More photos from the southwest

I’m safe at home after a delightful two week tour/vacation in my favorite part of the universe. I attended the Southwest Popular Culture Association meeting with a gang of Deadhead academics; gave performances in venues ranging from a beautiful adobe house to a rowdy bar; and spent four days at the Grand Canyon with my wife, Rita.
Thursday, February 16, was an eventful day in many ways: Rita and I hiked 4.6 miles down the Bright Angel Trail to Indian Gardens, and then of course we had to hike back up. An hour or so after completing that 7-hour adventure, I was onstage in the bar at the Bright Angel Lodge, singing for an audience of tourists, cowboys, and Xanterra employees. Along the way my digital camera and my iPod stopped working (I’m assuming this was related to the near-freezing temperatures, but I’m surprised and annoyed by both problems) and I thought I lost my cell phone. I was afraid to even utter the words “powerbook,” “laptop,” or “computer,” lest that essential device also go bye-bye. But the phone turned up in the back of the Subaru that night, and the computer continues to function perfectly.
The Forester started making a rubbing noise on the drive home Sunday. I just learned that the bearings on both rear wheels need replacement. Sigh.
Here are some photos (by Rita and by me) from our Grand Canyon sojourn. There are more images from this trip and other visits to the region in the “southwest” gallery on my flickr page.
Extra special thanks to Rosie McGee for making our Grand Canyon visit such a pleasure.