Grand Canyon Rafting

mikehikes · Joined: 10 Feb 2008 Posts: 58 Location: Tucson

Got home Thursday from a sixteen-day rowing trip on the Colorado River in Grand Canyon. This was my eighth trip down the River. I was with seven other folks on a private trip. We had three rafts and one kayaker. Great water, great runs, a few days of wind Crying or Very sad

.

Am now planning to row the Dolores with the SAPC in mid-May.
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Mike Coltrin
Tucson

azbackpackr · Posted: 4/20/2008, 4:24 am Post subject:

Sure sounds fun! How are you doing, Mike?

mikehikes · Joined: 10 Feb 2008 Posts: 58 Location: Tucson

Ticker doing well. Knees shot. Cancelled planned GC hike to Clear Creek.

The River trip was awesome. I had some of my best runs ever. Especially Crystal and Lava.

I figure to row the Dolores in mid-May. I don't have any experience on this one. Can hardly wait.
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Mike Coltrin
Tucson

Cynhikr · Joined: 09 Jan 2003 Posts: 1197 Location: Tempe, AZ.

mikehikes · Joined: 10 Feb 2008 Posts: 58 Location: Tucson

Could be..... I do remember seeing backpackers at Cardenas that morning. Can't remember if I stopped. We had three blue rafts and a green kayak. I drove the last boat.

I do know it was a very windy afternoon and night. We pulled off the river at 75-Mile beach for lunch and stayed there for camp that night. A solo backpacker from Sacramento named Noah shared our lunch and he did indeed get a couple of Tecates from me.

The wind played hell with the wands of my tent. Took a bit of work to get them straightened.
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Mike Coltrin
Tucson

mikehikes · Joined: 10 Feb 2008 Posts: 58 Location: Tucson

Kurt.

Now that I remember it better, Ernie was rowing my boat as we passed Cardenas. We didn't stop to visit. I don't think either of our two other boats carried Tecate.

Glad someone else took care of you. ... Yell louder next time Wink

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Mike Coltrin
Tucson

Cynhikr · Joined: 09 Jan 2003 Posts: 1197 Location: Tempe, AZ.

Mike,
The group I mention hollered from their raft, 'Hey; you guys drink beer?"
So I gave them the universal sign for "yes'... that is, jumping up-and-down nodding my head!
Anyway, the boatman stayed somewhat in the current (such as it is @ Cardenas) while the passenger tried throwing us a few beers but was throwing underhanded from the raft - the beers landed everywhere but NEAR us and one even landed BEHIND him. But, slighted as they are in the rafting community, the kayakers (of which there were about 8)rescued the stray beers and delivered same to us on Cardenas beach.
As both a GC rafter AND hiker, I always go out of my way to bestow some 'nectar of the Gods' to hikers/backpackers whenever I'm rafting as I know what a treat a few beers makes; not to mention that it adds to the "No sh!t, there I was, camped at 'X' stories.

Yes, that was a terribly windy night, but such is spring in the Canyon.

We were up on top of the Unkar overlook that afternoon and needed to carry a few rocks just to keep from flying away! Wink

kurt
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"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
---Benjamin Franklin

"I wonder what ole' Ben would've thought of the TSA and photo-radar?" -- cynhikr