Day 4 - Rafting the Colorado River

   Another 5:00 am wake up.  This is quickly becoming my favorite part of the day.  Sitting around, visiting, drinking hot coffee.  Something, a coyote maybe, has been calling off in the distance all through the night.  There are ravens that explore recently vacated campsites scavenging for morsels.  Far from being creepy they are comical to watch as they hop/flap around.  This morning we finish up the answers from last night's survey.  Bryon walks it to the park headquarters while I make the 10 minute stroll to the showers.

   On my way I see a lone doe grazing.  She looks at me totally unafraid & seems to be saying, "I know you're not supposed to feed me, but I won't tell if you wont..."  I resist.  It costs $2 for 8 minutes of deliciously hot water.  I would think that wouldn't be near enough but it's actually plenty of  time.  I feel pounds lighter as I return to camp.  Once there we begin preparing a hearty breakfast of migas, fruit & of course more coffee.

   Soon it is time to hit the road again.  Today we are driving to Page, AZ to raft the Colorado River.  Even though it means more driving we all agree it would be a shame to come this far & not experience some level of rafting.  I found this outfitter in the Grand Canyon guide I downloaded.  Most tours are from 3-18 days & involve camping at night on the river banks.  While this sounds amazing, we are only here a few days.  Colorado River Discovery provides 1/2 to full day float trips from the Glen Canyon Dam to Lee's Ferry. (888-522-6644, www.raftthecanyon.com )

   We leave with plenty of time to get there for our 1:00 p.m. departure (plus some extra getting lost time, which was a good thing!)  This time we leave the canyon on the Desert View Drive seeing many breathtaking vistas along the way.  Once we are out of the park we begin descending down several thousand feet & it is crazy hot, 103.  We are seeing a mix of colors that don't even seem real & then it hits us, "Oh yeah, we're in the painted desert!!!"

   We arrive just in time to hear our instructions before boarding busses to take us to the base of the Glen Canyon Dam - a marvel of engineering.   We descend through two miles of tunnel 500 feet down all the while we are in  a designated Homeland Security area.  This outfitter and their clients are the only ones besides government workers allowed to be here.  Our bags were searched before we boarded the busses & we were instructed if we had guns to leave them in our cars.  When we get to the base of the dam we are all given hard hats to wear until we get to the rafts.

  We board the giant rubber pontoons to begin our 4 hour, 16 river miles float down the Colorado.  It is about 110 in Page but once we get underway it's not too bad.  The water temperature is a frosty 46 degrees & every once in a while a zephyr of breeze comes wafting through the canyon creating drastic hot/cold sensations.  As we gently float (the white water trips are the longer versions beginning at Lee's Ferry, our disembarkation point) the 1000 - 1400 foot sandstone walls soar up to clear blue skies.  Our guide, Chris really seems to love his job & is full of lots of interesting knowledge of what we are seeing.  He keeps referring to the "desert varnish" on the cliffs, a process that takes millions of years to develop & thus indicates the age of this canyon.

   At about the halfway point Chris banks the raft on a sandy beach & we are allowed to get out & use the restroom that has been installed.  A short trail leads right up to the base of the canyon wall where ancient petroglyphs have been carved.  Another of the guides explains the symbols.  I'm thinking, some of it sounds like a bit of a stretch but they are pretty cool.  She tells the story of one prankster who carved his name on the wall.  He was quickly identified, fined HEAVILY & had to perform countless hours of community service.  Lesson learned!!

    Back on the beach many rafters are plunging in to the literally bone-chilling water.  We look at each other & say, "well, you never know when we will get a chance like this again."  And in we go.  I can only stand it for a few seconds & I'm right back on the beach.  As hot & arid as it is though, I am dry in seconds & don't need a towel.  We all go in & out for the next half hour.  One lady, "of a certain age" is just standing thigh-deep in the water gasping, "this is heaven."  She stays in that spot the entire time we are there.

  We get back on board & down the river we go.  I am just trying to hold the memory of this beauty in my mind's eye.  Sadly, we didn't realize just how placid this trip would be & brought no cameras :(  We did however bring a sack lunch & cold drinks were provided so we picnicked as we floated.  Chris would occasionally scoop a bucket of the icy water on board & we could dunk our hats & bandannas in to cool off with.  A little further on down we saw some horses on the river bank.  Kind of amazing given the harsh environment.  Chris said they had wandered into the canyon & were essentially living wild.

   All too soon we reached Lee's Ferry & hopped on the busses for the hour ride back to Page.  All I can say is it was totally worth it & now I want to go back & do one of the multi day floats!!  That's how it seems to go with a bucket list.  You cross one thing off & two more go back in its place.

   Another drive through gorgeous desert landscape to get backto camp.  It was after dark when we arrived so we immediately built a fire to heat up some quiche I had brought from home, black beans & our staple, quesadillas.  I was so tired I couldn't even talk myself into a s'more before I collapsed into bed, exhausted & happy.

   Really sorry about no pictures but if you visit the website www.raftthecanyon.com they have a slideshow that is spot on.