GAINING PERSPECTIVE
GAINING PERSPECTIVE During my fall break I had an amazing opportunity to join my friend and his uncle for a backpacking trip into the Grand Canyon. I have always enjoyed the outdoors, hiking, and exploring national parks, but this was an experience like nothing else. Living here in flat central Illinois, there wasn't a lot of opportunities for me to actively train for traversing the Grand Canyon, but I tried to make the most of walking around when I could, carrying my golf bag when I would play on the weekends and just trying to be generally active. Our trek into the canyon was a 3 day affair. On Monday we started at the South Rim and descended down the South Kaibab Trail to our destination for the evening, The Bright Angel Campground. This leg of the trip was about 7 miles in length all downhill, with a decrease in elevation of 4,700 feet. We had dinner at Phantom Ranch and slept under the stars. Though it would not be a complete full moon until Wed...