It was really starting to get hot once we reached the floor of the canyon, and I was forced to make more than one "pebble stop," to remove a pebble that had made its way into my boot. But I kept thinking how happy I was to be doing this - hiking what is technically part of the Grand Canyon - and how I couldn't believe I was finally doing it, after months of anticipation.

The blue of the sky against the red rock was simply incredible.