Our 6AM flight arrived in Phoenix, Arizona on a typically hot August morning. Armed with too many suitcases and my two children I tracked down our rental car and headed for Flagstaff where we are staying with my friend Annette, her husband Mike and son Austin. Not only are they great people but you couldn't ask for better experts on exploring the area. Annette is the Southwest Editor for Backpacker Magazine and Mike is a guide in the Grand Canyon. So while I wasn't sure it was going to happen, I was hopeful that one of them might make the time in their busy schedules to show us around the canyon.

As it turned out, not only was Mike willing to show us around but what he had planned was not a peek-over-the-edge-from-the-top experience. He had in mind a backpacking trip that included hiking three miles into the canyon (about half way down) and spending two nights under the stars. He'd also planned day hikes to miners' caves and into a mysterious place called the "Cave of the Domes".

Who could say no to such an adventurous plan? A chance for a bona fide experience in one of the most awesome places on the planet. This may be the only time I'll be offered a guided tour through the GRAND CANYON for God's sake. And for my daughter Hayley (age 8) and my son Paul Ray (age 5) to experience THIS, why it will surely transform them forever. And let's not forget my rare chance to carry a 50lb backpack in the Arizona heat, eat chicken from a can and sleep on the ground. Add to that my visions of watching as my children miss-step and fall off the edge of a shear canyon cliff! "NO!" I mean, "YES!" I tell Mike, "We'd love to do that".

We took off on our adventure on Sunday afternoon. Timing is everything because getting caught on the trail in the heat of the day or the dark of night is too dangerous even for our fearless leader Mike. I wasn't sure my kids could make it from the parking lot into the Macdonald's for their pre-hike happy meals much less walk the three miles into the Grand Canyon. So, as we started down at 4:30ish, I could only close my eyes and hope that we would make it to Horseshoe Mesa before nightfall. FYI, having my eyes closed made it harder to take in the scenery but did greatly increase the adventure factor.

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