MAMA WE MADE IT! With a nice and
early start this morning at 3:58am, we were all ready and pumped to hike the
Grand Canyon!!! After tarping our belongings to hide it from the vicious crows,
some went to point A (3 mile round trip) and some went to point B (6 mile round
trip). Today was our first time having to plan our packing for the whole day
all by ourselves; parents, you should be proud of us. After some stretches and
chanting to get us hyped up, we officially entered the canyon at 5am.
The hike down was easy as pie.
Honestly, if a lot of us could decide how far we were going downwards on the
way down, we would each have chosen to do the 6 miles down and up, which was
banned … for good reasons. On our way back up the majestic Grand Canyon, which
made some people cry because of its beauty, our calves ached, our muscles
screamed, but we knew we could make it. Our counselor, Evan, was the last
person to come up, making sure everyone got up the canyon okay. A majority of
people chose to do the B route, which was 3 miles down and 3 miles up, and many
chose to do the A route, where they had go down 1.5 miles down and up. Once
again, being restricted to do the 3-mile up and down was great because it
killed nearly all of us.
We were all pretty dirty after the
large hike, so we hit the showers. Showers were $2 in quarters for 8 minutes
(best 2 dollars spent on the whole trip!) Laundry took a while because of the
size of our group, but it was a great time for bonding and getting to know the
person sitting on the dryer next to you.
While waiting for our clothes to dry, we were able to call home. Some of
us used payphones for the first time! Tears were shed and stories were shared
as we talked to the people we love.
After most of us had showered and
washed the orange canyon sand from our clothes, we sat down at noon for some
lunch. Mrs. V and Mr. Deaton had brewed some World Famous Deaton stew.
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| V stirring the GO GO JUICE! |
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| Who needs a dryer when you have the sun! |
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| Deaton stew made by yours truly |
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| WE LOVE TWB |
Later, we had a sing a long and
called it a night! WE ARE GOING TO VEGAS TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!! WOOP WOOP!!!!
WE’RE SO EXCITED!!
“After hiking down, the hike up was
2 times as hard” -Cameron Baucom, Monroe
NC
“Going down is an option, going up
is mandatory” – Ayla Gutschick Mooresville, NC
“The hike was rough, but looking
out at the canyon every few minutes was great” – Emily Payne, Monroe, NC
“It was so incredibly beautiful, a
picture will never do it justice” – Elizabeth Efird Gastonia, NC
“Honey, it wasn’t Crowders” –
Meredith Bowen, Cherryville, NC
“Jesus is testing me today” –
Nazirah Ahmad, Monroe, NC
“Its something that every American
should experience. It surpasses every expectation” – Alex Marez Monroe, NC
“I’m stressed “ – Becca West,
Gastonia, NC
“Everything was great until I
stepped in mule poop” – Hannah Shaffer, Chapin, SC
“I fell over three times but the
view was worth it” – Dani Ariza, Lake Wylie, SC
“The t-shirt should say the Grand
Canyon kicked my butt” – Chloe Fowler, Chapin, SC
“I wish I could have gone farther”
– Tripp Wells, Laurinburg, NC
“Twelve would’ve been better than
six,” Donovan o’Donnell, Laurinburg NC
“The hike left me breathless, in
awe, and pretty much dead,” Laura Hay, Mooresville, NC
“I hikey, I likey,” Jacqueline
Garcia, Fort Mill, SC
“Grand Canyon -1, Nyah – 0,” Nyah
Townsend, Reidsville, nc
“Slow and steady wins the race,”
Anna Brady, Reidsville NC
“The instagram likes will be worth
it,” Mikayla Rose, Belmont NC
“I hope I don’t poop off a switch
back.” Brylee Byrd, Shelby, NC
“I feel for the emergency mules,”
Gina Smirz, Gastonia, NC
“I’m still alive but I’m barely
breathing,” Kyndall High, Gastonia, NC
“Views … from the canyon,” Daireon
Duff, Gastonia, NC
“Tops any view I’ve seen so far, no
doubt,” Graceanna Sessions, Lake Wacamaw, NC
“Watch out for the rabid
squirrels,” Harrison Marisiddaiah, Gastonia, NC
“My legs were screaming on the way
up, but it was worth it,” Madison Hammons, Whiteville, NC
“Pain is temporary, but God’s
beautiful creations are forever,” Hannah Mantooth, Kings Mountain, NC
“It was good for me,” Colton
Pierce, Mooresville, NC
“The view was great … but the
experience was even better!” Jennings Tumlin, Beaufort SC
“It was a near-death experience, but
I would do it again in a heartbeat,” Kelly Ford. Lowell, NC
“It was okay that my camera died
because the memory will be better than a picture,”
Emily Watling, Mooresville NC
“Next time I go to the Grand
Canyon, I’m riding a dagum mule,” Caroline Cabe, Gastonia NC
“God is great,” Meredith Nanney,
Gastonia, Nc
“I saw a sheep,” Trey Armstrong,
Laurinburg, NC
“There was dust all in my nose,”
Charlie Lindsey, Mooresville, NC
“My calves were burning. I was
dying, but I made it,” Ashley Beaty, Gastonia, NC
“The beauty nearly brought me to
tears, and I appreciate everything God has given me even more now,” Taylor
Kennedy, Mooresville, NC
“I am going to be sneezing dust for
days,” Emily Ling, Greenwood, SC
“I stole the pebble,” Carolyn
Tuttle, Mooresville, NC
“Tell me how I’m supposed to
breathe with no air,” Samantha Edlund, Mooresville, NC
“If anyone did not believe in God
before the canyon, they sure do now,” Megan Dwyer, Florence, KY
“No regrets,” Shannon Quail, Rock
Hill, SC
“Why are you going so fast?” Me:
“If I stop, I will poop,” Daniel Caruso
“If the last sight I ever saw was
the sun rising over the Grand Canyon, I would die a happy man,” Jeff Harbin,
Mooresville NC
“Four hours of sleep-four hour
hike,” Sally Buckles, Gastonia NC
“I’M ALIVE,” Kathryn Trent,
Reidsville NC
“The view was absolutely
incredible. Neither words nor pictures do it any justice,” Brae Troutman,
Wilmington NC
“My feet hurt, but it was worth
it,” Mckenzie Moody, Aberdean, NC
“For once, I am not the only one
breaking ankles out there,” Ross Sands, Mooresville NC
“I might have ben dead last, but I
MADE IT,” Katie Edwards, Wilmington NC
“FIRE ON THE GRILL! Or, bless your
little heart,” Erin Jenkins, Pageland, SC
“It’s almost made me miss hard XC
workouts, but it was worth it,” Ellen McLam, Whiteville NC
“I hiked more hours than I slept
last night, but 6 miles in 3 hours is worth my sleep when you are at the Grand
Canyon,” Riley McHale, Alexandria va
“I slipped so many times,” Samantha
Roche, Charlotte NC
“We’re not in prosperity anymore,”
Preston Cook, Prosperity, SC
“The climb is hard, but the view is
great,” Evin Flinchum, Summerheld NC
“The view was breathtaking and all,
but I better have Carrie Underwood legs after,” Sydney Stanley, Stoneville, NC
“I hiked the Granyon,” Dylan
Heafner, Lincolnton, NC
“Looks can be deceiving,” Liz Dorn,
Greenwood SC
“Please just push me in,” Reid
Bugman, Newberry, SC
“It was worth waking up at 4:30
for,” Olivia Nelli, Greenville, SC
“Afterwards I felt like I could run
a marathon. I can’t,” Peyton Quin, Charlotte, NC
“Panic Mode!!!!........ CAWW!”
Grace Lubkin, Beaufort, SC and Meggie Cauley Mooresville, NC
“I thought I could do the 12 miles,
but after dying at the 6 miles, I now know that I couldn’t. But, I will
someday,” Matthew Lacayo, Stokesdale NC
“They say a picture is worth a
thousand words, but there are never enough words to describe this.” Maren
Syska, Charlotte NC
“I came. I climbed. I threw up, and
then I bought a t-shirt.” Christopher Sanders Beaufort, SC
“That’s a big hole.” Hannah Finlon,
Lake Wylie, SC
“Carry me,” Makayla Hayes,
Reidsville, NC
“Experiences like that come once in
a lifetime, but its even more special making goat noises on the way down.”
Megan Farris, Gastonia, NC
“Lol and I thought that I was in
Gucci shape,” Aulden Hopper, Cherryville, NC
“Of course I’m doing the 12.” Josh
Feemster, Bessemer City, NC
“360 vista that is too incredible
for words,” Maddi Hatfield, Iron Station, NC
“I didn’t get to hike but I saw the
sun rise over the canyon and it was amazing,” Kristina Sheppard, Concord, NC
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| TREE HUGGER EVAN |
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| Laundry time |
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| Logan and Dylan survived the hike! |
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| Made it to our last stop! |
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| Gents! |
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| Ladies plus Evan |
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| Shade provided to Katie by Evan! |
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| GOING STRONG!!! |
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Well worth the hike   |
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| Brae serenading us |
Much love, Dopey's!
