We are up after sunrise.  To combat the volume of Tom's snoring, we placed his tent at one end of our campsite while I occupy the other end.  The roar of Bright Angel Creek has also helped a little to muffle the sounds coming from his direction.  I ordered the late breakfast (6:30) at Phantom Ranch, so we are in no hurry to get around.  Like the steak dinners, their breakfasts are equally as great.  How do they manage to get everything down here for those wonderful meals entirely by mule team?  I am impressed.

     After breakfast, we decide to do some short day hikes so Art and Tom can see the "Phantom Overlook" section of the Clear Creek Trail and a little of the "Box" section of the North Kaibab Trail.  If it weren't for my extreme toe pain, this would be a fabulous day.  We proceed up the North Kaibab Trail until we come to the Clear Creek Trail and start up that.  It is fairly steep, but with only day packs, the climb is not too bad.  Soon we reach the Phantom Overlook, an area high above Phantom Ranch.  The views are impressive.  Pictures of Phantom Ranch far below us do not do justice to the actual view.  There are some more hedgehog cactus in bloom here.  The CCC built some neat stone benches here in the 1930's that we sit on to rest.

     We head back down to the North Kaibab Trail and go north through the Box section, eventually stopping where Phantom Canyon meets Bright Angel Canyon.  Art and Tom are impressed with the steep, narrow Canyon walls that comprise the Box.  After we return to camp, I discover that a squirrel has torn into my pack and ruined one of my zipper pulls.  I thought I had all my food in the metal boxes, but I accidentally left a container of peanut butter in my pack that he apparently was after.

     After lunch, we make our way to the beach by the Colorado River and take a few pictures in front of the Kaibab suspension bridge.  The river is a pretty, green color.  On some on my hikes, it has been an ugly, brown color.  Several rafters are moored at the beach also.

     We go to Phantom Ranch for our last steak dinner.  There are little hikers cabins on the way.  The canteen building at Phantom Ranch has that "old" look to it.  It is hard to complain about the quality of meal they prepare. 

     Back at camp, we prepare a little for the hike tomorrow.  Because my toes are hurting so much, I am not looking forward to the climb to Indian Garden.

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