Free Day catch up

My body was not built for 7,000 feet above sea level. I knew this from Denvention, which is only a mile high, but since then I have not gotten any younger. Shortness of breath after only walking a few feet, worse on an uphill grade. If I sit down I am not eager to stand back up, and will daydream in between. Dehydrated (yes, I carry water) which is not good because the CHF calls for less water than the average citizen. Even though I have been speed eating peanut M&Ms and had regular meals, and not injecting much insulin, my Hgl has been low. Did not bring my BP meter.

And then there's the weather. Tuesday was overcast, so photos of the parts of the rim we saw on the bus tour were not the best. But it was warm, spring-summer temps. The wind gusts were sometimes violent and always cold, but I was not surprised, being at the top of that vast canyon.

So of course for my free day yesterday I woke to half an inch of snow on the ground, and temps cold enough to keep it there.

The park buses are free, run every 15-20 minutes, and there are three routes out of 5 which hit different viewpoints.

The bus from the hotel to the general store was first, I bought immodium liquid and tablets, Afrin, diet Coke in bottles, two bananas, two HB eggs and chocolate dipped mini donuts.

Crossed the street - it was longer than it sounds - to catch the bus back to the hotel, medicate myself and drop off the food.

Back on the bus, this time to the bus station by the visitor's center. First bus Orange #1, up to a trailhead and then to Piper Point, where I got off and took photos. Minor breaks in the clouds, but we had snow flurries which got worse until the bus came.

I'd had enough for the morning, caught the Blue bus back to the hotel, had lunch in the main building.

The immodium was working, so blue bus to the visitor's center, looked around, then Orange #2 to Mather Point and I got off at the next stop, which has a geological museum with huge windows overlooking the canyon. Very cold and windy outside, but clouds were moving so I was outside taking pix till the bus came. Got some far-away photos of an idiot jumping for the camera, too near the edge, as the wind gusted.

Blue bus back to the hotel, Amtrak Vacations was able to upgrade my Flagstaff-LA to roomette, for basically full price minus senior discount. Worth it.

In the main building, dinner was the driest smoked pork loin ever, but the mashed and cole slaw were great. Apple pie was still partly frozen. I looked into the pizza pub, but they only sold 16" whole pizzas, 12"gluten free (no thanks) and slices.

The hotel room was very noisy. People upstairs and next door sounded like they were using treadmills. Or roller blades. I watched some TV, there was no guide, and the channels were all mixed around. Found local news/weather.

Restless night. Woke up at 11:30 pm for water and Afrin. Kept having the same dream, something about Facebook friends from high school, which reminded me of what should have been my First Time, Lois took us out to the back of a field, and pretended sleep expecting me to take the hint. I had no idea. Knew nothing about sex. Lucid dreaming, I navigated to the time we made up for that.

But up almost every hour, same dreams.

Plans for Thursday:
Pack up
Check out by 11
Write this
Bus to train depot by 3
3:30 train to Wilson
7:30 shuttle to Flagstaff
Amtrak to LA