Home at last

Well that trip home was really unpleasant, but its over now. Mark Twain once said ‘the longest winter of my life, was the summer I spent in San Francisco…’ and I can tell him the autumn is no picnic either. I wasn’t being picked up from my hotel until 4 so I went out to have my last walk around in the US, but there was a storm (which I here was the tail end of a cyclone). This may have been the first rain I saw since my first day in New York but it really did make doing anything seem like a bad idea. I though thou where I could stay warm and dry for several hours, and I realized most pubs fit that bill, so my last few hours of the trip where in a Irish pub just up from Fisherman wharf.

I then went back and waited from my shuttle, now with the conditions everyone was running late. This meant that I was a little late for the final check in time. Lucky (and very un-American) this didn’t cause any problems. Un luckily the plane was also delayed, by a little over 3 hours as it turned out. We were sitting on the plain wondering if this meant we were too late to make the plane out of LAX, with great timing we landed after boarding had commenced but before the plane was due to takeoff, so this meant I spent a total of 8 minutes at LAX, most of this was running from one gate to the next (The best LAX experience ever). After the fun little 12 hour trip arriving in Auckland we found out that our bags weren’t as quick as us and were still in LA, bugger. This meant a whole lot of form filling etc to make sure we got our bags (they were only 26 hours late getting home) which pushed me a bit close in getting to my next flight, the time the plane started boarding I was still with customs. After a quick trip across the Auckland airport (Oh how I do like the efficiency of the NZ aviation security) I made it with seconds to spear. Now I am not sure it was some new form of clam I picked up on the river or simply I was to tiered to do anything else but all this didn’t seem all that bad in the seam of things but I was really glad to be home and have decent coffee (the flight that had great views of the sounds and the snow on the Kaikouras also managed to welcome me home.)

Day 49 and all is well

Well my last full day of the trip is here, I am quite looking forward to being home but the holiday has been so cool I will miss it. I had a tour today, the first part was a bus trip out (over the Golden gate again) to a place called Muir woods, this has an original forest of California Redwoods, which is quite spectacular (especially compared to the desert of the previous few weeks) not as large around as I imagined but certainly very very tall. After this I came back into the city for a harbor cruise, under the bridge and around Alcatraz, this city really does work well when seen from a boat.

I went the short distance back to my hotel via the section of Lombard Street where it is so steep they have made it into a zig-zag. I looked at it and yes this is actually quite steep, but hay I have seen worse (well not as steep as Wellington that isn’t saying much) and one day I could see this becoming a solution back home. The area I am staying in is called the Marina district, and bit of re-clamed land jutting out in an earthquake zone, with streets that were designed without any though to the rather step hills they then cross (oh it is just like home). The area has lots of Victorian town houses and looks very well off, kinda like some sort of uba-Thordon (I realized this was a little odd when I went looking for something to eat and the first bakery I found was for dogs, because there is no way Fido should have biscuits that are not freshly made….). I hear this area got quite severally damaged in the 1989 earthquake and I can really see why, but saying that I can see it would be a pleasant place to live otherwise.

…To shinning sea

I have made it to the ‘left coast’ after a day of doing very little (and trying to cope with this indoor thing) in flagstaff and flew to San Francisco, via Phoenix Sky-Harbor airport (which is one of the silliest names for an airport I have ever heard, but it has great free wi-fi so I will forgive it). You know you are traveling in the states where the equivalent of flying from Nelson to Auckland takes all day and when in the Phoenix to SFO flight I saw military jets (F-16 & F-21) at both take off and landing.

I walked down to the waterfront and over to the Golden Gate bridge, and yip it just as spectacular as all those pictures (I also quite liked seeing the Pacific again). The walk over the bridge is quite long and a little disconcerting when you fell it move when a bus or something drives over it. I noticed one of the differences between the coasts of the US. When I walked the Brooklyn bridge there were fences and barbed wire to make sure that people did jump from it. Out here none of that, just a normal 4 foot high fence that anyone could get over no problems, what they do have is phones up and down the bridge that will put you though to someone to tell you it is all right, on bridge cancelling how San-Fran.

By all accounts this week is the end of fleet week (Cue whichever sit-com joke about San-Fan and additional sea-men you want here). This is where the Navy based here puts on displays to connect with the people (and try and recruit them). The result of this was while I was on the bridge and walking back they put on an air display for me (and several thousand other people who were there), to see these modern jets doing tricks this low was quite amazing (there were no-go areas on the water, as the jets were so low a big mast could have been hit).

I found a way to stop me noticing a women in a low-cut top real quick, noticing her boy-friend in the Hells-Angels California jacket…….

Day 15 (Flagstaff)

Got up early and we polished off the last 9 miles of the trip to the road end at diamond creak. Knowing that today it wouldn’t simply be drying our gear on a rock keeping dry actually became quite a priority. We got there around 11am and saw car and other odd things that reinforced that we were back in the ‘real world’. With all of the trips they do the river companies have all the logistics down to a fine art and this was brought home when all the rafts and all the gear were broken down and loaded onto the back of one truck. The local native Americans who own this land are quite a reserved people and therefore we were told that if we needed to pee in the river we should go out of site behind some bushes first. You really know the river is a different world when this is defiantly something that requires saying.

The road out of the canyon is very bumpy, much of it is actually up a river bed so is must get ripped up whenever there is any water in this river. The owners of this land charge $50 per person to come up here, oh well this must be one of the few ways of making any money with there very difficult land. Looking at their town it is clear that this isn’t making them rich at all.

We drive back to town and although we are all tiered there is a number of conversations going on, the in-jokes that have developed out here are clearly quite remarkable in such a short time. Thinking back to being in the same bus two weeks (or a lifetime ) ago when we were put in the atmosphere is just so different, and so much better.

We stop at what has to be the most tacky tourist town I have even seen (and I have been to Rotorua), where the whole town goes over the top celebrating route 66. Every building has paintings and collections of artifacts of some mythical 1950’s of the soul.

Got back to Flagstaff and court up with the world, it is interesting that while things have happened (missing children, earthquakes, tsunamis etc) that are clearly significant you can really be out of the modern world for 2 weeks and it really only takes a few minutes to catch up as if you never left, it does remind you that you can spend a whole lot of time with the trivia that is called news because there is nothing else on but at the end of the day very little of it actually matters.

Spent way to long in the shower getting much of the sand off (I am sure there is much more to come) before I went off to the group dinner. It was great to spend one last evening with these people, even if it was a little odd realizing we would never be all together like this again. It was also interesting to see closer how people look cleaned up (I got told I looked, taller, thinner and younger so I guess it might have had some effect on me). There were some of those moments where the things of real life just become issues, like working out how much we all had to pay, oh how easy is life when you don’t have such issues.

There is talk that spent this amount of time in the canyon can change a person. I guess the only way to know that is after a bit of time but short term it does kinda fell like it has. Not certain how but it does just fell a little bit different I don’t feel like I would let thing get to me, but that might just be that I am really relaxed.

Day 14 (Mile 219)

Another full day on the river with about 30 miles to do. Felling much better I was back in the paddle boat. Last night we heard a story about the legendary 205 rapid (moral do not upset the guides they will get you back), amazingly we got though this without any real problems. We even had a tail wind so we jury-rigged a sail and tried to use it to move down stream. Unfortunately the wind was as up and down as the New Zealand dollar so this wasn’t all that useful, but worth a go.

Even after two weeks it is still the case you can come around a corner and simply go wow, the amazing views of the canyon simply cannot be show by a photo.

Arrived at our last camp for the trip, it is interesting that now a small sandy hill with a few plants on it looks so completely like a camp now days I am not sure how I will cope with beds, walls and all those other things in the outside world.

After dinner we all polished off whatever drinks etc were left (no point in taking them back) and had a fun time working thou the problems of life the universe and everything.

Day 13 (Mile 188)

After last night I woke up felling better but still with little energy. I therefore went into an oar boat, I felt slightly guilty about this knowing what today would be but I wouldn’t have been any good in the paddle boat.

Today included one of only two rapids that we got out to scout, which gives you some idea how much the guides respect it. This rapid is called Lava Falls an even my un-trained eye saw a couple of places we didn’t want to be. With their usual skill we were stared away from the bad places and we got though with no problems.

We pilled in the miles today to make sure we make our pull out time in a couple of days so all of the day was spent looking at the canyon and as we are now in a part of the canyon that was a lava flow many years ago it is another totally different set of views that stops this trip from ever being boring. At this point it is inevitable that thoughts are moving to the end and the comforts of the 21st century that we will have available in just a few days. But it is a reflection of this place that I knew now I will almost inevitably miss this place.

Day 12 (mile 158)

This morning I was again in an oar boat, thou this didn’t work out as the rest I thought it would. We were hit by amazing head winds and the paddle boat was barley moving. So we tied it to oar boat and we all paddled. This wasn’t quick moving but we did manage to move forward.

We then got to a place called Havasu Creek, which is an amazing aqua-marine colour caused by calcium in the water because it flows thou so much limestone.

We went on a walk up to some waterfalls at a place called Beaver falls. This is a 3.5 mile walk (each way) up relevantly flat mostly sandy path, with some very pretty views of the stream. None of this was too bad, except that as we only had limited time we had to do it very quickly (the words death march were banded about several times) At this point of the trip I wasn’t really up to this, and as it wasn’t all that hot I forgot about my water intake. Amazingly we made it and it was very pretty.

When we got to camp I wasn’t felling well and at dinner ( which have been universally excellent) I couldn’t keep anything down. I went to bed early (even by the standards of this trip) drank a whole lot of water and felt much better.

Day 11 (mile 151)

It has got to the point that my only way of knowing which day of the trip it is is these note, how time has very little meaning out here.

I was back in the oar boat for a short river day. As it was such a short day we had a sleep in, it must have been 7am before I got out of my sleeping bag, as one of the guides pointed out to me we had our coffee in the sun. It must be said that out here this did fell like a sleep in.

We walked up a side canyon, well we walked up the first little bit of then it was about a meter wide and 20 meters high. To get over some falls we had to go with all 4 limbs (and often our backs etc) pressed against opposite walls, sort of an outward bound trip, without the safety ropes. I struggled with at couple of points of this but eventually I managed to get up. Tiered but very pleased. The top of this side canyon was a natural amphitheater which was quite spectacular.

Day 10 (mile 136)

Back in the paddle boat, but we had no head wind so a whole lot more fun. A couple of rapids today that could have gone either way, if done well nice fun rides if not then things could have got messy. Service to say they both went without a hitch so no problem.

Stopped at a place called dear creak. This starts with a walk along the top of a truly exceptional slit canyon where you can hear the water below but you can’t actually see it so this requires carful foot work as I have no desire to see how deep this actually is.

The valley at the end of this is actually quite lush, not a word you use a lot around here. It is amazing how a little stream can change things so much only 20 meters wither side of the stream it is back to desert but here it is actually a little overgrown.

We then walked up to the start of the stream, it is strange to see it just spurting from a hole in the canyon wall but that is what it is.

Some camper with too much energy and spear time have moved a whole lot of rocks into chairs in what is known as the throne room. It is surprising that a chair totally made from lumps of sandstone can be quite comfortable. Maybe it is just that I haven’t seen a real chair for so long but I don’t think so.

Day 9 (mile 122)

My second day on an oar boat, it is amazing how relaxing this can be after exertion of yesterday. Today also has less in the way of rapids than yesterday.

Two walks today to see waterfalls up side canyons. Elves chasm in particular was simply stunning and well worth the scramble up some rocks.

At lunch we meet up with some people who had special light weight canoes that they had carried in to the canyon themselves. Now that is really the hard way to do the canyon.

Apparently in the outside world today is 1 October. This is the first day that you are allowed camp fires out here. This adds a whole new appeal to camp life as we sit around and ate dinner by fire light.

Day 8 (mile 110)

The very useful guides on the websites of the rafting companies have all sorts of information about life on the river, one TLA that they don’t explain is ABC – Alive Below Crystal. Crystal rapid is one of those that all the guides out here have the outmost respect for and I can see why. Its not all that technical but it has a lot of water going though a very small area very quickly. Again I was in the paddle boat and we ran though it without major incident but I really think that if something did go wrong it could go very wrong.

The rest of the afternoon had a series of rapids collectively called the ‘gems’ as they are all named after gem stones. A lot of fun as they were all very good rapids (and only one person out of the boat though the day). Unfortunately we were faced with a strong headwind which made the day very very hard going and my arms were burning by day end.

Just before camp we stopped and saw a waterfall in a side canyon, the difference to the landscape by a little flowing water is just starterling.

Day 7 (Mile 96)

Very strange day today, 5 of our people are only doing the upper part of the canyon so they leave us today. It is wired you only know people for a week but the goodbyes are very hard.

Spent the morning around Phantom Ranch, which is the first meeting with ‘civilsation’ in a week. Not sure how to take this, but a nice change of pace. Sent some postcards from the bottom of the canyon which is odd but cool thing to do.

We then waited for our 7 new people who are doing the bottom canyon. They all seam nice enough it is just a wearied transition into what is becoming a tight group. The afternoon had some of the best rapids to date so fun was had by all on the paddle boat.

Day 6 (mile 87)

Another day on the paddle boat after a relatively quite morning we went for a walk over and then down a dry river valley with nothing really growing in it. It was clear that it floods regularly and as if to prove this point I looked up and saw the first clouds of the trip, with the canyon being very deep this brought a bit of pause for thought, the clouds were only very wispy so no chance of any rain, but I made sure I knew how far it was to get out of here.

After lunch there was a serious of very good rapids, not Shotover like but still a hell of a lot of fun.

In the evening a birthday cake for the two people on the trip who were having their birthdays while we are on the river.

Day 5 (Mile 78)

Today is my first day in the grand Canyon. Officially up to the meeting of the Little Colorado we were in the Marble Canyon, who knew. The result of the change in name is the canyon opens up and you often can’t see the rims on either side, both of which are now over a mile above river level.

Today was also the first day where we didn’t move camp which did make things more relaxed in the morning.

Mid morning we hiked up a valley. The first thing we came to was a 19th century attempt at a copper mine, in these conditions it is no surprise it didn’t succeed but the work to even attempt this here must have been truly immense.

Some of us then walked up a bluff, about 500 vertical meters up a sharp, slippery, very hot, very steep hill on a day well into the 30’s this was a whole lot of work. The view from the top was amazing, truly the view that people come from around the world to see, and we didn’t have to put up with the crowds of the south rim to see it.

After the trip down I just fell into the river and had a cold beer, there must be something in the beer here because it has never tasted that good anywhere else.

Day 4 (mile 78)

My first day in a oar boat where one of the crew paddles and all I need to do is sit back and take in the view. Rapids become a much tamer experience as all you do is hold on and try not to fall in, not needing to paddle over flat water has some appeal.

At one point someone asked what the date was, the best I could do was ‘day 4’. Days of the week leed alone days of the month are such ‘outside world’ concepts that don’t have any meaning out here.

At lunch we stopped where the little Colorado river flows into the Colorado. This is much less clear and warm(er) we went up to a spot where you can just go with the flow and float between some rocks.

Latter a few of us took the opportunity to ‘swim’ a rapid. I got a mouth full of water early on so this was quite a hard trip down at the end I was totally tiered and all I could do was lie in the boat and get my breath back. Saying that it was one of those things I am pleased to have done.

We then walked up to the ruins of an ancient native building. No one is quite sure what it was for as it is far bigger than any dwelling site. Seeing the truly amazing outlook I imagined it was some sort of temple, but who knows.

A few miles down river we set up camp for 2 days, had dinner of stake cooked on the Barbie (we do live well out here). Latter our crew had an concert with ukulele, garter and violin. The songs ranged from ‘Fulsome prison blues’ to ‘I danced in a lesbian bar’ much fun was had by all.

Day 3 ( Mile 58)

Another day in the paddle boat. Stopped mid-morning for a short walk up a side canyon where there was a nice stream running down. It is startling to see the vivid greens after the muted reads and browns of the canyon.

Mostly flat water for the rest of the day it was notable how high the walls are becoming, when we started walls of a couple of 100 feet looked spectacular, now the walls are well over 1,000 feet on each side.

We made camp on a bend in the river we walked a short but very step trail (700 feet up in under a mile) passed some of the most pitcher postcard views to date. At the end of the trail there was an 1,000 year old granary caved into the cliff wall. Amazing to see such a amazing structure just inserted into the cliff, felling the effects if climbing this route just one gave a new appreciation of how hard these peoples lives must have been.

Day 2 (38 mile)

Woke for my first morning in the canyon, after a night sky that is impressive even if you can only see a small section of it due to the canyon walls going high over hear. Another day in the paddle boat. A quick detor to walk up a side canyon and see a animal pictograph that marked a way out of the canyon that really would need marking as it looks a really hard route.

The morning included a serious of rapids called the roaring 20’s, none too major but having one after the other made things more interesting.

After lunch we intended to do some hikes into the hills but other people were already in our intended camp sites so we kept going for some time and it ended up being another almost 20 miles on the river day. At night a large vat of margaritas materialized and just when I didn’t think it could get any better it just did……

Day 1 (mile 19)

Got up early in Flagstaff, aware that this would be the last bit of ‘civilization’ I would see for 2 weeks. Meet up with the others doing the trip, all sorts of nervous introductions, people from several US states and even another Kiwi there aren’t that many of us but we do seem to get around. Got on the bus for the three hour trip to the canyon. Most of the trip is though the Navaho reservation it looks a very poor and quite depressing place , that will show them for not taking the small-pox blankets.

At a place called Navaho bridge there are two steal bridges one early and one late 20th century. You can walk over the older one and this gives you your first real glimpse of the canyon and it really does live up to all of the photos, simply stunning.

Then down to Lee’s Ferry for the put in after the expected safety briefings I got onto the paddle boat and got going. (note: on this trip there are two types of boats, the paddle boat with one crew and six guests who all paddle and the oar boat with one crew and up to four guests where only the crew member paddles). Mostly flat water with a couple of very minor rapids before lunch. After lunch paddeled on till the final rapid of the day (house rapid) This is by far the biggest rapid after a period of being hit by water from both sides we hit a standing wall of water side-on and it was quite surprising only one of the people went overboard.

How the west was won (and where it got us)

So here I am back in the 21st century (well Flagstaff Az and that is quite close). The trip down the canyon was completely fantastic, below is a day by day description of the trip, this as I noted down each day. Looking at this it is not quite s I would write this now but I guess that is the advantage of a blog it show what I was thinking each day not the overall view. As this is a major trip the thing is quite long by hay it was 226 miles so that is just what you would expect.