June 28-29 - Grand Canyon

The 28th was spent driving to the Grand Canyon. I stopped in "?" (Navajo Country) to make a call, get some groceries and happened to make a phone call right next door to a tire shop. I had been planning to have the tires balanced if I could, just for kicks. As I was backing out from the telephone and I noticed the shop. Took about 45 minutes and $20. Didn't help at all.

I don't think I took a single picture on the first day. Jessica said she would be there the same time I was and would leave me a note at the backcountry office. First things first, I got a backcountry permit. Not rim to rim, but along the Tonto trail for four nights over the fourth. The permit started on the second, so I had a couple of days to eat well and rest up.

When I got the camp site, there was no note for me so I asked if she had arrived yet. He said sure, and I put you in a camp site right across from her's. I was a little nervous about this, but just went with the flow. I sat and drew the entire day and after it got dark I noticed a family right behind me trying to cook dinner (for three kids) with flash lights. I couldn't sit there with the lantern and allow it so I walked over and offered them the lantern, meaning to walk back to my own site or sit and read. They talked me into sitting down, then proceeded to feed me a second dinner. An amazing family actually. I think the mother was from Peru and the father was from Germany. The two girls were around 10-12 and carried a nice conversation. Both were readers and I enjoyed the company greatly. I realized it had been over a week (Yellowstone) since I had really talked to anyone. Sometimes solitude can be oppressive.

	This is the drawing I nearly completed that day (It's still not done). I had started it back in Shoshone and greatly disliked it at that point. I'm very happy with it at this point and looking forward to finishing it. The reason I didn't finish it is a funny story. My cousin Dave in Montana showed me a comic strip he has been working on. It's about his experience working in the local gas station (Town Pump). The comic was absolutely hilarious and I asked him if he was using a light box? He said he was using the window. I've had a light box for almost two years and never used it once. I couldn't see keeping it any longer if I wasn't going to use it so I had my dad ship it to Dave. The funny part is that I couldn't finish this drawing because I needed a light box to finish it! I called my Dad that evening and said, "Did you ever have something for a long time that you never used. Then the day after you get rid of it you find a use for it?" I've bought a new one and I plan on finishing this drawing as soon as I'm done with this website. Dave, if you read this, please don't feel bad, I loved your comics and I really had not used the lightbox in two years. I received it for free. I'm looking forward to seeing your comics in print. They really are good. Jessica and her mom pulled up late at night as I was just talking to my neighbors and I went over and said hello. Half feeling like a stalker being in the campsite so close by. It was a brief hello and I went back and went to sleep.
	I got up before dawn and walked to the rim to watch the sunrise. I found a nice butte to sit on and wrote in my journal as the sun came up. I clearly remember thinking to myself how disappointing this sunrise was. Now that I look at the pictures I can only say that the Badlands sunrise from a few days before was still etched on my brain. Some of these pictures came out quite nice. I was truly spoiled to think this was a disappointing sunrise.

	One of my favorite shots of the morning. Mists and sun rays swirling around Zoroster.
	After this, I spent the day working on the butterfly drawing and I tried to draw the Badlands Sunrise.

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