Map for day 9
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Day 8
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Day 10
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Robby told us to sleep a little later today as he was planning for late start at 9 a.m. instead of the usual 8 a.m. start. To my disappointment we would not doing the up-and-over hike to Thunder River and Deer Creek. He claimed there were just too many other people who were planning on doing this hike today and he decided against it for our party. I personally feel that he should have put it up for a vote and let the passengers decide but... For breakfast we had blueberry pancakes again but this time with sausage links. It was a very, very tasty meal. I picked an excellent spot in which to eat my breakfast and also had a great view pf the moon setting behind the cliffs on the other side of the river.
After breakfast Robby got out his shovel and started attacking some of the Camelthorn that was growing on the beach. He had started this during the afternoon of the day before and was waging a fierce battle against the stuff. It was a rather nasty plant as it grew like crazy and tended to take over any region in which it managed to take root, very quickly. Camelthorn, like the tamarisk, is a non-native plant species which was introduced to the Southwest and is doing very well here.
We were riding with Kurt today and took to the river right at the designated time of 9 a.m. We ran Dubendorf Rapid right away seeing as we were camped right next to it. It was a nice ride and we got a little wet. 133 Mile Rapid (just a really, big riffle) and Tapeats Rapid were nice as well and Kurt let Katie take the oars through Tapeats. Katie seemed to enjoy herself but we all got soaked.
We pulled the rafts over just below Tapeats Rapid and above Bonita Creek to start our day hike. We hiked the river route above the Tapeats through Bonita Canyon and up over the saddle in front of Cogswell Butte. The view from the trail, both upstream and downstream, was magnificent. We then descended into Deer Creek area and headed over to Dutton Spring for lunch. We stayed there and hung out in the shade for about an hour or so before heading down the creek to the pools above the Deer Creek Narrows.
Swimming and playing in the pools just above Deer Creek Narrows was a great deal of fun. There were a couple of really nice, and really powerful waterfalls there as well and we great time getting underneath them to get wet. After hanging out along the creek for a couple more hours we hiked through the narrows, out to the river, and down to Deer Creek Falls and the boat beach. Chris and Dave were waiting there for us with the rafts.
After taking some photos of the waterfall we boarded the rafts again and set off. We had a nice ride through some unnamed whitewater just below Deer Creek and then ran Doris Rapid and got soaked. We pulled over just below to Doris Beach to camp for the night. Doris Rapid is named for Doris Nevills who was thrown from her boat once while running it and ended up swimming it instead.
Dinner was baked (roasted) ham, cauliflower and mashed potatoes. Robin loves ham and she was very happy. We also had brownies and whipped cream for desert again. It was a very nice meal. After dinner Robby read us a story, part of The Wind in the Willows about mole and rat and moles' first ride on a boat. He also recited a poem, The Cremation of Sam McGee and also something from A River Runs Through It.
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From The Wind In The Willows by Kenneth Grahame
`Hullo, Mole!' said the Water Rat.
`Hullo, Rat!' said the Mole.
`Would you like to come over?' enquired the Rat presently.
`Oh, its all very well to TALK,' said the Mole, rather
pettishly, he being new to a river and riverside life and its
ways.
The Rat said nothing, but stooped and unfastened a rope and
hauled on it; then lightly stepped into a little boat which the
Mole had not observed. It was painted blue outside and white
within, and was just the size for two animals; and the Mole's
whole heart went out to it at once, even though he did not yet
fully understand its uses.
The Rat sculled smartly across and made fast. Then he held up
his forepaw as the Mole stepped gingerly down. `Lean on that!'
he said. `Now then, step lively!' and the Mole to his surprise
and rapture found himself actually seated in the stern of a real
boat.
`This has been a wonderful day!' said he, as the Rat shoved off
and took to the sculls again. `Do you know, I've never been in a
boat before in all my life.'
`What?' cried the Rat, open-mouthed: `Never been in a--you
never--well I--what have you been doing, then?'
`Is it so nice as all that?' asked the Mole shyly, though he was
quite prepared to believe it as he leant back in his seat and
surveyed the cushions, the oars, the rowlocks, and all the
fascinating fittings, and felt the boat sway lightly under him.
`Nice? It's the ONLY thing,' said the Water Rat solemnly, as
he leant forward for his stroke. `Believe me, my young friend,
there is NOTHING--absolute nothing--half so much worth doing
as simply messing about in boats. Simply messing,' he went on
dreamily: `messing--about--in--boats; messing----'
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After taking a 13-day trip down the Colorado River, through the Grand Canyon, I must say that I agree with rat and that there truly is nothing, absolute nothing, half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.
Day 8
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Day 10
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