I finally get my hands on a Grand Canyon Market canvas grocery bag.

Mike came up to spend the day with me on Friday. Thursday had been extremely weird for me — I’ll probably write up a brief description of that ordeal somewhere here — and I got the day off to recover from the weirdness. Mike figured I needed company and volunteered to drive up. Although he wanted to drive in to Flagstaff for the day, I didn’t feel like dealing with the long drive or traffic. So instead, we took our bicycles to the Grand Canyon.

We had lunch at El Tovar (why not?) and took the bikes over to the bike trail that runs from the library to the new Canyon Information Plaza. The trail was pleasant: paved smooth, winding through tall trees, and completely underutilized. I wasn’t sure, but it seemed as if it were mostly uphill. (I later discovered I was right.) We did the two miles to the Info Plaza, looked at some of the displays there, and then continued on to the Mather Point Lookout, which is one of my favorite canyon viewpoints.

We rode back on the main road. But on the way, we made a point of stopping at the Marketplace area, where the post office and grocery store are. That was where I’d get my canvas bag.

As we wheeled our bikes to the bike rack, I saw a woman waiting by the curb with five canvas bags. I pointed at them and said aloud, “That’s what I need.”

She heard me and said, “Do you want one of mine? I have nine of them.”

“Why do you have nine?”

“Well, I’m a LOCAL.” (She stressed the word as if it were something she was proud of that pained her very deeply.) “Every time I come here, I forget to bring my bag and have to buy another one. They cost about $6 each.”

I’d heard they cost $10, but I still hadn’t seen one in the store. I said, “If you’re serious, I’ll give you six bucks for one.”

“Sold.”

She transfered groceries out of the biggest of the bags, moving them into the other bags. Her gallon of milk didn’t fit, but she didn’t seem to care. I got the feeling that she thought the $6 was worth it. I gave her the money and she gave me the bag. I rolled it up and bungeed it onto my bike.

So I now have the bag. I’m a LOCAL. I’m looking forward to using it next time I’m up here.