•This was a very loosely planed trip to say the least. We were planning on hiking the north rim but it is 280 miles of driving to get the permit and go to the trailhead. We had no permit and were at the mercy of the NPS backcountry office. In the end the only permit we could get in the park was for Indian Gardens campground, only four miles down. That night we camped out in the Kaibab National Forest because it was free and close. We masterfully make a tiny fire and kept it going for an hour or so. In the morning everything was soaked with dew, and it was cold. We got up early to make it to the backcountry office early to get the best permit we could. We ended up there very early and cooked creamy garlic pasta for breakfast at the office. We got our permit, and the trailhead was close to the backcountry office so we just left the car there and hiked down. It was really cool scenery all the way down, and we got to Indian Gardens in no time at all. After picking a campsite and eating lunch we set off for the river three miles away. This was one of the greatest parts of the hike. When we got to the river it looked like chocolate milk because of all of the mud and silt from the recent rains. You couldn't see your feet half an inch under the water. Dave took a nap here while me and Matt headed off toward Bright Angel campground. We hiked along the river for a mile and got to cross over a narrow suspension bridge. After refilling water, we headed back. It was a great hike back to the Indian Gardens and wasn't as hard as it looked. Everyone did great. We camped out at the campground, where Dave was convinced there were scorpions everywhere. Late at night when Matt and I were hanging out in the dark, a huge owl swooped down and grabbed a mouse, scaring the crap out of us. The next day we were hiking out, making good time, when we came across a lady that had fallen and hit her temple on a rock. I helped stabilize her and waited for a few hours until the heli-vac came. We loaded her on the chopper and called it a day.