July 2, 1975 Wednesday
We're off! And it has been many a moon since Bill & I started on a major trip all by ourselves. We got away from the house at 8:40. Speedometer reading 3,412. It was misty and grey but by the time we settled down on IH-10, the road was dry, the air crisp, and the little white Dodge Colt purring.

We had spotty little thunder showers all the way - so the drive was cooler than expected. We ate in a road side park just outside of Sonnora, where those beautiful Caverns of Sonora are, and  just as we were finishing up, another downpour came.

We got to Dick & Dot's about 3:30. Dot was at work, but we were royally greeted by Dick & Dave McIntyre, one of D&D's nephews from Devine who is up here going to summer school before trying West Texas College this fall. He is a precious guy. We enjoyed talking to him.

Dot got home about five. We had beautiful steaks bar-b-queued on Dick's outside grill, and talked the evening away. Rick came in for supper only. He's helping with the West Texas Beauty Pageant and they are practicing every night this week. He enjoys it, but it's rough.

We went to bed at a fairly reasonable time. Slept well.

July 3, 1975 Thursday
Up around eight and away at a slow 9:25. Dot left about eight, Dave for class about nine. Dick bid us a goodbye and we were off again - under frowny skies and occasional rain.

We read our murder mystery and drove along - through Texas and into New Mexico. We ate lunch in Roswell (our own sandwiches & canned juices). About mid afternoon we finished Ross McDonald's, The Sleeping Beauty. We guessed who did it (after changing our minds three times) before we read the end.

Around three - after a round of iced tea - we started our second mystery - Amanda Cross's, In the Last Analysis. We'll have to tell Bob what has happened in it 'cause we won't finish it until tomorrow, after we've picked up Bob.


We got to Albuquerque about 4:30 and checked into our motel and rested about an hour. then we went to 'Old Town' for supper. We had a good Mexican food supper -- not as good as some of our Texas places, but the sopapillas were terrific! We ate at La Llacita, walked around Old Town, and then drove down to central New Town and found the Greyhound Bus Station. It's right across from a beautiful new fountain that was interesting to watch (I'm watching it while Bill checked on Bob's bus). Bob's bus is due in at about 6:45 tomorrow.

We came back to the motel, showered, set the alarm and settled down to read some - that didn't last long!

July 4, 1975 Friday
What a raucous sound an alarm clock makes at 5:45 in the morning! We got up and started moving slowly. Neither Bill nor I slept too well last night - which is not too surprising. We aren't used to changing beds every night yet. It'll come, it'll come!

This is our country's birthday. What better way to celebrate it is there? We started out to see some more country about 6:20. Neat!

We drove to the Greyhound Bus Station and were ten minutes earlier than Bob's bus was supposed to come in - but he had been there 20 minutes! It was great to see him - and he looked fine - lips were a bit cracked and he's tired, but he had grown tremendously! Not physically, but in confidence.

We came back by our motel area to an all night pancake house and ate breakfast, then we stared out.

I read rather sporadically on our new mystery as we drove toward Page, Arizona. We lunched in the middle of the Navajo (or were we in the Hopi? Yes, I believe so) Indian Reservation. 'Twas hot, but it was also cool - isn't that an enigma? 'Twas hot in the sun; cool in the shade - dry desert air and delightful sand blasted hills and canyons polka-dotted with green sage. Part of the drive today was through areas as colorful as the Painted Desert - some of the hills were chocolate drizzled; others had strawberry topping. I even saw a lemonish-vanilla one. The sand blasted sculpture was much to our liking, too.

Page, our stop for the night, overlooks the dam (Glen Canyon) and Lake Powell Reservoir (a lake or a man-made reservoir? pay your money & take your chance). We checked in at our motel (a lovely big room with two double beds & lots of room) and while Bob checked over his things and packed, Bill dropped me at a laundromat and he went to a store to check on some things. I started a very dirty load of Bob's clothes - off the mountain - and our clothes from the last couple of days. There were things Bob wanted to take with him on the float trip.

We thought this evening when we go out to supper, we might drive down to the lake and look it over. Page is pretty!

We ate at the Empire House dining room. Bob & Bill had shrimp; I had a trout almondine. Mmmm good!

Then we went to the motel and Bob packed his bag. We have a lot of stuff! We settled down for a good night's sleep (hopefully).

July 5, 1975 Saturday
Would you believe I'm sitting on a sandy beach with my back against a rock listening to the Colorado River roar and rumble by me? The cliff walls at this point are possibly three hundred feet tall. They are red and grey and the sun has just stopped playing peek-a-boo on the fringes of the canyon wall. This is a beautiful spot. We've come about 29 of our 281 miles today, and since we're going to be on the river eight days, we will have a few miles to make up. Since we didn't actually start until about ten this morning, we did very well. We have two rafts making this trip. Since each one can have 17 people (15 passengers and 2 crewmen), that makes for quite a crowd. There are about 14 on one and 12 or 13 on the other. I haven't got them all straight yet - but I will in eight days, I imagine.

We ran several rapids today with rather quaint names - we have a great waterproof book that tells us about the river and gives the number of the difficulty of the rapids. Ours today ranged from 2 to 6. A few of them made us whoop and holler a bit, and for a first day, things went very well, I thought. There were enough rapids to keep us happily entertained, and the never-the-same patterns of the canyon walls should be enough pleasure for anyone.


After camp was setup, we enjoyed the water and canyon setting. Bob hiked some into Shinumo Wash, but the rest of us were willing to just sit and help with supper. Supper was steaks, corn, bread and, get this - fresh strawberry short cake. Mmm.

July 6, 1975 Sunday
Our first night under the stars was --- an experience. The roar of the Colorado was echoed back against the canyon all night long. The stars were brilliant - brilliant. I watched them a great deal, 'cause I didn't sleep just a great deal.

We all got up and began stirring around about the same time. I haven't said much about the group. There are 25 in all. Two families from Cincinnati, about 11 people are on one raft with a couple of young girls - one a 7th grade math teacher - the other a photographer. Delightful types. On our boat there are three families - the three Brookses, four Warrens, and six Spillars. The Spillars are a delightful father, mother, 3 girls (much to Bob's delight) and 1 boy. They are our favorites on the trip (so far).

We are all rather compatible. When the boats beach for the evening, we all pitch in and help get the duffel bags, day bags, cameras, and kitchen stuff off the boats. Then we go find our campsites. We also volunteer to help with the meals, as we want to. I cut up strawberries while a little Cincinnatian, Marc, stemmed them. We made a good pair.

The crew on the boats are Bart & 2 helpers & Stan and 2 helpers. Stan is our oarsman. They're both excellent. The crew fixes the meals and sees to our needs. This includes, by the way, a "Port-a-potty". How 'bout that? Just like home - well, almost.

Today we got up, breakfasted on bacon & eggs, and got on the river. It got hot pretty quickly today. In fact, it got very hot, very quickly - and with the heat came a great nausea to me. It was rough, I upchucked about three times - once in the beginning of a 4-6 rapid, no less. That was rough, too.

We floated to where the Little Colorado came into the Colorado. This was after lunch, which I found nothing particularly good about; so I won't mention it. Where the Little Colorado joined us, we swam - and this was really delightful. It was warmer water than the Colorado and, therefore, much more comfortable water to swim in. We spent a great deal of the afternoon here. Nice!

This morning, also, we stopped twice - once to see some fossils back in a canyon and once at a big cave - Red Wall Cavern. Powell is quoted as saying it would seat 50,000, but he either exaggerated quite a bit, or else the sand has filled it 3/4 of the way up. At any rate, it was an interesting place to stop and explore - there were tracks of lots of little crawly things. I wish I could 'read' them!

Much of this Colorado we simply float leisurely along and enjoy. We have time to examine the canyon walls & hunt for wildlife. The wildlife count is meager - two deer and a bunch of not-wild goats, but goats that have gone wild. Probably they've slipped away from their Navajo Indian herders.

We float along - lounging all over the raft - but when a set of rapids is announced, then it's all hands alert. We sit on the dunnage bags and hang on. That's when the fun comes. The rapids are quite exciting.

We have enjoyed this waterproof book that we bought (Belknap, Buzz, Grand Canyon River Guide, waterproof). It is fun to know the rating of our rapids. So far the best we've been through was a 6-8. We are due some 7-9 or 10's before we are through.

Oh yes, at the end of our first day we took aboard two men who were trying to run the canyon in some little rubber boats. I understand they lost one - and one of the men - a doctor - broke his leg; so we have those two men with us now. I guess they'll get out at Phantom Ranch.

Our stay at Little Colorado was a long one. In fact, we're still there!

We finally left when the sun touched the canyon rim; so the rest of our floating today was shady and relatively calm. One more stop for wood (the way you know the camp in imminent. No one wants to bounce around with a lot of firewood) and then to our boulder strewn delightful beach. I can count eleven layers of canyon walls around us, each a different color. The sun has tipped the tallest with gold; the far ones down the river are already hazy in the heavy sun. We are going to be in shade for quite a while yet. Our nearest canyon wall is about 350 feet tall; the furthest, or rather tallest, 800 feet. Straight ahead on a wall we can see the lookout tower that is on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon proper. We are in Grand Canyon National Park now.

July 7, 1975 Monday
2nd night Carbon Creek
I actually started writing this earlier but failed to date it, so I'll do so now. Last night's supper, which I wasn't too excited about, was spaghetti & salad, with watermelon for desert. This morning we had pancakes and bacon. We are now packing duffel and day bags (I'll explain the difference later). Oh yes, also cartridge cases. Bob's, which is water tight and padded with foam, is quite distinctive. He has sprayed it white & gold and has 'Bob Brooks' and a butterfly painted in red on the side. It's neat. When the packing is over, we depart.

July 8, 1975 Tuesday
3rd night Lower Bass
Yesterday had lots on interests.  First of all, it could be called a 'rapid day'. It was the day with the most rapids - and the 2 through 4 in size. As we went along today, we passed the suspension bridge in the bottom of the Grand Canyon (where the Bright Angel Trail crosses) and put out our passengers at the Phantom Ranch. The doctor and his friend who lost their boats running the rapids. We learned a little more about them. They seemed to have hiked in and started their little jaunt without telling anyone else. This, of course, is a no-no. You're supposed to have a permit and check in with the park rangers to let them 'OK' and clear your equipment. Our guides got one of their boats for payment for their trip. When we got to Crystal Rapid, one of the guides was going to run the rapid in it. They inflated the raft and Tony tried paddling around the rapid. The way they were going to do it was to send Bart's boat through Crystal first, then ours, and finally Tony in the small raft. Well, after Bart went through, Tony decided not to, so he went through with us. Unfortunately, Bart didn't realize this, so he was sitting in a backwater eddy while we were chugging down the river with Tony. So, we had to motor back upstream to tell Bart that Tony was with us.

However, some of the interesting things happened with us. We had trouble with our motor twice when it really could have been bad. The first time was at Hance Rapid - a good one rated 7-8. Right at the end of the rapid, and still in very fast water, the throttle stuck. We had to put in, hold the boat rope (lots of hands, leaning like all get out) while Stan worked on the motor. Then loading was a bit of a problem, but not much.

The second problem with the motor came after we had gathered our firewood for the evening. We were going to put in at a pretty nice beach (though not real spectacular) and, after Bart was beached and starting to unload his boat, our motor conked and we took the next rapid backward. Bart, of course, dragged his passengers back on board and started in hot pursuit.

It was exciting, and a bit dangerous, but we managed nicely and in the end had a much more delightful camping spot. We camped at Lower Bass - right before Bass Rapid (4-5) and close to Bass Canyon where we were later to swim. We've gone 108 of our 281 miles. We've been out 3 days and 3 nights, but it seems like much, much longer! Time means very little when you are out like this. I suspect we've gone to bed at seven sometimes, and I know we've been up at five or so. It gets pretty hot, pretty early!

Today we will hit Bass Rapid (4-5), Shinumo Rapid (4-5), 110 Mile Rapid (5) and Hakatai Rapid (5). The ratings have seemed about right, anything above a 4 gives you a good ride. The 1-3 you just ride the waves and hardly notice. We all have our favorite places on the boat, too. Our boat is 33 feet long; Bart's is 37'. Bart has more tall, standing-up boxes on his, his passengers sit on them. Stan's boat has a lot of the duffel and we sit on the duffel. It makes for a bit 'softer' a ride. The raft is sort of 'hinged' so it will flex for and aft. It is an odd looking thing:

My favorite spot is between the pontoons with my legs over the big raft. I believe the inflatable part is neoprene and very strong. We have bounced on the rough canyon walls a couple of times, but it hasn't bothered us too much.

When we hit a rapid, our boatman, Stan, tells us to hang on. That's our time to move off the pontoons and get on the duffel and hang on. Then we 'ride 'em'. What a thrill! The rapids must have first place honors on the trip, followed, I guess, by the lovely swimming holes, Little Colorado, Lower Bass so far; more to come. Third would be the beautiful scenery, panoramic, 3D, cinecolor, ever changing. Early morning and evening are, of course, the best, but even during the middle of the torrid day you have to admire the starkness of the area. No, not starkness, that's no good. The ruggedness of the land, the massive cliffs shimmering in the heat. The rocks that start out perpendicular to the horizon and end up horizontal. Showing giants playthings, dark caves, interesting profiles, pointing fingers, clenched fists... to the imaginative looker. These are the things we float for.

About twelve o'clock if you ask one of our troupe why they are making the trip, they'd undoubtedly answer, "Darned if I know", only in more colorful language. They might even add, "I should have had my head examined. I think I'll break a leg and be helicoptered out." (Surely at some time on the trip each 'drifter' has honestly thought this). But, ask them right after running a rapid, right after a swim in chilled water under a grotto waterfall, right after a good supper and quiet time watching the sun polish the cliffs and disappear for the night, right after fifteen minutes alone sitting on a boulder at the water's edge listening to the endless chatter and lapping of the water, and they would say, "What other life is there? This is real living. Tis is the greatest.".

But, let's get to today's happenings. This morning we breakfasted on scrambled eggs and sausage. The eggs had hunks of fresh onion (Greta does neat things like this all the time - fresh mushrooms, sour cream, Mmmm, Paces Picante Sauce- shades of home) and, do you  know, Bob liked the eggs, even though he knew they had onion in them! I don't kid myself though, I could never get away with it at home.

After breakfast and getting our gear piled and ready for loading, most of the camp went on a hike to a swimming hole in Bass Canyon. We lazy ones stayed in camp and came by boat, but first we stowed the dunnage (doesn't that make me sound like a pro?). Also, Stan had to work some on the motor of our boat. We really can't say too much about Stan & Bart, our boatmen. They are the greatest (as are the rest of the crew, Tommy, his wife Carol, chief cook & Bart's girlfriend, Greta, and Tony) They're all great. There is also Randy who is helping out because he's riding free, I think. He's working for a research group hired by the Park Service, to to count the boats and people seen each day. At the end of our trip, I understand, he will give us a questionnaire about our trip, and the other boats and people we were around and what our feelings about the river and park area is. I don't, of course, know the questions that will be asked, but  I will pleads to keep the river wild and untrampled. I may even say to keep the darned tourists out of it for a few years to let it recover from it's cuts and scratches, made by the mightiest and supposedly thoughtful of all Earth's creatures, man. And, yes, I know I'm one of those tourists! I just hope that I, and the group I am with, really feel the urgency of preserving this river and protecting it. I want my grandkids to see it and enjoy it, the way it should be. Gad. With these digretions, I'll never get through the day!

We boated up and swam in a delightful stream. Down at the mouth of it, we bathed, washed hair and clothes and photographed each other bathing & washing.

We then moved on down our river, through Shinumo Rapid (4-5), 110 Mile Rapid (5), Hakatai Rapid (5), and a few more. Then we put in and hiked back to Elves Chasm, and what elves we were! There is a chimney effect behind the waterfall that you can climb into. It is alive with moss and fern and a fairy place if there ever was one. It's possible to climb up in the rock, pop out (like an elf?) through a window opening and leap into a cold, deep pool! Great! What fun, what delightful water. We didn't want to leave, but I wanted to write some, so Bill and I started out right behind three of the Warrens (he is called 'Doc', I don't know if he is one, or if it's because he looks like Snow White's Doc). I stopped in the shade of a big rock and blessed Bill climbed down, got our books, gear and canteen, and climbed back up to me. By that time, a Spillar and another Warren had arrived, followed quickly by the youngest male Spillar. We watched two more rafts arrive and started back toward Elves Chasm. About this time I discovered a hole in my sack, and my last pen was gone. Horrors! How can I continue my journal? Mrs Warren supplied me with a pencil, but I really was moaning for my pen. I had given my spare to our seventh grade teacher on the other boat (hers ran out) and I could see myself having to ask for it back! (I would have, rather than stop writing, however).

We loaded aboard after eating our lunch. Lunch is a sandwich meal, we need only our cup and a healthy appetite. The sandwiches are great, always there is peanut butter and honey. In addition, we've had luncheon meat once and tuna fish (a real winner) twice. Today we had bacon, tomato and lettuce. The meals have been outstanding!

Have I mentioned last night's supper? If not, let me spend a page raving about it. Just as an army moves on it's stomach, so a traveling group moves from meal to meal. Good food may not be an absolute must on this trip (we could 'feast' on the beauties of nature), but good food certainly helps! Last night's supper was a combination burrito, taco, and enchilada. Greta had ten inch flour tortillas. In them we put refried beans, a hamburger-chili mixture, and rolled it up. On top we put guacamole salad and by the side of it, lettuce and tomatoes. Over it all we had the exquisite pleasure of spooning Paces Picante Sauce. Ah, Manna! Oh yes, if you really wanted to guild the lilly, you could put on some additional sour cream. You tell me that we're not eating well!

Now, after Elves Chasm and our second swim of the day, we did Forester Rapid (3-6) and Fossil Rapid (3-6). They were both nearer the big-number end. Today we had delightful runs.

Somewhere around 128 Mile Rapid (4), Spector Rapid (4) and Bedrock Rapid (2-6), we gathered our firewood. Then we lashed it down in front of the boat because Deubendorf Rapid (5-8) was coming up. This was the biggest of the day and ranked about 7th best (meaning roughest) on the trip.

I guess I should stop here and give at least our top five. Starting with numbers 4 & 5 (they're tied) are Hermit Rapid (7-8) and Granite (7-8), and they were only two miles apart, at 93.5 & 95 miles from our starting point at Lee's Ferry. Third is Horn Creek (7-9) which we went through 90 miles out. Second is Deubendorf Rapid (5-8) that we did today at the 131 mile marker. However, the Grand daddy of them all comes in at mile 179, Lava Falls (8-10). There's one to quicken the blood and brighten the eye. It possibly will come up tomorrow. Now, that is a lovely thought to sleep on!

July 9, 1975 Wednesday
4th night, near 133 Mile Creek
Tony has a musical instrument that is great for traveling and backpacking with. It was made in South Africa and is called a Kalimba. Yesterday morning he let me play with it (all these people are lovely, gracious, sharing sorts, really), and I fell in love with it.You can run a scale (alternating with your thumbs) and get some unusual sounds by playing the two holes in the back of the sounding box. I took down some notes on it and hope to find one in a music store once we return to San Antonio.

This morning we awoke to a beautiful green river again! You can't realize the significance of that unless you know that yesterday our river looked as if a massacre had happened upstream from us, a good, bloody one! The river was so very red! This morning it is clean again. I'm spending my time tis morning darting from rock to rock, trying to avoid the rays of the sun rising over the cliff walls. It is a game I won't win, but I'm enjoying playing it none the less.

Last night's supper was great. Col. Sanders has nothing on us. We had fried chicken, potatoes, gravy and mixed vegetables! 'Twas very good. For desert we had chocolate birthday cake. Marc, our youngest floater, celebrated his ninth birthday. There are few youngsters who get to swim i two natural river pools, ride the second largest rapid on the Colorado and eat birthday cake in the Grand Canyon National Park on their ninth birthday. T'will be one to mark all the others from!

Ooops, here comes that sun again. I surrender! You win.

We had breakfast of bacon & eggs (everyone was lazy today, so we didn't move very fast). Then we started floating. We made a quickie stop and climbed up to see a salt cave, but it wasn't a place to be without shoes. It had bat guano in it, and rabid bat droppings in cut feet could possibly have disastrous results. So, we kept shoes on! The cave is a salt cave, natural salt crystals cover the back walls, looking a bit like spilled milk.

We then headed for Dear Creek Falls. Now, this is really a beautiful spot. I stayed down at the bottom of the falls while most of the others hiked up to the top. I'm sure this is a mistake, but the hike really didn't sound too good to me. Staying did, however, give me my own quiet time at the base of the falls. Spattered with spray, I had my own water-washed tranquility. That was nice.

Bill and I swam a while at the base of the falls; then Bill went on up with the group. I'm glad. I don't want him to miss anything. Besides, he'll describe it all to me later.

He did, and it sounded great. I mustn't skip these hikes!

The next opportunity for a hike was Matkatamiba Canyon. This was almost a hidden canyon, very narrow. Our two boats could hardly get side by side in the canyon. We debarked here and started up the canyon, so narrow we could touch both sides of the walls. W followed a tiny streamlet that was hollowing its own little chute down to the Colorado. At times we wiggled, back on one side, feet on the other, along the two walls until we came to an opening in the canyon. There was an amphitheater on one side, and the stream stair stepping, or rather, bath tub pool stepping down the other. One wall was covered with giant boulders. What a place! We played and cavorted, chortling away. Then, all of a sudden, the place took over. In twos and threes we found ourselves sitting and looking and enjoying what was here. Grace said we settled down that way from sheer exhaustion. I say it was something else, primarily a compelling, almost commanding serenes was there. For the moment, nothing else existed, no yesterday, no tomorrow, just a beautiful, exhilarating now. The idea of living the here and now was never stronger.

Bart broke the stillness with, "Let's go!" and go we did. Some took the high road, along the side of one canyon wall, others returned the way we came. The Brookses went the high way. The boats came around to where we emerged and we hopped aboard.

We had already gathered our wood for the day, and we went only a few miles to our campsite, a tiny one just above Upset Rapid (3-8), 148 miles into our trip.

After unduffeling and getting the food crews going, everyone settled into his thing. From where I sit, I see Bill reading, Bart is playing with a couple of the Cincinnati kids, a dozen of the crew and tourists (ages ranging from 16-45) are having a fine philosophic bull session, our teachers are making a photo-story (from port-a-potty to the little black pots set up for us to each wash our dishes), to each his own. How Great!

The canyon is particularly beautiful at this point; the river is subdued, the air is caressing, like the brush with a bit of cotton, the fire is crackling. The supper cal has been given. I'm sorry the whole world can't share this.

July 10, 1975 Thursday
Last night my sky was divided into two vees, one on my left, and one on my right. When we went to bed there was an immense hung back cliff right across the river from us. This, and the cliffs on our left & right (we're camped in a bend in the river) accounted for our sky. the vees at first were covered with dark clouds, and as they slowly dissipated  (floated away? without my glasses it was hard to see), twinkly little knot holes of light appeared in the deep royal blue sky. Then the blue turned to velvety black. The brightest stars appeared first, soon Bill and I discovered the Big Dipper in the left hand vee. I watched it slowly move down the closed end of the vee.

Last night's supper must be mentioned. Pork chops baked in heavy iron pots (a layer of chops, sprinkle of thyme, sage and oregano, slices of Italian onion, dash of ketchup, and another layer of the same!). Then we had tossed salad and English peas. The salad had carrots, cucumber, and cheese in it. For desert we had fruit (cantelope, bananas, gosh, I've forgotten what all else) with yogurt stirred in. I would have preferred it without the last, but it sure was delicious.

Which reminds me of lunch. After our big old canyon climb yesterday, we were each given a huge delicious apple. It was great to see everyone gnawing, munching, slurping and Mmming over our apples. It had to be the best one I've ever tasted.

This morning Bill fell for the troops. He had both hands full of cans of juice to put in the cooler (a canvas bag dangling in the water) and had one foot on the raft and one on the pontoon. Unfortunately for him, air had been let out of the pontoons to help get the boats off the sand. This made the pontoon 'give' a lot. Bill balanced  for several seconds, but  he ended up in a slow fall into the river. It gave everyone a good chuckle.

We moved through Upset Rapid and they didn't live up to their name. I'm not complaining, just commenting, and went on to Havasu Creek. It is up this creek that the Havasupai Indians live, way up the creek I might add. We had the choice of hiking or swimming up the canyon, and old dumb-dumb and husband swam, with life preservers on and my journal the things in a plastic bag. Oh, yes, my murder mystery was in my back pocket. Stupid, stupid! We left our life preservers along the canyon wall and hiked on in. There were beautiful swimming holes all along the way, and we visited several of them. Bart had said to be back at the boat between 12 & 2 (we were leaving at 2:00, lunch was being served between 12-2). We had also taken oranges and apples with us into Havasu. We swam back to the boat, quite an experience.

Do you know those little canyon lizards can even walk on the canyon walls and ceilings like flies?! I understand there are about 30 varieties of lizard here. I've seen one that looks like our old whip-tail, a red one, and one with very distinctive black spots on it. They also come in a variety of sizes. I like the tiny, two inch ones that look as though they were just hatched.

After lunch and much loafing in the shaded canyon, we started on down the river at a  leisurely pace. Stan let Greg Spillar drive a while. Greg is a junior, beautifully muscled (he's a gymnast), delightfully mannered young man. He's cooperative and really a great help. Greg is a favorite at the camp. I'd like to take him home in my back pocket (move over sun tan lotion), if I could. Greg did a good job driving the boat. We were really lazing down the river, so our imp Tommy (I'll spend a page or two just on Tommy & Carol after I'm sure they've both read this thing, if they must) decided to water fight the other boat. Tommy filled out Gott thermos and threw it on the other bunch. It started some silly horse play that, hopefully, won't go any further. Oh, we also doused another tour boat going by, and they just sort of sat there, no reaction was noted, no anger, humor or astonishment... nothing. I really expected some response.

We went on to National Canyon, at the 166.5 mile marker. At the 179 mile mark we will come to Lava Falls!!

July 11, 1975 Friday
Anyone who says we won't have electricity and running water on a Grand Canyon float trip has just never been on this trip. We had plenty of both last night. What';s more, both came in two or more kinds! We had red & green running water and vertically thunderstorm rain. The electricity comes horizontally or vertically and is sometimes called lightening. It makes beautiful patterns in the night sky.

We had a short thunderstorm last evening. It lasted just long enough to clean the sand, cool the air, and hold supper until we were really hungry. While it went on, we all sat under our ponchos wherever we wanted, on a piece of driftwood, in our own camp, on the boat, wherever.

It was great to see it coming, like a misty veil down the canyon toward us. It left up the canyon and a few minutes later there was a rainbow, haloing the cliff. Roy-G-Biv in all his glory!

Needless to say, supper was scrumptious; a beef stroganoff, slaw of two cabbages and carrots. Bob  peeled the carrots. I bet, if I could take Greta home with me, he'd do it at home, too. Greta is a beauty, and has the most beautiful smile and brown, smooth skin. Stan calls her his Pepsodent girl.

Have I mentioned that word got to our boat crew that our two men passengers (who had entered the canyon illegally, lost a boat and had to be rescued by our boatmen and taken to the Phantom Ranch) hiked out of the canyon? Amazing how quickly that broken leg healed.

Last night's sky was close enough to touch, and the stars were scintillating. The cliff walls could be seen 360 degrees, all around (only a vee for the river to come and go through). I saw Scorpio, or else I saw an alligator with a curly tail. It's eyes glowed. It was cooler last night because of the rain, and we slept long and hard.

This morning we had huevos rancheros for breakfast! Again, Bob said, 'We've got to have this at home." It is getting to be a familiar refrain.

Our river is rushing red again, and it is very high. Ripe for a good run, and it is coming, I'm sure. We tried to batten down the hatches really well.

We lost all silverware this morning. Good 'ole Bob found it, right where the entire sack had fallen out. I would have hated eating with our fingers the rest of the trip.

I also lost my brown jeans. I have other pants, but these have served so well that I had wanted 'em to go all the way. I later found them, in with the dunnage. I'll boil them in oil, frame them, retire them with honors, or whatever when we get home.

Bill lost his extra supply of pills, but they were alsoi found. Tis is fortunate, for his daily supply keep melting in someone's pocket, despite protection. I have one inside pocket of my jeans stained a permanant pink from one of his vitamin capsules, healthiest pocket around.

Bob lost, and found, his blue shirt; so you see, the trip is not without it's moments.

Never before have my trip journals gone beyond the perusing of my own family. Now they are communal property.

Enough of this, I've goofed off  through the whole loading tis time. The port-a-potty still needs loading, but I must be off. Tonight I must make up for my morning slackness. My river's calling.

Today we made more hours than any other day on the trip, actually we had to, if we were to get off the river Saturday morning. We used the motors almost all day. In fact, the only time we drifted is when we were waiting for the other boat once.

Our lunch stop was a quickie 'cause we had to beat the rain. It was an interesting lunch for another reason, too. We were eating on a damp sand bar, and the four legs of the table began settling into the sand. It was quicksand!

We stopped once in the afternoon for a quickie cool off. It was a sort of double waterfall effect. I enjoyed the two waterfalls on the lower level, however, one of the falls was hotter than the other. We had hot & cold running water-showers! I stood in one and then the other and let them pepper me with their thumpy fists and tingly fingers. We stayed only a bit, to cool off, then went motoring on.

Supper stop was interesting. Food always is, of course, but this one had some other interests. First, 'the throne' (our port-a-potty) was setup without it's curtains. 'Twas quite a shock to visit it and see it sitting there in all it's glory, with a beautiful view of the river. A few of us were lined up to use it, and another tour boar came floating down the river. No one wanted his turn to come at that particular moment.

For supper we had steaks, mixed vegetables, tossed salad and canned fruits for desert. Tommy broiled along with the steaks, he really had his sauna bath for the week. However, the effort was worth it, the steaks were great.

We unloaded the boats the same way as always, via duffel line. Then we pulled out our sleeping bags and pads and the things we needed before tomorrow. Then, all the duffel was loaded back on the boats. All the luggage was leveled as well as possible. We reboarded, laid our sleeping gear out, and went to bed. The motors were cut off and we drifted down the river all night.

Sleep was sporadic for all of us, but I really did pretty well. Grace, Stan and I slept in the bow, on bags of duffel. Even though we had to conform to their contours, we did pretty good. The first part of the night we talked and watched the stars, and listened to Bob's yarns (unfortunately, the guitar was stowed under too much gear to get to).

Later in the night it rained a bit, and several times we bumped into the canyon walls as we drifted along. I liked the sound, it was the neoprene sides of the boat gently scratching the granite, sandstone, lava, basalt, whatever, sides of the canyon. These collisions were, for me, always an eye opener.

As the sky lightened, people began to awaken and talk. Bill had a good case of the giggles. Everything was hilarious there for a while. One time during the night, he was feeling around and squeezed my toes. I asked what he wanted, and he said, nothing. So, indignantly, I told the Spillars that he was pinching my toes. This was funny? It was when he started telling it. I guess we were all sorta giggly.

We stopped for a morning break and voted to have a cold breakfast and get off the river a bit sooner. Breakfast was sweetrolls, bread and butter and cereal. I wasn't very hungry, but the sweet roll was very good. There was also iced tea! However, I had to wait to enjoy that until after the men had their cereal.

We ate on the boats, which were tied together. The river has lost it's rush. It has a muddy red color. The cliffs were (only!) two or three hundred feet high. They looked very old, almost my age, I'd say.

We floated on to Pierce's Ferry.

Arriving at Pierce's Ferry at about 10:00 we found nothing, no bus for those going to Las Vegas, no cars for the families wanting to drive away. What a low blow! There was nothing there, not even a store. We unloaded the boats and piled our belongings in little piles all over the beach.... then we waited.

About eleven our cars arrived, followed shortly by the bus. Even though we said our goodbyes and got away first, the two teachers and the bus soon passed us. Our little car was doing well, however, and we were headed back toward civilization - darn it!

We drove about fifty or sixty miles, half of it on deserted desert roads, and had our first meal at a sit down table, hamburgers, French fries and ice cream cones. Not as good as river fare, but different. Oh, yes, my first iced tea (with ICE) in a week. Now that I did miss!

There are some river things I know I've failed to say that I will wish I had, but to sum up the trip - it was a great, memorable, unforgettable trip.

July 13, 1975 Sunday
We spent last night in Winslow, Az. The town is interesting in that the 'main street' seems to be two parallel streets, each one way and along the highway. We ran along the two streets last night and this morning in between motel and supper, and motel and breakfast, and finding the Post Office to get a few more post cards and stamps. We wanted to write a few people about the river while it was still fresh in our minds. We are still 'high' on the story. In fact, I can still sit quietly wherever I am and feel & see the motion of the waves. I understand this phenomenon may stay with me for several days.

After breakfasting in Winslow, we drove and read, and drove and stopped to shop for fruit, and drive and stopped to shop for lunch. we lunched in a beautiful New Mexico road side park, a covered picnic table in a cluster of about fifteen or so. Good restroom facilities. We had sandwiches, Fritos, tea and fruit for lunch, lots of fruit. Right now we have on hand bananas, apricots, plums and big,m beautiful, luscious bing cherries. We have eaten three or four pounds of these. Oh! Are they good!

Tonight we are spending the night in Ft. Sumner, N.M. It is a tiny town with no Mobil Travel Guide rated eating places or motels, but we lucked out on both. We have an immense and comfortable room with two good double beds, a TV (which we haven't used), and beautiful shellacked cedar furniture. The ceiling is huge logs and knotty pine. It's cool, clean and comfortable. we ate at Tinos & feeling very merry, ordered Mexican Food. It was outstanding. I couldn't eat all mine; so Bob, who had polished off his breaded veal cutlets, finished my supper, too. This morning he had two breakfasts, one of strawberry pancakes, and the other of sausage, fried potatoes, jelly & toast. What an appetite! He's really filling out. He looks good, especially since he shaved.

July 14, 1975 Monday
Bill and I didn't sleep too well last night, but Ft. Sumner, N.M. was good to us. First of all, the motel room was beautiful, spacious, clean, all we could ask for. Unfortunatly, the bed sort of rocked, and we still felt as though we were on the raft.

We ate btreakfast in Ft. Sumner. Bob had his second huevos rancheros. Bill and I had traditional bacon and eggs.

And, off we drove, through New Mexico, finishing our murder mystery and starting another. We stopped a couple of times for fruit and vegitables and lunched in a beautiful, high, Texas roadside park.

We got to Iris & Oscar's about six, and how great they looked! It's always such fun to see them. It's nice to really enjoy your relatives, isn't it? Iris had a tremendous supper waiting for us. Good fresh vegetables, two kinds of meat, lots of iced tea, Heaven!

We talked about the trip, the rest of the family, and Rick & Terri's coming wedding.

It's about a two hour drive to Graham, Tx. and the Garden Terrace Home where Uncle Jess and Aunt Eula live. We want to see them, of course, but we are also getting eager to get home and 'hang our hat'. Bob has been away 3 1/2 weeks, we, two. That's long enough.

Books Read:

• The Sleeping Beauty, McDonald, Ross.
• In the Last Analysis, Cross, Amanda
• Grand Canyon River Guide (waterproof), Belknap, Buzz