When I texted the GC SAR team that I was on top of the Redwall they asked if there was any place close by where they could land their helicopter. There was a little hill about a 100 yards to the north and I though they could land there. They said they would be there in about 30 minutes. When the copter arrived they flew over that spot but did not land but circled around and landed on the other side of that ridge. A few minutes later four guys showed up to help me out of my situation. They had equipment to take my vitals and even brought a pair of crutches for me to use to get to the copter. I've never used crutches and found it difficult to walk with them over the uneven terrain and eventually gave up and opted to use my hiking poles instead. They got me into the copter and we headed back to their base at Grand Canyon Village where an ambulance was waiting to take me to Flagstaff. I asked if that was really necessary and they said that I really should not be trying to drive considering the injury was to my right leg. I wondered how I was going to get my car back which was still parked at Lipan Point but would have to worry about that later.

The ambulance did not take me all the way to Flagstaff but stopped at Kendrick Park where I was transferred to another ambulance that had come up from Flagstaff. They only have one ambulance at Grand Canyon and did not want to be away for any longer than necessary. The other ambulance took me to the hospital in Flagstaff.

I was assessed on arrival at the hospital and more vitals where taken. I was connected to equipment in the ambulance as well which showed my blood pressure and heart rate both elevated. They said it was normal considering what I was going through. The numbers at the hospital were finally starting to look a little better. They ended up taking x-rays of the hip and joint area of the right leg and then I had to wait for someone to look at the x-rays. They had me waiting in the ER and that was not a fun experience. I waited and waited and was getting very impatient. I was hungry and thirsty but they said I could not have anything to eat or drink in case they had to operate. Operate?! I hoped it was not going to come to that. The last food and water I had was around 3pm at the top of the Redwall where I ate a Clif bar and drank some water. Other than that I had not had a lot to eat since breakfast, just a couple of other snacks on the way to the Redwall. The top of the Redwall was supposed to be my lunch break.

The timeline for yesterday afternoon is a complete blur from the time I got into that helicopter. I think it took about another half hour to get back to Grand Canyon Village and then the ambulance ride to Flagstaff was probably about 2 hours so I think I got to the hospital around 6pm and they took the x-rays around 7pm. By 830 I was getting very impatient and asked how long it was going to take for someone to look at the x-rays and they told me it could take up to 6 hours. I asked if I could leave and go home and get the results later and they said the results would not be available if I left. I asked if they were any other options and they said they could have someone do an evaluation of my condition and then I could be discharged so I told them I wanted to do that. I waited some more and then was eventually taken to a back room and waited for someone to evaluate me. I was worried about all of my backpacking and camera gear just sitting there in the ER and they had Security come to get that and store it for me.

When the person came to evaluate me he asked if x-rays had been taken and I told him yes and he went to look for them. Apparently they had already been looked at and were sitting in an outbox somewhere. The x-rays did not show any abnormalities and they thought it was some kind of hip sprain or muscle or ligament damage that would not show on an x-ray. The only recommendation was rest and pain killers. I was finally discharged around 930pm and texted Collin, the guy that takes care of our house in Flagstaff, if he could pick me up at the ER and get me home.

I was home probably around 10pm-ish and I was famished. Still nothing to eat or drink since that Clif bar and water at 3pm. Collin said there was some leftover pizza from their dinner and he heated up a couple of slices for me. There was some Mother Road Tower Station beer in the fridge and I had one of those to wash it down. Collin also gave me a cane to use for getting around in the house which made things a lot easier.

I was up early this morning and Melissa, my next door neighbor, stopped by to check on my condition. She ended up bring some Tylenol and ice packs over for me and also an abundance of food items. I had already eaten the freeze-dried granola and blueberry meal that was supposed to be my breakfast for this morning at the Seventyfive-mile saddle but she said that wasn't enough. So, I took some Tylenol and I've been icing the hip for a couple of hours now and it does actually seem to be feeling much better already. I still do not know how I am going to get my car back from Lipan Point but Melissa said that she may be able to help with that later in the day. I have a friend driving in from Albuquerque later this afternoon and was supposed to pick up another friend at the Flagstaff airport around 6pm as well.

A big "thank you" goes out to the staff at the Garmin inReach support team, the Grand Canyon Search and Rescue team, the staff at Flagstaff Medical Center and my friends here in Flagstaff, for helping me feel more relaxed about my situation and making a horrible experience at least bearable.