The drive to Toroweep Overlook on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park is long and dusty.  It is 58 miles of dirt road, one way.  The last 6 miles require a high clearance 4-wheel drive vehicle.  I came across two disabled trucks.  One had three of the five lug bolts sheered off and the other a blown tire.  Another big problem would be to encounter someone going the opposite direction on the narrow road.  I took over three hours to cover the 58 miles when the books say it should only take 2 1/2.

I camped out for three nights hoping for the haze, from what I later learned to be forest fires, to clear but that never happened.  The days were too hot for exploring so for the first time I can recall, it seemed the best thing to do was to read a book.  No house chores, computer or errands to distract me, simply move the chair around the tree, following the shade and read a book.  I finally read “The book mentioned above, “The Sheltering Sky” by Paul Bowles.