Our friends at Challenge Aspen, a “sister” organization in Aspen, invited us on their private retreat on the river. We helped them by bringing our boats and leading the river portion of the trip.
Our group of 24 people at the put-in at Hittle Bottom cam site in Utah. (click to enlarge)
Kima took all the photos. In most the water was pouring out of the frame (Kima – what were you on?) but some were great!
One of our boats approaching a small Onion Creek Rapid.
Now, what on earth is this thing that “Team Buttercup” is floating by? A geyser? A monster rising to the surface? Marc, Cynthia and Mike didn’t seem distraught by whatever-this-is. (click to enlarge)
We had two “fresh” guides on this trip! Cynthia battled Class V rapids and 5-foot eddy fences (with Marc’s moral support) and Kima pulled two boats through 50mph headwinds to Goldbar past Moab!
Kima flexing her muscles. (click to enlarge)
I am following Marc’s boat. (click to enlarge)
During my safety briefing I went through routine topics and then added: “The water is high and all rapids will be washed out.” The river has its ways to put me in the right place. I casually approached the Castle Creek Rapid and mentioned to Kima that this is “just a ripple.” Sitting cross-legged and not ready for anything the boat entered a sizeable hole at the angle and almost flipped. I never saw it coming. But the river wasn’t done humiliating me yet. When the boat stopped in the whole I promptly fell out of the boat, head first. Somehow I managed to grab onto the line and with Kima’s help I was back behind the oars after the next wave. OK, river wins. I was eating (drinking?) my own words from the briefing. I was reminded of my place in this universe and I will try to remember it in the future.
I didn’t know that Kima was snapping photos right after I gracefully climbed back on the boat. Here’s one of these photos. (click to enlarge)
Levi guided the paddle raft.
“The Carcass” under Levi’s control.
And Levi never changes his facial expressions.
Cynthia and Marc. My guess is as good as yours. Go ahead, write a caption, please.
Filed under: River | Tagged: hittle bottom, Moab Daily, river trip
Martin,
You are the master of understatement. Kind of like, “I think I’ll change out the flooring in the house.” It looks like it was great fun; I wish I could have been there. Keep on blogging as it is a great taste of home here in the big sandbox.
Steve
Per the last photo. Obviously “moral support” takes on many forms…
Steve, oh yes, the memories of my “small” house projects…
Great to hear from you. STAY SAFE!
Martin, how incredibly photogenic you are.
Me? Moi? Photogenic? Not in this baseball hat! I’ll never wear a baseball hat again! Of course, I would’ve had my old, rich in history hat that I owned for years if it wasn’t for Marc’s aggression on the river. My old hat is probably somewhere in California by now.
Yes, you are photogenic. Don’t be so modest. Everyone can tell that you work out
Keep on blogging…