Grand Canyon Trip - Part Two

*******Thursday, May 9, 2013*******
Getting ready for the day! No makeup, mirrors or curling irons. Just braids, the river and sun hats.


This day was amazing.  We stopped where the Little Colorado River merges with the main Colorado River (mile 60 of our trip).
On the right in the Colorado River, and on the left is the Little Colorado.  Due to calcium carbonate in the Little Colorado, the river takes on that baby blue color.  This is where they merge. It was so incredible to see. 

Walking around the Little Colorado. 

 

The water was much warmer here, and we were able to form a train and go down some rapids.  It was so fun.  The color of that water was breathtaking. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Back on the boat for more rapids.  When there wasn't rapids we could lay on the boat, talk, hang out, and then the rapids came and made it exciting.  Perfect combination of a relaxing trip and adventurous. 

Prepping for the rapids.

Jason and his goggles.  The one and only time someone was more dorky that I was.  Although I do have a nice bonnet look going on. 

Camp and dinner that night. 

 

And because I'm sure people are curious about this situation, like I was before I went on this trip, this is the bathroom situation. Behold the loo with a view.   

 

*******Friday, May 10, 2013*******

Rise and shine! 

We had two boats in our group, and this was the second boat going down some big rapids.  Dave, Jason, and one other guy almost fell off going down this bad boy. 

We stopped and hiked and found this little waterfall. 

You could walk around the side of it and then jump through it, which the guys did.  The girls were too cold.  Such wimps we were. 

This next stop was a huge highlight of the trip for me.  This was a slot canyon, and we hiked through it. 

 

 

 

Our guides, Scotty and Joe, are in a band together.  They played us some songs, most being songs they wrote and about the Grand Canyon.  The acoustics in this canyon were amazing.  It made me teary a few times.  

At the back of this canyon was this rock.  J and J climbed up and jumped off. 

More rapids.

A video from some rapids.  This was a good sized one, but not as big as some of the ones we went through. 

We learned lots of cool things about how the schist and granite were made millions of years ago, and how these veins happened.

Happy campers. 

That night we stopped for camp and hiked to this waterfall.  We were in need of another shower, so we "showered" under the waterfall that night.  

 

Waiting for dinner and feeling so refreshed and clean.

Our gorgeous campsite that night. 

We had bananas foster for dessert that night.  Ice cream on our fourth night in the dessert.  These guides and the food were pretty amazing. 

This might be my favorite picture from the trip.  This was the first night it didn't rain, so we stayed up a little later than normal.  Jason is wearing his headlight and it was attracting the bats.  He loved to look up and watch the bats come fly through his light.  I loved to keep my distance.  He is such a little boy at heart. 

We were able to sleep under the stars that night.  The sky was unlike anything I had ever seen.  

 

  

Grand Canyon Trip - Part One

Brace yourself, these posts are going to be loooooong.

Dave and I went on the trip of a lifetime in May, with some of our favorite people, Jason, Jenn, Jason and Kristina. Because I have no memory, and I want to remember this amazing trip, there are probably 600 pictures about to be posted.  It was quite the feat organizing all these pictures from all the different cameras, and because I am crazy, they all had to be in sequential order. Even more reason to post more pictures, I was so proud of myself for organizing them.

My amazing sister in law Carrie used to be a guide for Western River Expeditions, and I have always wanted to do this trip.  The opportunity arose, we jumped on it, and we planned this trip in less than three months.

Dave and I flew into Las Vegas on Monday, May 6.  The next morning, bright and early we got on this little airplane and flew to Marble Canyon, AZ.  I had major pep talks with myself about how I wasn't claustrophobic.

We landed and met up with these lovelies.  We love traveling with these people.  We went on a cruise with them four years ago, and we were due for another trip. 

Here we are, all nice and clean. 

The J rig boats.  Our bags. And our life jackets. Start of the journey. 

After a brief orientation (where Dave embarrassed me by asking inappropriate questions), we were off! The start of our six day, 186 miles down the Colorado River.



 

The food on the trip was incredible  And the best past was that I didn't have to make any of it! Or do any dishes! We stopped for lunch and we went on a hike and we came back to our guides setting up lunch.  One of my favorite things was how strict they were with germs.  They had a hand washing station, and then an antibacterial pump. My kind of people. 

This lunch set up was the least impressive.  The other days we had curry wraps, and I can't remember what else. But it was good. See, memory fading. 

This was my first time to the Grand Canyon, another reason to add to the massive amounts of pictures.  I was very impressed with the beauty.

The Colorado River has the largest rapids for a river its size in North America.  We only took pictures on the smaller rapids, because on the big ones we were holding on for dear life. 

First set of rapids. 

 

 

 

 

Their faces say it all. This is one of my favorite pictures from the trip. 

Our campsite for the first night.  The sand was so soft and white, and I loved watching the sun fade away on the mountains. 

Jason took this picture of us.  I wish I could remember what we were talking about.  

Jenn and Jason.  Two of the most positive, upbeat, fun people I've ever met. 

Jason and Krisitna.  Hilarious, down to earth, witty, and always looking so stylish - both of them. 

Love these four people.

Us. 

Dinner that night was amazing-BBQ chicken (which I did not eat, I don't like chicken), two different kinds of cornbread from the dutch over, salad and yummy green beans with marinated almonds. 

Our view from our tent that night. It was supposed to rain all night (which it did) so we opted for the tent instead of sleeping under the stars. Not a bad way to end the first day. 

 

*******Wednesday, May 8, 2013*******

I loved waking up to this view-the mountains, the river, and Jenn with her trusty hot chocolate.


Watching the sun rise grow down the mountain was amazing, and doing it while eating eggs bendict added to the awesomeness.  We went to bed with the sun, and woke up with the sun.   I thought I was going to be really tired, but I actually really liked it and found I had lots more energy. Probably because I didn't have to cook. Or clean. Or change diapers.  Ha! 

This picture captures the essence of what a dork I was on this trip.  Rain gear, no makeup, freaking chums on our sunglasses, sun hats, and I only wish our shoes, yep dorky Tevas (knock off Tevas, even worse), were in this to capture the full effect. 

The start of a great day.  

She may have been the best dressed, but Kristina was the cutest dork there.  She actually bought and read the river guide book.  What? I just waited for the guides to tell me all they knew. 

 

Here is better picture to capture all the dorkiness (except for Kristina. Blast. And Jenn's not nearly as dorky as I am). We stopped here for a hike up to ancient Anasazi ruins. It was so amazing to see, and crazy to think that people actually lived there.

Dave photobombing. 

Petroglyphs (and a little bird poop).

 

 

An old wall, and our boat in the river. I like to think this was some Anasazi woman's kitchen.  Maybe she cooked here while her kids played outside.  

We hiked all the back inside this cave. Kinda cool, kinda creepy. 

Our stop at Red Wall Cavern.  This place was huge, they said a football field could fit in it.  Look how little those people are on the beach.  My sister in law who was the guide said there are fossils there that are 300 million years old. 

The girls.

The boys.  The guide were doing crazy rock climbing stuff.

So Jason and Jason tried too, and were really good.  Dave didn't try.  We need him to keep his fingers the way they are so we can go on more trips. 

The six of us.                                    And Greg.  

More rapids.

Another stop and hike. These are called the "kissing rocks". 

For obvious reasons. 

Lunch. 

We floated down the river and were told that we got to hike to some ancient Anasazi granaries.  In the middle of the picture in that big hole, and to the right is another smaller hole.  To the right of that, is a little indent with thee hole in it.  That is where we were going. The Anasazi people would keep their grain in there, light a controlled fire, and then close the granaries so they were air tight.  This preserved the grain until they needed it during the winter.  They lived in the canyon during the summer, and on top of the canyon during the winter. 

 

On the way up.

You can see our blue boats off to the bottom right. 

Such a beautiful view.  I love the Grand Canyon now.  Cheesy, I know.  

 

 

Almost there! 

We did it! 

   After we got all good and sweaty we decided to brave the 55 degree water and take a "bath". It was freeeeeezing, but felt so good after. Most beautiful spot I have ever taken a bath.  Coldest one too.