Dana's Grand Canyon Rim-To-Rim Hike

26 Miles. One Goal: A Cure for Ataxia.

recent posts

DONATE

Hello, friends! 🌟 Welcome to my blog.  I’m excited for you to join me on my journey of preparation and adventure as I gear up for the ultimate challenge: a 26-mile rim-to-rim hike in the majestic Grand Canyon! 🏞

This isn’t just any hike—it’s a test of endurance, strength, and determination, all for a noble cause: raising funds for Ataxia research. 🚶‍♂️💪

Here, you’ll find updates on my training progress, insights into the highs and lows, and a peek into the breathtaking beauty at the canyon on the day of the hike. From the North Rim to the South Rim, every step is a story, and I can’t wait to share it with you. 🌄

Countdown to the Grand Canyon Hike: October 18, 2025! ⏳

  • Trekking or tripping poles?

    Trekking or tripping poles?

    Three months in, and honestly… I’m kind of proud of myself for my consistency!  Week 12 brought some new gear and gourmet experimentation (if you count PB&J as gourmet).

    This week, I officially introduced trekking poles to the mix. And let me tell you, I found them pretty challenging. They’re supposed to help with rhythm and stability, but so far, I’ve mostly been kicking them or tripping over them. It’s a work in progress. I’m hoping we can eventually become friends!

    Now, onto the culinary adventure: I brought a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on the long hike this week. I ate it before 9 am! Yes, it felt weird, but surprisingly I definitely had more energy. Apparently, it’s recommended fuel, and surprisingly, it worked! These walks are stretching into the 3–4 hour range, and they’re only going to get longer, so food that powers me and doesn’t upset my stomach is now top priority. I’ll keep experimenting with trail snacks, but so far, this one’s a winner.

    Ataxia Fact of the Week: How It Affects Vision

    Let’s talk eyeballs. Ataxia can mess with your vision in two main ways:

    1. Eye Movement Abnormalities – The cerebellum (aka the brain’s coordination command center) helps control eye movement. When it’s not working properly, you might experience double vision or nystagmus (involuntary eye movements that make you feel like your eyes are doing the cha-cha without permission).
    2. Retinal and Optic Nerve Issues – In some genetic types of ataxia, like SCA7 or Friedreich’s Ataxia, the retina or optic nerve can be affected, which may reduce vision. Important note: Ataxia doesn’t cause blindness, but it can definitely make your eyes feel like they’re on a rollercoaster.

    So there you have it—vision quirks courtesy of ataxia. More facts to come next week, assuming I don’t get tangled in my trekking poles again.

  • Sweat, sun and second thoughts!

    Sweat, sun and second thoughts!

    This week, I got all my workouts in and walked about 10,000 steps every day. I was on vacation which made walking easy. The long hike, a total of 12 miles, was on Saturday. It was HOT! At 8am it was already 80 degrees! Good training conditions for the hike in the canyon where temps at the bottom can reach 100 degrees in October. Hopefully not but possible. The most challenging thing about walking 12 miles is its boring! AND LONG – It took me 4 hours to complete. It’ll be better on the actual hike with other people to talk to.

    This week’s ataxia fact:

    Spinocerebellar Ataxia (SCA) affects the part of the brain that controls movement and balance. This same part of the brain also plays a role during sleep. Because of this, many people with SCA—more than half—struggle with sleep problems. These may include acting out dreams (REM sleep behavior disorder), feeling the urge to move their legs (restless leg syndrome), unusual leg movements during sleep, and even sleep apnea.

    Poor sleep doesn’t just make you tired—it can also affect thinking, mood, and coordination. For people with SCA, not getting enough quality sleep can make symptoms worse and reduce the benefits of therapy.

    Looking forward to the week ahead! Until next time…….

  • I’ve crossed the line!

    I’ve crossed the line!

    This week, I got in two weight training workouts, and I walked a total of 16 miles, crossing town lines on the long walk over the weekend!

    I walk early, so it’s usually me, the birds, the bunnies, and the squirrels. I feel like Snow White at times. It’s so peaceful early morning when the rest of the world is asleep. It’s amazing what you see if you pay attention to your surroundings. I love to capture those sights in pictures. All of the pictures on my blog are ones I’ve taken on my walks. The longest walk I have to do, before the hike, is 15 miles and my biggest concern with that distance is bathroom stops! Im strategically mapping out the route now to make sure I have bathroom stops available. Actually that’s my biggest concern for hiking in the canyon.   I’m thinking I should throw a ‘Depends‘ in my backpack just in case. lol.  I’m really looking forward to this hike. The scenery is going to be spectacular. That’s it for this week. Looking forward to the week ahead!

  • Walk with me and learn about the Ataxia toolkit.

    Walk with me and learn about the Ataxia toolkit.

  • On The Road Again!

    On The Road Again!

    Changed up the strength training exercises this week—needed some variety before my muscles filed an official complaint. Foot is feeling much better (woohoo!). I even went on an eight-mile hike Saturday! Note to self: next time, leave earlier… because once that sun pops up, it gets hot FAST!

    You may have heard about the lightning strike in the Grand Canyon that sparked a massive fire—it’s still uncontained and absolutely heartbreaking. Prayers and gratitude to the brave men and women working to control the blaze.

    Due to the fire, our hike has been re-routed, but good news: it’s still a go! New trail, same sense of adventure and same training schedule to prepare!

    And now for an Ataxia Not-So-Fun Fact!
    Did you know that not every symptom you experience is due to Ataxia? (Shocking, I know. We can’t blame it for everything—as tempting as that may be.) Once diagnosed, it’s easy to start attributing every ache, twitch, and countless other things to Ataxia. But some things might be totally unrelated. If something new pops up, talk to your neurologist. It could be something else entirely—maybe even something treatable (gasp!). The takeaway: don’t self-diagnose everything as Ataxia.

    Hope you check back again next week for another update!! Thanks for all your support!

  • Shaking Things up this week

    Shaking Things up this week

    Week 6

    Doing something a little different this week. Decided to update you via a video. I’m even going to teach you something about Ataxia this week!

  • Training Week 5

    Training Week 5

    It never ceases to amaze me what can happen in the span of a week. I mean, one minute you’re struggling to get water out of a plastic bag, and the next, you’re conquering six miles in the heat with proper hydration. Yes, I finally figured out that my water bladder needed more air pressure to work. Revolutionary, I know. Let’s just say once the water started flowing, I felt like i had won the lottery!

    Hiking shoes? Still awesome. I also tackled the stair climber for 15 minutes and knocked out 54 flights. That’s basically the Empire State Building, minus the elevator!

    Another win, I balanced on a Bosu ball for four whole minutes. It sounds simple — like standing on a squishy half-ball — but no. It’s like trying to stand still while an earthquake is happening under the spot you’re standing on. It’s much harder than it looks. – Try it and see…… LOL.

    I was going to try using trekking poles this week, but then I had a moment of self-awareness. I’ve never used them before, and I figured maybe I shouldn’t debut them on a long walk. So now I’m going to walk around my neighborhood until I get the hang of it. If my neighbors didn’t already think I was weird, they will soon.

    Now, for the dramatic twist: I almost had a major gym injury — I dropped a 25-pound weight on my foot. Yep. It slipped right out of my hand. For a second, I was sure I’d broken it. But miracle of miracles, I could walk, had minimal bruising, and nothing turned purple and fell off. I’m convinced my guardian angel jumped in like, “NOT TODAY,” and absorbed the impact. And for that I’m grateful!

    I’ll have the doc check it next week when I go in for my other foot.

    All in all, I logged 21 miles this week, didn’t die, didn’t break anything (probably), and feel stronger. On to next week — slightly more hydrated, slightly more cautious, and a lot more balanced. Maybe.

  • Training Week 4

    Training Week 4

    Rim to Rim Training Week 4

    Wow, that was quick! I can’t believe a month has already passed—one month down, three to go.

    I’m still dealing with some pain in the ball of my left foot, but thankfully my appointment is coming up. I want to be healthy and strong, not just to complete this hike, but also to enjoy it! In the meantime, I’m icing my foot and trying not to aggravate it.

    Met with the personal trainer this week. She’s incredibly knowledgeable and very helpful. She reviewed my plan and made a few tweaks based on my goals. She showed me a few new machines to try and corrected my form on some of the machines I was already using. I’m going to start incorporating some balance training using the Bosu ball. This will prove to be so helpful since I’ll be walking on such uneven terrain. And I need to step it up on the stairmaster so I can crush those inclines!

    Shoe update. I returned the hikers and bought a different pair. I used them this week and they are keepers! Finally, a pair I don’t have to return! LOL. This was week 2 bringing the water bladder along. And once again, I couldn’t get any water to come out. I thought i had it all figured out but …. nope! Still not getting any water out of it. Time to get MacGyver involved to help with this mystery!!

    Overall, it was a successful fourth week! I clocked 17 total miles this week. Here’s looking at you week 5!

  • Training Week 3

    Training Week 3

    Rim to Rim Training Week 3

    This week I had some residual foot issues from last week. I made a doctor appointment to have it looked at because hiking 26 miles in the Grand Canyon is no joke. The last thing I want is to NOT be able to finish the hike due to a problem with my foot. Speaking of feet, I went to buy new hiking shoes over the weekend. What you need to understand is I have a really hard time getting new shoes. I end up returning 50 pairs (well, maybe that’s a slight exaggeration) before I find a pair that works. I’m not sure why I have so much trouble…… and it has gotten worse with age! Anyone else have this issue?? To make a long story short….. I bought a pair of hikers from a shoe store that specializes in sneakers and hiking shoes. And they have to go back! Yup. Not good. Wish me luck!

    As for the gym…… a complimentary visit with a personal trainer came with my membership. I scheduled an hour with them for next week so they can review my plan and see if there’s anything else I need to do. I did the stairmaster for 5 minutes the other day and I was winded. My goal is to not be winded after 5 minutes and then increase the time. We’ll see how that goes. I also brought my weighted vest to the gym this week and did a walk on the treadmill with that on.

    I’ve walked 18 total miles this week. So mileage is building. Next up…week 4.


  • Training Week 2

    Training Week 2

    Rim to Rim Training Week 2.

    This week I went to the gym and got all my workouts in and also started with treadmill training. I put the treadmill on an 8% incline, at a 2.8 speed and walked for 20 minutes. I think that was too much too soon because I was hurting the rest of the week.  I had some foot issues.  The ball of my left foot, was bothering me. So, I’m going to cut it back next week. The mileage is adding up.  I did 18 total miles this week and overall I feel pretty good. I feel good with my strength training, too. Week 2 in the books. On to week 3!