for the time and distance to Grand Canyon. The route it pops up says to go 16 miles in the wrong direction back to the highway (17) to Flagstaff. I change the program options to shortest distance, instead of fastest time, and that gives me the desired route through Sedona and other back roads. It takes a half hour longer this way, but is a good decision. The views and the terrain are beautiful and the tightly switch-backed and long climb out of the canyon is an adventure in itself, filled with awesome views and scenery. 
By early afternoon I’ve completed the climb to the Colorado Plateau and I find a pull-off to cook myself some lunch before I jump on l-40 for the short leg to Hwy 64 which will bear me north to the South Rim of Grand Canyon. The weather was beautiful all through Sedona and my mountain climb, but as I turn north on 64 the clouds start to come down. Pretty soon it is foggy and drizzly and the visibility is getting really poor. Then
the temperature starts to drop and snow and sleet begin to fall. What an arrival at GC! It is just plain miserable and nasty out. Bad visibility combined with sometimes weak signage makes me thankful that the fee collector at the entrance gave me simple verbal instruction to my first stop. I follow them faithfully, although the signs don’t give me any reassurance at the second turn.There are two campgrounds within the
park at South Rim and Diane has already checked them out, trying to get us a spot for two nights, but no luck. One is run by the Park Service, has no hookups, and takes nothing over 30’ long. The other, run by concession and called Trailer Village, has hookups and accommodates bigger RVs. I’m going there on the off chance that they have a cancellation. However, they have a sign about as big as DD that says FULL, so I don’t even stop to ask. Now I have to find my way to the RV parking at the backcountry information center. I have a downloaded map of the village, so I creep around in the fog and eventually find the place.I detach Essie, put DD in a far corner of the lot, grab a magazine to entertain myself until classes finish at 6 PM, and set out to find Diane. I situate myself midway between the training center and the dormitory building she’s in. Just about the time I’m getting my magazine out, Diane appears (on a break) and invites me into the lobby area of the training center to wait. I go in and just about the time I’m getting my magazine out, Diane appears again (just 2 minutes until class resumes) and gives me the key card to her apartment. So I move Essie and go inspect. It’s a little spartan, but roomy and functional with a kitchenette (meals are not provided) and a nice bath. Diane’s class finishes up, so we are together again…at last!
We discuss our fall back position for DD, which is the Kaibab National Forest, adjacent to GCNP, which offers free camping, as long as you are at least ¼ mile off the highway. Diane has already located a possible spot, so we decide to let DD spend the night where she is. We will stay in her room and we will move DD tomorrow.
Right now it’s happy hour at El Tovar Lodge in the village on the rim. We drive over there to see a few of Diane’s classmates and friends. We make dinner out of a giant plate of nachos and then later adjourn to an informal get-together at the student lounge back at the apartments. Many are saying their goodbyes and getting back to their rooms early, since the bus to the airport gets a pretty early start in the morning. Diane and I don’t have any particular schedule, but we pack it in before the real diehards give up.
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