2/5 fefi f. 3 years ago on Google
My
Professor
friend
could
only
go
in
the
120F
shade,
heat
of
Summer,
so
we
both
signed
up.
Then
his
new
gal
partner
pulled
his
chain
and
he
cancelled
last
minute.
I
had
no
travel
insurance
like
Allianz
so
I
went
from
the
sf
Bay
Area.
Early
Spring
or
late
Autumn
is
much
cooler
air
temps.
Europeans
love
to
bus
to
the
Rim
in
less
crowded
Winter,
less
expensive
too,
off
season.
I
had
Tecnu
poison
oak
soap
at
home
but
there
was
no
heads-up
warning
of
non
native
poison
ivy
along
the
Colorado
River
from
either
NPS
or
ARR
that
year.
I
liked
the
small
5
person
rafts
and
2
women
Rowers!
The
water
temp
was
36F,
great
for
a
cool
off
swim
in
first
mile!
The
tents
are
dark
fabric
and
stifling
Hot
so
I
wonder
if
white
tents
could
be
used.
The
first
night
after
camp
set
up
and
a
tasty
dinner,
some
guides
got
out
spin
rods
and
caught
lots
big
fat
rainbow
trout.
Then
for
their
second
dinner
alone,
drank
my
case
of
can
beer,
every
can.
The
next
day
I
saw
the
poison
ivy,
leaflets
of
3,
and
somehow
got
the
oil
on
my
red
constant
itchy
rash
arms
and
legs
for
2
weeks.
We
had
one
Guide
who
recited
hours
of
poetry.
Another
Rower
talked
all
the
rock
layers
geology.
Another
knew
all
about
the
big
fat
pink
rattlesnakes
in
camp
and
wild
sheep,
wildlife
and
native
sites.
Our
leader
was
a
tall
skinny
guy
and
Excellent!!
So
you
could
change
rafts
and
enjoy
the
quiet,
the
river,
and
all
this
expertise
each
day.
Safety
was
a
big
concern.
People
drown
and
die
,
sucked
under
by
frequent
whirlpools.
One
long
wooden
oar
was
sucked
off
and
never
surfaced!
One
gal
was
on
crutches
as
a
Repeater
and
loved
it.
At
every
rapid
all
the
many
rafts
in
our
group
pulled
over
and
the
guides
studied
the
changing
safest
route.
The
Leader
gave
orders
and
all
the
Rowers
obeyed
and
followed.
Except
once,
on
the
famous
big
vertical
standing
waves
rapid,
one
guided
asked
if
any
wanted
to
go
with
him
"down
the
gut
middle,
not
the
ordered
safer
shoulder
side".
Four
did.
We
watched
what
seemed
impossible,
rowing
vertical
faster
over
every
standing
wave.
They
made
it!!
The
Leader
told
us
he
would
be
fired
after
the
13
day
float.
One
day
we
were
scheduled
to
walk
up
side
canyons
to
famous
cascades,
but
our
trusty
Leader
noticed
the
common
huge
vertical
thunder
and
lightning
storm
clouds
in
the
far
far
distance,
and
ordered
we
float
on
and
set
up
a
high
sandbar
safe
camp
early.
We
pulled
in
on
the
right.
Someone
set
up
the
toilet.
Someone
set
up
the
fire
grate
and
cook
table.
All
the
hot
dark
tents
were
set
up.
Then
the
Most
Dangerous
Show
started!!
It
was
still
Hot
in
the
evening
dusk
and
we
heard
loud
rumbling
noises
coming
from
the
next
R
side
canyon.
The
leader
walked
us
over
to
the
high
bank
and
the
rumbling
noise
got
louder
and
louder.
As
the
sky
darkened
from
the
approaching
thunderstorm
dark
clouds,
this
high
brown
wall
of
mud
and
giant
tumbling
boulders
the
size
of
vw
bugs
appeared
from
the
R
side
canyon
!!
The
ground
shook,
but
not
like
the
Oct
1989
Santa
Cruz
6.9
quake!
I
looked
to
see
if
the
Leader
or
other
Rower
Guides
would
retreat
back
away,
but
they
stood
and
Celebrated
about
50yards
away
from
this
flash
flood
freight
train!
Then
I
understood
why
the
Leader
had
cancelled
the
famous
L
side
canyon
walks
earlier
that
day.
We
had
a
diverse
group.
An
Ottowa
arbitration
lawyer
and
his
fun
wife
and
cute
daughter.
And
a
couple
that
always
ran
to
the
best
camp
site
first.
The
meals
were
always
tasty
and
one
lunch
we
could
barely
find
any
shade
on
the
R
side.
Glad
I
had
cool
light
long
sleeves
and
big
sun
hat,
shades
on
leash.
Learned
lots!
I
would
Never
go
Summer
Again!
as
I
hate
heat,
humidity,
flies,
mosquitoes,
no
see
ums,
etc.
The
heat
made
the
poison
ivy
itch
rash
worse,
so
I
soaked
in
the
36F
cold
river
and
used
sand
to
rub
the
crust
and
blisters
off.
I
would
bring
a
short
cheap
spin
rod
for
all
the
fat
trout,
and
a
Fishing
License.
TECNU
in
a
secure
Nalgene!
But
no
suggested
"box
of
wine
or
case
of
beer."
You
probably
won't
get
any!
The
5
pax
rafts
were
much
more
fun,my
opinion,
than
the
big
long
2
tied
weiner
motorized
party
rafts
or
the
few
wooden
boats.
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