If you read my last post, you know I floated down the Green River in Utah. This installment of the trip will cover the next two days. Today is the day we are staying at camp for the day and doing other things.
After breakfast, we circled up and passed around what Page called the story stick. Everyone told something about themselves. I had a hard time hearing most of the stories because the solar powered battery I brought to charge my hearing aids didn’t want to work on them, but I could tell the stories were personal and meaningful to each woman. I did hear most of Maggie’s story of when she was there when Page’s daughter lost her horse and that touched me. So, when it was my turn I shared how I write letters to be buried with a picture of my animals when they die, which led to the story about the burial of Louise’s trunk and Bill’s obituary. It was an interesting sharing of feelings.
Afterwards, Dea took us through some yoga positions and movements, and then we were invited to sculpt something of our own in the sand.
Photo courtesy of Cindy Findling
After lunch we took a hike to Natural Bridge, a nice hike that had me last in line again. Zhana was nice enough to walk with me as I took pictures and we talked. She also helped me up the large rocks in front of the Natural Bridge to get a better view from the top of it.
Zhana and Ailani helped me up to this point at the bridge.
This is the view from that vantage point.
And here is one last look at the Natural Bridge. I think. Maybe just a neat arch. But I like the picture.
Back at camp, chicken rock was pointed out to me, in the distance on top of one of the cliffs. I had to look at it a while before I could make it into a chicken, but I finally did.
One or two women took a swim in the river at camp. I chose not to; the water was mountain cold to me, but didn’t seem to bother others. And you’ll notice a red bucket sitting out in the middle of camp. That was the pee bucket they put out for day or nighttime use since the path to the groover at this camp was a bit much to navigate at night. It was narrow, slick, and on a bit of a slope, tricky to use even during the day. At night they also put a string of small lights along the groover path, but I was glad for the bucket in the middle of the beach.
Another of our activities this day was Little B-Little Brenda because we had two Brendas on the trip-gave us a lesson in watercolor.
For dinner we had rice noodles, streak strips and broccoli, stir-fry vegetables, and strawberry shortcake for dessert.
We circled up after the meal to do something called medicine cards, something from the Native American culture. Everyone picked a card from the stack, face down, and then found out about what that animal might have in common with you from a book that goes with the cards. I drew a porcupine. We are to learn more about our animal tomorrow.
Ailani and Zhana played guitar a bit and it was time to turn in. And we were once again lulled to sleep by the patter of raindrops.
So, now it is Wednesday, and we were up for breakfast burritos and fruit and on our way.
And this was the day both kayaks made it to the water. I had decided it was time to try the rapids, So I was in the single kayak, and Karin and Mylo teamed up in the tandem ducky, as the guides liked to call them. Since I was navigating a kayak, the camera had to be left on the raft, so I have no pictures of me going through the rapids. Dea did take a couple of me starting out before we got to the rapids. Not very dramatic, but you can see the eddys in the water that I had to get through as we made our way down the river. And then when we got to the rapids, I was far enough behind the raft that cell phones can’t zoom in that far, so no picture was taken as I was washed up against a nice big rock sideways! They were frantically yelling at me to keep paddling, which I couldn’t hear, and I was frantically holding onto the paddle. Another big wave hit me, and it rocked me loose, so I was on my way again. I was told I had managed a Class III rapid, so I was glad I didn’t come out of the kayak.
Photos courtesy of Dea Jacobson
I think I went through maybe one more smaller rapid after which they wanted me back in the raft because I was a bit slow, and we needed to make better time. The tandem ducky moved faster because it was heavier, and they could navigate those eddys better than I could in the lighter kayak. So my running the rapids was over for this day.
This rock is smaller than the one I hit, but here a few views of white water. I found it rather hard to get a good action shot of the rapids since the water changes so quickly and was bouncing the raft around for a clear shot.
As you ride along in the raft, your feet are always wet. Here’s why. These rafts are what they call self-bailing rafts because water that may splash into the raft doesn’t have to be physically bailed out. The round sides of the raft are made of super tough rubber and of course, inflated with air. Then there is a space between the sides and the floor, or bottom, of the raft. The bottom is also made of the thick rubber and inflated. In that space are holes that allow river water in, but also let river water out as you float along the river. Who knew you could have holes in the bottom of your boat and not sink? What a deal!
After all the rapids and down the river a piece, we stopped to set up camp for the night. I mentioned a fireline earlier, I think it was in yesterday’s installment. I didn’t take pictures of the fireline before every time we set up camp because I was helping in the fireline. Today I made it a point to take pictures instead. The guides would call for a fireline when it was time to unload our tents, dry bags with our belongings, the Paco pads, and the folding chairs. The fireline is like a traditional bucket brigade that might have been used before fire departments to get water to put out a fire, or perhaps just a line of people helping unload a big load of anything. As you can see, the rafts are fully loaded, lots to unload. The fireline made it much faster to unload everything and to get it up the beach to where the tents would be set up, making it easier on us to tote our things to our individual campsite. it was a group effort that was very efficient and practical in this situation.
Everyone gathered their stuff and got tents up. The guides, who by now you can tell are also our cooks, they put out grapes, cheese, and crackers to keep us happy till dinner was ready. We circled up and Roxanne suggested we get out the sculpting clay she had given us the day before. She is a sculptress when she’s not floating the river and wanted us to try our hand at self-expression. Mine didn’t come out too well and fell apart, but Jill made a cute little teddy bear that held up nicely.
Veronica also used this time to continue her watercolor lesson.
The cooks also had an efficient way to get the dishes done after a meal. They had four tubs of water set up at the kitchen. The routine was to scrap leftover food from your plate into the trash can sitting at the end of the table with the tubs. Then wash your plate and silverware with warm soapy water in the first tub, wash it again in the second tub of soapy water, rinse it in the clear water of the next tub, and stick it in the fourth tub of water and bleach for about five seconds to be sure all is clean and well sanitized. Then slip the dish into the blue bag attached to the table.
Brenda, Zhana, Allie, Lindsey kept us well fed and rowed down the river for the length of the trip. Little B also helped with the cooking, but wasn’t around for this picture.
Dinner this night was three salmon seasoned differently, mango pico de gallo, salad, and pecan or peach pie for dessert. As I said, they fed us well.
The idea came up to decorate the wide-brimmed hats many were wearing. Roxanne, being the artist she is, came up with this. Veronica and I think Cindy, or was it Mylo, also decorated their hats.
Just another pretty shot of those cottonwood trees.
After dinner we gathered up for another group discussion but thunder told us it was time to retire to our tents, which we did. And when it began to rain, the wind came with it seriously. Zhana even came to my tent with a big jug of water to further secure the tent. I was glad she did.
So far it has rained on us every day and/or night we have been on the river. I’m not used to rain every day.
The rain, as I recall, kept us from having much of a discussion about the medicine cards, but Page gave me the book that goes with the cards at some point today and I read a little about the porcupine card I had drawn. These cards were something new to me, so I googled them when I got home. They do connect to Native Americans who see spiritual significance in animals and their belief that animals can teach and guide us. The porcupine stands for innocence and embracing one’s inner child. I’m not sure exactly what to do with this information since we didn’t get to have our discussion.
I will close for today. Next I will tell you about the last two days of the trip. More rain and more rapids.
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