Had a wonderful visit with Kerry & Debbie, and I adore their two children, Ryan (4) and Conner (1). These are two of the best behaved children I've ever met. I arrived at K&D's place about 10:30 A.M..... Texas time! (I forgot to reset my watch, it was 9:30 Colo. time -- Ouch!) I stayed until about 6:00 Colo. time. During this period, we mainly sat around and visited. Very boring stuff for an active 4 year old. However, Ryan was quite happy and capable of entertaining himself.... mainly by playing with his younger brother. Great kids. I'm always amazed to see old friends in the new roles of parents. Usually, it is a very pleasant surprise.

Kerry is still working at Hughes Aircraft, but he seems to be moving more and more away from physics and into management. Debbie is keeping quite busy being a mom, but still finds time to practice her accounting on a contract basis.

Kerry, alway the astronomer, told a story of going down to Mexico to watch the last total eclipse of the sun. Debbie kept adding her own opines of the trip. They were both quite excited. Debbie said she had never had such an emotional experience, a feeling of connectivity! I couldn't help but smile, and nearly burst out laughing.... the way they described it.... the feeling on connecting, of caring and sharing the experience, of the moment building to a final, inescapable peak! I told them I could readily relate, but went no further. You see, I've felt all those same emotions, but I wasn't watching an eclipse!

After bidding Kerry & Debbie a very reluctant farewell, I drove toward Denver with the hope of meeting up with my old friends Cindy & Bud Amack. Unfortunately, they were not available. Bummer, that was a low blow! Cindy was quite a god friend in high school. I was looking forward to meeting her husband and two daughters.

I left Denver and drove up to Ft. Collins, then due west on Hwy 14. This is the road that parallels the Cache La Poudre River up into Roosevelt National Forest. I made many a backpacking trip into this area back in my high school days. Of course, I wasn't a kayaker back then. Seeing the river through a boater's eyes was quite an experience. Many sections were simply fast, 'chattery' water. These looked like a lot of fun, very reminiscent of the Nantahala River in North Carolina. However, there were also some sections of very serious whitewater! I looked at these with some trepidation. I tended to think I could run most of them, but they would be a real challenge. I had thought I was looking at a class IV run. Later I had the opportunity to look this up in a guide and, sure enough, it was rated a solid IV. Gave me some confidence in my river rating skills.

I left the Cache La Poudre and back-tracked a bit toward Boulder and on into Rocky Mountain National Park. I arrived in Boulder about 10:00 P.M., just in time to stop and watch a spectacular fireworks display. (Is it still the 4th!???- I pack a lot into my vacations) 

One strange aside -- different parts of the country do things.... well, differently! (brilliant observation -- huh?) I am surprised to see fireworks stands in the middle of cities. I also have trouble getting used to seeing motorcyclists riding without helmets.

Arrived at Rocky Mountain NP about midnight. Not surprisingly, all the campgrounds were full. I simply parked -- very illegally -- in a scenic overlook and climbed in the back of the truck for a sound night's sleep.

And with this, I really need to turn in for the night. Even though I still have two very full days to document... I have been writing by the light of my mini-mag flashlight and I think frostbite is setting into my fingers. It is only 9:30, but already pitch black in the forest and the temperature is probably 40 degrees. I will most assuredly appreciate my sleep tonight. Hopefully I will catch up with my exploits in Rocky Mnt. and the Royal Gorge tomorrow -- but for now... 'G'night!

July 5, 1994 Tuesday
I am writing this while sitting at a picnic table at the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. It is still quite cool -- mid '50s -- in fact. I was going to sit in the shade to save myself from sunburn, but it was just too cold! So, I seem, to be a couple of days behind in my chronicling... Let's see, I believe I was sleeping in a scenic overlook in Rocky Mountain NP.

I woke Tuesday morning about 7:00 and drove around the park to check out the many scenic overlooks.By 9:00 when the main park headquarters opened I was ready to start a slightly more organized exploration. I checked out the museum & gift shop a spoke to some park rangers. They recommended a 9.5 mile alpine hike which included a half dozen small lakes and even a waterfall. I hit the trail about 10:00 and hiked until about 2:30. This is the Colorado I fell in love with back in my high school days! The sun was quite warm -- but the breeze was cold. Many of the other hikers were looking at me askance when I hit the trail in shorts, a t-shirt and sandles... However, I knew the day would quickly warm up, and a strenuous hike would not leave me overly warm for long.

I love the muffled sound of hiking boots on a trail thick with pine needles, the acrid smell of pine sap, the sound of bees and other mountain insects... The mountains themselves were rugged, and, even in July, the peaks were snow capped. This was exactly what I had come to Colorado for, to experience these mountains... and yet, I was alone. I often caught myself murmuring, 'wonderful' -- but I had no one to share these feelings with. And, there was one, a special one, whom I would love to be sharing these feelings with.

Last February I met a woman... Kathleen Till and I met on a kayaking trip on the Colorado River. I was with a group from College Station. Kathleen had driven up from Houston -- introduced to our group by a mutual friend. After our Saturday paddle, I invited Kathleen to join us for a Sunday trip on the San Marcos -- she agreed -- and I have seen her every weekend since -- at least, until recently.

I was amazed at how rapidly Kathleen became an integral part of my life... of just how much my weekends with her have become high points in my week. Well, as much as I enjoyed being in Colorado again, I wasn't able to enjoy myself totally, knowing that she could not be here with me. Do you think this means something? Funny, today, in the midst of all this beauty, I am lonely. I have not felt lonely in many years.

I left Rocky Mountain National Park shortly after I got off the trail. I drove back through Boulder and turned south once more. I owe a special debt to Kerry & Debbie. They recommended taking Hwy 14, otherwise known as the 'Peak to Peak Highway', south out of the park. It has turned out to be a spectacularly beautiful drive, but not a fast one. I doubt if I have averaged 45 mph.

I drove along a raging torrent of a mountain river -- though not big enough to boat -- it probably dropped 200'/mile. This river, and the road, between two tall vertical rock walls, was very reminiscent of the drive into and through Zion NP. I was, however, slightly disconcerted by the signs lining the highway warning of flash flood! These canyon walls looked awfully hard to climb!

I continued south and east till I hit Hwy 25 and then blitzed south to Pueblo and the Royal Gorge area. My plan was to raft the gorge with a commercial company on Wednesday, just to scout it out, and then to kayak it on Thursday. I found the office of Rocky Mountain Tours still open and spoke to the manager, Larry. I had spoken to Larry a few days before and had voiced interest in scouting the canyon before kayaking it. He offered to take me along on  one of their commercial trips for half the normal price of $75. I jumped at the chance and arranged to join up with the Wednesday morning trip. Larry pointed me toward a nearby BLM campground where I was able to camp for free. So far on this trip I have yet to actually pay for a night's camping, but I'm sure that will change.

July 6, 1994 Wednesday
8:15 Wednesday morning, and I was up and ready to begin a raft trip through the Royal Gorge. By 10:00 I had signed my waivers and we were on the river. I was scheduled to take an 'all day' trip. We put on the Arkansas river about 12 miles above the mouth of the gorge. The first stretch was fairly easy, being mostly class III with a few IVs thrown in. It was fun, but not particularly dangerous. Our group consisted of three rafts with 7 or 8 people per raft. One boat was leaving the river at our half way point, which was also the lunch stop. The river was running about 1,300 cfs -- moderately low.