Based on our progress during our first day in the Narrows, we knew that we had a long, hard day of hiking ahead of us when we woke up the next morning. Though all of us slept rather well, we were still fatigued from the day before and therefore we ended up breaking camp and leaving a half an hour later than planned, at 7:20 a.m. (Utah).

We hoped to reach the Tempe of Sinawava by 5:00 p.m. that evening, however, John was sure that we would be finished earlier than that. He instructed us, though, to take our times and to be safe and to keep in mind that we had plenty of daylight hours to finish the trail. He also told us that we should try using the techniques specified in the trail descriptions. For example, we should cross the river at a forty-five degree angle and only at places where the current wasn't as strong. By following these safety tips, he hoped that we would be able to quicken our pace a little bit without risking further injuries.

Although route finding on dry land was difficult, we still managed to make much better progress that morning. We reached Goose Creek and the "Grotto" right on schedule (give or take five minutes). The "Grotto", as we discovered, was a large cave, which resembled the campsite we had in Aravaipa Canyon. It was also where campsite number eight was located. As we passed by the site, we interrupted some poor camper who was answering the call of nature just feet from the trail. Though obviously chagrined, he just sat there and waved to us as we walked by him.

Between the "Grotto" and Big Springs, we had to hike cautiously, because there were patches of poison ivy everywhere. We also found the first of the deep swimming holes -- and John and I both unwillingly went for a swim with our backpacks on! Having just watched John slip on a rock and start swimming for the opposite shore, I tried to look for a better way to go around...and as a result I slipped on the same rock and lost my footing. I tried to swim, but with my pack on, I began struggling, so John had to come and rescue me.

A bit later, right before we came to Big Springs, we met up with the park ranger, who had camped in the Narrows overnight. (He had passed by our campsite during the early evening and asked who we were. He then checked it against his information to make sure that we were in the right place.) We just happened to be lost at the moment -- we didn't know which route to take -- so we followed him, because he seemed to know where he was going. However, he wasn't much help beyond that.

Soon, we came to Big Springs, which was the last landmark we would see before passing into the Narrows. Big Springs, a natural spring inside the canyon wall, shot forth water like a waterfall, and it was surrounded by lush, green tropical foliage. It looked like something one would find in a rainforest in Brazil. I found it to be incredibly beautiful, and I made sure that we took plenty of pictures of it.

Then, ready or not, at 10:00 a.m. we entered the Narrows -- a long, three mile stretch of canyon where the walls stand only twenty or thirty feet apart at its narrowest, and they tower about seven hundred feet above the murky waters of the Virgin River. There, we were hiking in water that was chest deep at some points -- and we had heard that there were places where the water was so deep that we would have to swim. Having already gone for a swim with my backpack on, I wasn't ready to do that again!

We found that the best way to maneuver through the Narrows was to hug the walls while passing through strong currents. In calmer waters, we could easily hike through the middle of the river, where the waters were sometimes only ankle deep. At first I was struggling - I was already exhausted by the time we reached the Narrows, and I was ready to be finished with that trail! Erika was also struggling -- she, too, was exhausted before we even reached the Narrows -- and in order to maneuver through the rapids, she held onto Bill's hand for dear life. (John joked later on that that was the most he had ever seen them hold hands in all the years they had been married!)

Then, my confidence was boosted when we ran into the first of the day hikers, who were coming from the Temple of Sinawava! They had been hiking for about two hours, meaning that we were at least two hours from the end. They also told us that they had not found any swimming holes along the way, meaning that we would not have to go for another swim. After that, I stopped cursing the trail and began hiking with confidence. I took the lead, and slowly, carefully, I hiked through the Narrows, focusing only on the task at hand. At times, I stopped to talk to day hikers to ask how long they had been on the trail and how their day was going. For a while, I hiked with a Japanese tourist who spoke limited English. He and I were hiking at the same pace, and we helped each other find safe routes through the water.

About halfway through the Narrows, John caught up to me and asked me to wait up for his parents. Though I wanted to keep going, I stopped to take a break anyway, so I put my hiking stick down. As I did so, it became wedged in between two rocks, and I had to force it free. As a result, I lost its rubber stopper! John tried looking for it, but the current had already carried it away.

Around that time, the Narrows became incredibly crowded with day hikers: teenagers swimming, sunbathers on the sandy shores, Asian tourists with video cameras, German visitors, people with young children, even a pair of fishermen! I had no idea that we would encounter so many people; I found it to be distracting, and I was no longer able to keep my focus on the hike. During one of our last few river crossings, towards the end of the Narrows, a Japanese tourist who, fascinated by John's adventurer appearance, began to videotape him as he crossed the creek distracted me. Instead of paying attention to what I was doing, I began watching John...and I fell into the river! I panicked as the current began to pull me downstream. It seemed like an eternity before John pulled me to my feet and guided me towards dry land. Once again, I was injured. I had banged my leg for the third time, and I had a new bruise on my other leg! I knew then that I was indeed in hell, and all I wanted to do was get out of there!

Fortunately, we were near the end of the Narrows. It wasn't long before we reached the Riverwalk: a half-mile long paved trail leading from the Narrows to the Temple of Sinawava. It was there that the four of us emerged from the water, exhausted and soaking wet but in one piece, just shy of eight hours after the day's hike began. We asked a passer-by to take a picture of us -- an "after" picture, in which we all looked relieved that it was all over.

We hiked back to the car, eager to be rid of our gear and our wet and soggy hiking boots. Erika's car had been sitting there for more than twenty-four hours, and with its weak battery we weren't sure that it was going to start. However, luck was on our side; the car started right up, and soon we were on our way back to the motor home.

That evening, after cleaning up, we celebrated our successful hike -- and Bill and Erika's first backpacking trip -- by eating pizza at the Switchback Restaurant in Springdale. Then, we returned to the motor home, where we licked our wounds and rested our tired limbs. Bill and Erika turned in early, well before dark, so John and I took a walk around the campground and sat for a while by the Virgin River. Then, just before first star that night, we crawled into bed and passed out.

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