When Dan Stachura, of Sparks, and Bill Litsinger, of White Hall, heard a distinct "plop" on their tarp as the slept at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, they didn't know what it was. But they knew it wasn't good.
They were part of a group of five men who hiked for five days in October in the Grand Canyon to celebrate Litsinger's 50th birthday.
Stachura and Litsinger slept out in the open instead of in tents like the others. It sounded like a fine idea until the plop.
Within seconds, they turned on headlamps and stared at a big, brown, hairy tarantula. After trying to get it to leave, they feared their tarp was on top of its home.
"We finally gave it the shoe of death," Stachura said. (Or, more accurately, the hiking boot of death.)
"But that tarantula was the worst that happened to us on a hike in 90-degree heat, carrying 50-pound packs on trails and in the back country," added Litsinger. "Other than a few blisters, we did great. The trip was an amazing experience."
Litsinger turned 50 in July and wanted to stretch out his birthday celebration. So he and his family went to Hawaii, and he and his wife took a trip to British Columbia.
He then organized a guys' trip to the Grand Canyon. He and Stachura, 44, first met when they coached their daughters' lacrosse team. Former Monkton resident Gordon Jones, who now lives in North Carolina, joined, along with his neighbor David Weybright. Litsinger's friend, Keith Massey, from Los Angeles, rounded out the crew.
They started at the north rim and wanted to hike along some of the lesser-traveled trails before heading up to the south rim. When they applied for permits for backcountry camping, the U.S. Park Service warned that their itinerary was very strenuous.
"We modified it a bit, but we wanted to do more than the traditional hike," said Litsinger. "There was one day we only saw two small groups. You really are all alone down there."
They hiked about six hours a day, eating beef jerky, power bars and trail mix. Other than dinner cooked for them at Phantom Ranch at the bottom, they were on their own, setting up camp and cooking with a stove they carried.
Their hardest day was their last, when they climbed 3,500 feet in elevation out of the canyon.
"That's like climbing the Empire State building at least two times," Stachura said. "Knowing we would find beer and dinner at the top helped a lot."
Litsinger said the crew has already talked about going back next year. Despite the tarantula, he and Stachura would leave their tent home again.
"There was absolutely nothing like those stars," Litsinger said. "They were unbelievable."
To view a 10-minute video of their trip, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glva78QNfDw.