the passenger seat as we cranked the air conditioning.  The cool air felt like a lifeline had been extended to me. I reclined my seat and poured water over myself and just laid there cooling off and slowly recovering.  After about 20 minutes I was able to sit up and started to feel more normal. That’s when a new worry took hold. If I had misgivings about going into the canyon in the heat before, my confidence was completed crushed at this point.  I was scared about the hike and seriously thinking that I’d have to back out!

Doesn’t look like Michigan, does it?

My go to approach when I don’t know how to handle a specific problem is to engage experts.  In this case it meant contacting the tour company.  With a heavy heart I made the call.  The gentleman at the tour company listened to my concerns, asked for details of the situation that led to my call, and slowly and methodically talked me off of the ledge.  First, he took the time to explain, in kind terms, that Arizonans do not hike under the conditions we tried to hike in.  If someone wanted to hike, they would start out at daybreak or earlier and stop well before the time we started. He described how the Phoenix hiking community had to face the reality that they were restricted in how they enjoyed the outdoors. The conditions we would experience in the canyon, he explained, were nothing like what we experienced earlier in the day.  The canyon hikes, other than the first day, would start before daybreak to maximize hiking in cooler conditions.  On the first day, due to drive time from Phoenix to the North Rim, we’d be starting after lunch but the trail would be in shade.  No conditions would come close to matching our hike. He emphasized that they took great care to make sure their customers were safe. I couldn’t help but feel embarrassed though.  Wes and I thought we were not pushing ourselves but I got humbled.  By the time the call was over, I was off of the ledge and starting to feel good about the canyon again.  An outfitter was recommended to me where I could get further advice and maybe some alternate apparel to help with the heat.

At the outfitter, the proprietor patiently explained that what we did “just isn’t done down here” and our reaction to the heat wasn’t unexpected.  He recommended a long sleave hoodie that was UV resistant and moisture wicking.  By wetting it down regularly, he explained, would enable it to act as a chiller through evaporative cooling.  I took his advice and picked one up.  Being a physicist and understanding evaporative cooling, I could intellectually grasp the value of what he was proposing, but I was still apprehensive about whether or not it would be significant enough.  However, I cannot underestimate how much of a difference it made!  Our tour guide, Jonathan, would use some of the water he carried to soak me if we were not by a convenient stream.  It genuinely made 100 degree weather feel like a shady walk in the forest!

YogaGeorge enjoying his hoodie on day 3 of the hike.

I was embarrassed that we misjudged our understanding of the heat and our preparations for handling it.  It is a cautionary tale about how normally reasonably intelligent people can make mistakes.  My partnership with Wes, more than just a father and son relationship, further grew during this adversity.  We easily, and objectively, discussed our observations, perspectives, and feelings so that we could rationally correct our mistakes.  As an example, our preparations for the hike allowed us to realize early on that something was amiss and to react accordingly.  There was no suggestion to push on and ignored the warning signs and that could have made a bad situation much worse. 

 It was not easy having to reach out to the experts and explain what happened.  Interestingly, it was my scientific background and training which made the discussions easier.  In the search for scientific truth, I had to regularly admit I didn’t have the answers and engage those who may be able to help.  So even in my embarrassment, I was able to fall back on my conditioning and reach out for help.  I can honestly say that the failed hike led to changes that made the Rim-to-Rim hike more successful.  I’m incredibly grateful to our tour group not just for their advice, but their emotional support! Without them, this story would likely have ended before it even began.

YogaGeorge

ps. Call out to Wes for his help editing this segment.

Training for the hike…

George and Wes - hiking training in West Michigan.

We had a simple decision in the previous segment – go by ourselves or go with a tour group.  A or B.  Pretty simple calculus.  When it came to crafting a training plan the amount of input and potential options increased dramatically!  Frankly, it got a bit overwhelming!  You’d see videos and posts by folks that were often younger, fitter, and/or more experienced who would be giving advice.  Most often these would be folks who hiked regularly, were not strangers to the canyon, or took long hikes that had lots of elevation changes.  I had the task to take in all this information and put together a plan that would work for me. 

One thing that was common in most of the advice was to start early.  The guidance was to start 2-6 months before the hike to give time to get fit.  Trying to “cram” the training into a few weeks prior to the hike would not lead to proper conditioning and fitness, potentially leading to a less pleasurable experience in the canyon.  This resonated with me.  I am not mentally capable of high intensity training in a short duration.  I prefer to take the long view and slowly build up capability and capacity.  I wanted to make the training a fun part of my life and have it be something I looked forward to rather than dread.  By taking a gradual approach, I thought I could have fun training while being ready when the time came.  The training, in general, was fun and stimulating.  My formal, documented training, started 4 months prior to the hike.  I am a relatively active individual so I didn’t feel like I was starting from scratch.

Train for your intended hike is another great piece of advice.  For the Rim-to-Rim hike, Wes and I would be descending about 5800 feet and ascending about 4400 feet.  Training on flat ground is not sufficient.  You need to hike with elevation changes.  What you are capable of doing on flat ground does not translate into how your body will handle the vertical changes.  The terrain also should be considered in your training regime.  The trails on the canyon are rocky, often uneven, and have plenty of step up/ step down opportunities.  Your training program has to take these factors into consideration.

Atop Mt. Pisgah in Holland, MI. One of my favorite hikes. It has a combination of stairs, woods, and lots of vertical gains in a compact space. Oh, and lots of deer!

Based on my reading, I adopted a three-prong approach to my training – flexibility improvement, strength training, and aerobic conditioning.  Thankfully, my yoga background covered the flexibility aspect of the training.  I continued my regular yoga practices throughout the formal training but having good flexibility allowed me to focus on the strength training and aerobic conditioning.  The one thing I added to my yoga routine was core training.  I added in a lot of routines that target the deep core which is essential when hiking on uneven ground.

I didn’t belong to a fitness center so I opted for body weight (with some hand weights) for the strength training.  This appealed to me because it forced the secondary muscles to engage and give a more whole-body experience.  The training focused mainly on the lower body.  My upper body did get some help from hiking with poles and by carrying a weighted backpack.  The foundation of my strength training was based on recommendations I found on REI - https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/hiking-training.html?fbclid=IwAR2WJsT7NeYMXhZqr-kvWT2Aw3O_zgbkIBvmXAIe0NtlInhxBcEidTiqgro .  I liked these because you couldn’t neglect your balance during most of the exercises thus building strength and balance together.  I complemented them with forward and reverse lunges and multiple squat variants.  As the different exercises became easier, I added weights.  As things became easier with the weights, I added more, eventually wearing a weighted backpack.  In the end, many of the exercises were performed with about a 25-pound backpack.

I read that motivation is fleeting and won’t get you to your goal.  Discipline, on the other hand, is the key to long-term success.  Whenever I wanted to skip some kind of training, I’d say to myself, “Discipline!”, and do the work.  I felt better afterwards both physically and mentally.  I knew the investment I made that day would be appreciated by my future self in the canyon.  It made me smile!   

I realized that I could benefit from some type of tracking tool.  I settled on Microsoft Excel because of my familiarity with the program.  Here is a excerpt from my spreadsheet. 

Snapshot of my exercise tracking tool.

I put every day in the spreadsheet from when I started to when I left for the hike.  I wanted visibility on all days and what activitie(s) I chose to do.  You will see some days listed as “rest”.  Taking a break is important for your body to recover.  I found different recommendations but one to two days a week of rest were commonly recommended.  There is no prioritization in the order of the categories.  I often did activities in more than one category on a given day.  The “green” highlighting indicated which activity was the priority on a given day.  The color coding allowed me, at a glance, to see which activity hadn’t been done in a while.

In the hiking category, I listed time, distance, elevation gain, and eventually weight carried.  The elevation gain was derived from my Apple “health” app.  It gave a number associated with the number of flights climbed.  I never calibrated it nor checked whether stairs and trail climbing actually matched.  I took the reported number and simply documented it.  I was more concerned about tracking progress rather than an accurate reporting of the height gained.  Climbing stairs on the cruise ship seemed to result in under reporting of flights climbed. 

For the most part, I developed my own yoga sequence that I typically performed about five times a week.  On some strength training or other category day, I would do a short stretching routine.   As I mentioned earlier, I added in substantial core strengthening moves to go along with the traditional yoga asanas.  I’d did the added core work during the longer yoga sessions. 

High Intensity Low Impact Interval Training (HILIT) is a variant of High Intensity Interval Training that uses moves to minimize impact on the joints.  The HILIT sessions would dramatically increase my heart rate and respiration.  I found them very challenging to do but I saw improvements.  Unfortunately, I was not able to do them throughout the entire training period.  In many instances it was because I was prioritizing hiking but I also found it hard to do them while traveling.  I was on a cruise ship for four weeks across August and September.  Facilities were often unavailable to do the routine when I had time available for training.  

I listed the exercise bike as a separate category but it also helped my aerobic conditioning.  I have an exercise bike that I use frequently at home so it was logical to list this out as a separate category. 

The strength training, as I mentioned earlier, was based on the REI sequence.  This was the basic “hiking series” that is noted in the spreadsheet.  The “expanded” version included the forward and reverse lunges along with four squat series.  It turns out that different variations of squats target different leg muscle groups.  Who knew?  I relied heavily on Instagram for squat variants and core exercises.  The algorithm quickly picked up on what I was targeting and I got more options than I could practically use (or remember 😊).

Dunes on Lake Michigan outside of Saugatuck, MI. There are many wonderful trails next to the beach of varying distances and vertical gains.

The need for vertical height changes during the hiking led to me to the sand dunes along Lake Michigan.  My preferred trails were in the wooded areas that had substantial vertical changes.   Hiking on sand did not exactly match the rocky terrain I was going to see in the canyon.  I tried to stick to the woods because the uneven roots and surfaces were the best approximation I had locally.  I used my walking poles consistently and developed a technique where I was very deliberate with my foot placement.  I became used to this type of hike over uneven ground and I found that I naturally assumed the same behavior in the canyon. 

Mendenhall glacier outside of Juneau. There were a number of hiking trails around the glacier.

While traveling, particularly in Alaska, I sought out hikes I could take off of the cruise ship.  Alaska afforded me easy access to trails with LOTS of vertical height gains!  I tried to take advantage of the hikes as schedule and other activities permitted.  In Alaska, I met up with a friend I made in the Mediterranean who likes to hike and she joined me on several hikes.  It was nice to have a hiking partner but she had to avoid some of the harsher terrains due to lack of proper footwear.  Still, she often put me to shame with her nimbleness and speed!  😊

George and Grace hiking around the Mendenhall Glacier.

Because I did a slow build in capability, I did not notice any big advances on a short time scale.  Before my formal training, I started to add more stairs when I was on various cruises.  I’m not sure when I did an early “stress test” but I remember going up about 10 flights of stairs and being significantly out of breath with a heart rate above 140!  This made me realize that I had my work cut out for me and provided a drive for my “discipline” during the formal training.  It was very humbling. 

“Hiking the Ship” while sailing Glacier Bay, Alaska.

When I look back on the end of my training spreadsheet, I see that most of my time was spent on climbing stairs, hiking, and yoga with some strength training added in.  I was on the Alaska cruise for 4 weeks and over that time I amassed some statistics which make me very proud.  I hiked or walked approximately 200 miles and climbed the equivalent of 18,000 vertical feet!  I would “hike” around the ship with my weighted backpack for hours just going bow to stern and up and down the stairs.  My heart rate stayed reasonable during the stairs and I no longer got winded.  More often than not, I stopped because I ran out of time rather than because I was tired.  I sometimes wondered what folks were thinking when they saw me (over and over) passing by in shorts and a tee shirt while others were in winter coats.  Occasionally, I’d run into someone who recognized that I was training and would engage me in a conversation about my future hike.  I loved having these conversations because they were so inspirational and encouraging!

After my time on the Alaska cruise, I felt I was ready for the canyon.  Unfortunately, shortly after I returned from the cruise disaster struck.  That story will be covered in a future segment.

Tour Group or by Ourselves?

With all the dire warnings about the challenges and risks associated with a Rim-to-Rim hike you may be wondering why we would consider doing this on our own.  Well, the main reason a hiker may want to do the hike on their own is cost.  In principle, you may be able to save some money if your do everything on your own but when everything is factored in, an inexperienced hiker may not save that much money.   Folks who hike into the wilderness, have experience handling the outdoors on their own, and have their own equipment may not find value with a tour company but we didn’t fall into this category. 

A tour company provides a lot of services that we valued as novice hikers in the canyon.  Permits are required to stay overnight in the campgrounds in the canyon.  There are limited camping sites and the permits ensure that you have a spot to pitch your tent.  The permits are provided on a lottery system and become available six months or so before the scheduled time in the canyon.  A reputable tour company knows the ins and outs of the permitting process and obtains the required permits for the entire group on the hike. 

Gear was a big factor in determining whether or not we wanted to hire a guide company.  The tour companies provide much of the needed gear for the hike such as tents, sleeping pads, sleeping bags, food, etc.  There were many personal camping items we would still need to bring but these major cost items were covered by the tour company.  High quality, LIGHT camping items are not cheap.  You pay more as the equipment weighs less.  Since we don’t frequently hike and camp for days in the wild, we wouldn’t get value out of having our own suitable gear.

The tour company provides transportation to and from the canyon leaving one less item to be coordinated.  Additionally, the guide provides a sense of security.  Wes and I wanted to enjoy the canyon and the hiking experience.  We didn’t want to spend time thinking about every detail of the hike.  A guided tour left us free to maximize our enjoyment of the canyon and what it had to offer.

We really didn’t agonize over the decision to hire a tour company.  Nor did we spend a lot of time researching and comparing different tour companies.  A quick internet search will turn up many different options to choose from.  We went with Discovery Treks https://discoverytreks.com/ after comparing the different options.  We liked their website and competitive pricing.  The details they provided on the website gave us confidence that they’d be a good choice for us.  We couldn’t have been happier with our choice!

Discovery Treks had multiple options for Grand Canyon hikes.  This is good and bad.  The good is we had options.  The bad is that we had to choose from the different options!  😊  Some of the hikes are in-and-out.  You start at one rim, hike to some point in the canyon, and then return to the same starting spot.  For Wes and I, we wanted to experience as much of the canyon as was practical on a hike so we selected the Rim-to-Rim Backpacking Tour https://discoverytreks.com/adventure/rim-rim-guided-backpacking-tour/ .  The hike comprised a trek from the North Rim to the South Rim via Cottonwood campground, Bright Angel campground, and Havasupai Garden.  The hike started and ended in Phoenix.

Discovery Treks required a deposit for the hike.  We were not guaranteed an exact date for the hike until after the lottery.  Once the lottery took place, we had our lock on the dates for our trip and we could complete the booking and plan our air and hotel for getting to and from Phoenix.  We chose to spend a couple of days in Phoenix before the trip and an extra day afterwards.  More on that in a later blog segment. 

If you chose to follow in our footsteps, I can highly recommend Discovery Treks!

YogaGeorge

What is a Rim-to-Rim Hike?

So, what exactly is the Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim hike?  As the name suggests, you start at one rim (North or South) and hike down into the canyon and then up the opposite side.  There is one path into and out of the canyon on the north side, the North Kaibab Trail and two options on the south, the South Kaibab Trail and Bright Angel Trail.  Traffic will therefore be higher on the North Kaibab trail because all Rim-to-Rim hikers need to use this trail independent of what they chose to hike on the south rim. 

The Grand Canyon is often described as hiking an inverted mountain.  Going down is optional but going up is mandatory!   New hikers are cautioned not to underestimate the challenge with going downhill – especially on uneven terrain.  Muscles that are seldom used can be strained leading to stumbles and falls.  Going up can be as challenging as you think since you are raising your body weight up thousands of feet of elevation. 

I found it surprising that there are lots of varying information on the elevation changes along the route.  From the National Park Service I found that the top of the North Kaibab Trailhead is at 8241 feet, Bright Angel Campground is at 2480 feet, and the Bright Angel Trailhead is at 6880 feet.  Therefore, you descend 5761 feet and climb 4380 feet.  It is important to consider that it isn’t consistently up and down in each direction.  Therefore, you do get in a few extra steps going up and down! 

I stumbled upon a really great way to visualize the hike. There were a few of these types of videos out there but this one was on “random_cal” ‘s Instagram account.

I started my planning by utilizing Google and YouTube.  I sought out introduction videos and pages to help me understand the hike and what to expect.  A few of the videos that I booked marked are below.  The first couple give tips on the hike while the other discusses fitness training.

Some people do the Rim-to-Rim hike in a day.  Honestly, that may be impressive as a feat of strength and endurance but it pales in comparison to those that do the Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim hike!  The folks that choose these options are usually repeat visitors to the bottom of the canyon and get their kicks somewhat differently that what I was prepared for.  For me, I wanted to enjoy the beauty of the canyon and take plenty of photos and videos.  Hiking the canyon at a rapid pace was not aligned with this objective.

So, one of the first decisions that Wes and I had to make was how quickly we wanted to do the hike.  Fortunately, we were both of the opinion that we didn’t want to rush through the canyon.  We wanted to have a pleasantly slow experience and cherish our time below the rim. 

Side Quest - Ribbon Falls

In our research, we learned that there are three campgrounds along the route.  Starting on the north rim, the first campground is Cottonwood, followed by Bright Angel, and then Havasupai Gardens.  The campgrounds are relatively evenly spaced across the hike.  This assumes the Bright Angel trail is taken on the south route.  There is no campground on the South Kaibab trail.  Since we didn’t want to rush through the canyon, we thought it would be great if we could camp at each of the campgrounds and break up the hike into at least four days.  In order to hike and camp in the canyon, you need permits.  The various campgrounds have limited sites and permits would be needed for each campground.

Shortly after leaving Cottonwood Campground the morning of Day 2. We arrived at Cottonwood in the dark so I don’t have a picture of the campground.

Bright Angel Creek adjacent to Bright Angel Campground

Exploring Havasupai Garden Campground

Most of my hiking experience is around my home in Western Michigan and often takes place in cooler months.  I’ve done some warm/hot weather hiking but not too much.  I bring this up because in my research the experts talk about having the right clothes for hot weather hiking.  Moisture wicking clothes are highly recommended, and, in particular, moisture wicking underwear.  So, I had to ditch the cotton underwear and select an alternative.  Selecting the right socks is also critical.  Merino wool is often the material of choice.  It is natural, helps regulate body temperature, helps keep you dry and sweat-free and is good for layering.  In addition, it is odor resistant and soft. 

Interestingly, in order to limit weight, hikers often only take one or two sets of clothing for the hike relying on rinsing out and drying one pair while wearing the other.  I say “rinsing” because soaps and other hygiene products are not recommended.  Yes, for four days, no soap was used!  Toothpaste was the only thing brought into the canyon.  Now I can guess what you are thinking, we were pretty ripe by the end of the hike.  When you learn about our relationship with water in future posts, you’ll get a better picture of this topic!  😊

Hiking training in Holland, MI. Photo from the top of Mt. Pisgah down the road from my home. You can see our lighthouse, “Big Red” in the background.

With our preferred hiking plan, we had four main hikes per day.  Two going into the canyon and two going out.  For those with time and interest, there are “side quests” available.  Ribbon Falls is a side hike off of the North Kaibab trail.  Clear Creek Trail branches out from the North Kaibab trail before one reaches Phantom ranch.  Off of Bright Angel near Havasupai Garden you have the Plateau Point trail.  The Tonto trail, which runs along the canyon, crosses near Havasupai Garden and can be hiked a bit if someone has interest.  Before my research, I thought that there would be many more opportunities to branch off of the main trail along the hike.  I appreciated why that isn’t the case as I often hiked through narrow notch canyons with steep walls on each side!

I’ve mentioned that hiking the Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim comes with risks.  There is no cell service in the canyon.  You are off the grid whether you like it or not.  In 2024, 16 peopled died in the canyon and typically about 250 people have to be rescued each year.  Everywhere I turned on my research, the dangers of the canyon were front and center.  I was committed to prepare for the hike so that if I had an issue in the canyon, it would not be due to insufficient training and preparations.

YogaGeorge

What Have I Gotten Myself Into?

I found it easy to agree to Wesley’s invitation to hike the Grand Canyon. The call to adventure was strong and hard to resist. But what had I gotten myself into?

YogaGeorge

The Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim Hike

Hi! My name is George Neuman and I’m YogaGeorge!

Welcome to my story. You may be reading this because you are a friend or family of mine and simply want to support me and the blog. If you fall into this category - THANK YOU! I appreciate the support. It means a lot to me!

Or… you may be thinking about doing the Rim-to-Rim hike of the Grand Canyon yourself and find the entire prospect intimidating. If you fall into this category then know you are not alone. I was where you are about a year ago when my journey started. Not the actual hike, but everything that went before it. The emotions, research, preparations, and then finally, the hike. For you folks, I hope this story helps you find the confidence for you to do the hike and maybe some of my preparations can help you also.

I hope you enjoy my journey as much as I did!

George Neuman, aka YogaGeorge

Meet YogaGeorge

Hi!  My name is George Neuman and I’m YogaGeorge!  At least that’s how I start all my travel videos.  😊 https://www.youtube.com/@yogageorge8835  

I’d like to introduce you to my son, Wesley.  He’s the inspiration for the hike that then inspired this blog. 

Day 4 of our hike. We’re heading up Bright Angel trail.

I’m blessed to have children (also Maggie) who are independent souls who inherited their parents’ lust for life and travel.  Their mother, Karen, and I took them on many trips when they were young and now that they are established in their adult lives, they are the ones suggesting the adventures! 

YogaGeorge and Maggie trying to stay warm at Holland State Park, Holland, MI.

YogaGeorge and his lovely wife, Karen enjoying time at Holland State Park in Holland, MI.

Karen and I, like many parents, took an approach to parenting where we focused on experiences rather than material possessions.  As a parent, you hope that the lessons will take root but you never know and just hope for the best.  I feel very blessed that both Wes and Maggie want to spend time with Karen and me.  The Rim-to-Rim hike was something that I hadn’t really considered though I had heard good things about going below the rim. 

Wes is an IT manager at a local trucking company.  His preferred choice of travel shifted after college when he became more outspoken about wanting to see more of nature.  In the fall of 2023, he organized a trip to the Badlands and Black Hills of South Dakota.  We pulled in three of my great nephews, Ethan, Gavin, and Andrew to join us.  We hiked, camped, and generally enjoyed spending time with each other in that amazing setting.  Wes is engaged now to Skye, an amazing woman who brings out the best in him.  That and she loves to bake!  He’s now advocating more travel for the entire family so we can continue to build new memories together. 

As you may have guessed from my moniker, YogaGeorge, that I am into yoga.  I took up the practice of yoga about 7 years ago and became a certified instructor 3 years ago (https://www.facebook.com/YogaGeorgeJourney/ ).  I had the broad goal of having a better body in retirement than I had when I started my yoga practice.  I thought improving my flexibility would be a great foundation for cardio and strength training.  Little did I realize that my yoga practice would blossom into such a significant part of my life or that I would eventually become an instructor.  I don’t teach regularly at a studio.  Rather, I fill in when local studios need a hand and do some private instruction.   Yoga, like any other subject, has many layers and I feel I’ve just scratched the surface about how my practice can improve my life. 

I’m retired now having been a physicist in industry for over 35 years.  I have a consulting business (https://www.iridescencethinfilm.com/ ) which allows me to stay active in my scientific community.  I specialized in a branch of physics call Thin Film Optics.  I feel very blessed that I stumbled into a field that resonated with me.  I absolutely love the topic and it allowed me to stretch my scientific creativity which led to over 120 patents.  So, if you are reading this, and you need some thin film work, feel free to reach out via my website!  First call is free!  😉

I live in Holland, a small beach town on the shores of Lake Michigan.  I moved here about 20 years ago and, though I love to travel, I have no desire to make anywhere else home.  Holland hosts the Tulip Festival that celebrates the history of the town.  It is a beautiful place and I encourage you to stop by if your travels take you to the area. 

Even though the Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim hike is my first long hike, I am familiar with short hikes.  Maggie and I have explored the parks around Holland.  Our hikes started during COVID when she had to take her university classes remotely.  We’d head out daily after finishing our work and that gave Karen some peace and quiet for a couple of hours.  There’s no debate that COVID terribly affected so many aspects of our society and took the lives of too many people.  Having time with Maggie was a blessing during this period of social isolation.  We got to connect on a level that could not have happened under any other circumstances.  I feel blessed but also a bit guilty of the joy that came out of that dark period.  Hiking became a regular part of my life that I continue to cherish.  Wes’s invite landed on fertile ground!

My travels are driven by an insatiable wanderlust.  I want to see the world and experience different cultures – especially the food!  I am lucky that Karen also loves to travel though she prefers to stay in accommodations with walls!  😊  We’ve taken advantage of the freedom that comes with retirement and have traveled extensively.  Cruising is her favorite form of travel.  You only unpack once and the ship takes to new places to explore.  She enjoys my penchant to plan our trips and humors my more outrageous side quest recommendations – as long as there is good food and drink!

Karen enjoying a cappuccino with our beloved travel companion, “Eric’s Cock”!

(By the way, Eric’s Cock has his own Facebook page! Like and follow his travel adventures at: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063023632272 )

YogaGeorge

Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim Blog - Introduction

Hi! My name is George Neuman and I’m YogaGeorge!

My chronical of this adventure will not only cover the wonderful views inside the Grand Canyon but also the joys and trials associated with researching and preparing for the hike. For those of you just interested in the views, I’ll be including photos and videos to complement my preparations and training. For those of you thinking of doing the hike, my preparations are an amalgam of information I learned on the internet. I’ll be sharing links as appropriate to acknowledge those that came before me. Either way, I hope you find this blog entertaining!

YogaGeorge

The Invitation

I am enjoying traveling in retirement and seeing the world. The majority of my new travel destinations are at various ports of call. Cruising gives me an opportunity to visit many new locations relatively conveniently. The shortcoming to cruising is that I often don’t get to see the interior of the area where I visit.

The United States has amazing natural beauty and I want to make opportunities to see as much of it as I can. When Wes brought up the idea of hiking the canyon, I couldn’t pass up the chance to experience this unique hike.

YogaGeorge