From Las Vegas we went on a road trip by car through the dessert for a week.. first arriving in UTAH, and hiking up many a 'big hill'/massive big moutain!!! . Zion National Park - Angels Landing and Emeral Pools Trails 1400 ft incline ....5 hours and 4.5 miles.... buns of steel are well on there way.. and we were in prepation for the Grand Canyon.. Also Visited Bryce National Park on the way to the Canyon but saw it by car... not quite the same when you've been hiking and seeing the sites properly.. but it was a quicky day trip. Grand Canyon was the Biggy Adventure.... Camping in the Canyon for 4 days! - Such great fun, with out old tents that we hired, gas burner to cook on (we lived on beans , smash, wiener sausages, and ham and cheese sandwhich for the entire weekend!) First two nights we camped on top of the rim of the Canyon... and thinking as were in Arizona it would be hot hot hot at night... well we couldn't have been more wrong... IT WAS BLOODY FREEZIN!!!...we have never ever been that cold in our lifes!!. after we peeled ourselves out of a sleeping bag and every single piece of clothing we had in our bags we finally thawed out and headed for the Trails! The Canyon is spectacular and I don't think you can really appreciate the size of it until you are in it. We hiked down into the Canyon following the South Kibab Trail - 7 miles down at a decent of 4500 ft which took 5 1/2 hours . The heat rose to 90 degrees at the bottom!! - It was sooo worthing it ... the views are amazing and at the bottome there is a camp site an a idelllic beach and obviously the Colorado River Canyon!! Camping at the bottom when it had been 90 degrees during the day- wasn't a problem and we were too hot!! - Blimin English.. never happy!! The hike back up was a test of the bravest!! Just so it is noted.. Andy and Karl were carring nearly 40 lbs each, Elaine 18 - 25lb and Tara 16lb... (she had the important stuff though - honest!) so this was not a easy feat and we are well proud of ourselves!! Leaving at 6.30am before it got hot we followed the Bright Angel Trail back up 9.6 miles later, 4500ft incline and 7.5 hours of walking up hill and rocks we made it!!! Only once did elaine wish for a helicopter about 1/2 a mile from the top which seemed like it was never ever going to end. That was definatley a Major Achievement on this trip!! Bring on the Inca!!!!!