We were happy to find that our car was still in our storage unit 3 miles north of the Mexican border, and started on the first try after sitting for 3 months! After a quick stop to visit Brad in shell beach, we made our way east.
Road tripping…again
Now on our way to Colorado, we stopped at the Hoover Dam to witness the engineering feat it is, and to feel the 110 degree desert heat.
After that was a quick stop at the 4 corners.
There were many factors that led to our USA return from halfway around the globe; Our Grand Canyon experience, getting our car back east from CA, Anj’s participation in the prestigious C.C.C.C. golf tournament, Jon and Jess’s wedding, and as you can see in the above photo, meeting our new nephew, Adam! He belongs to Adam and Tanya. While in CO we also visited our family in Ridgway.
Rafting down the Grand Canyon
An experience you don’t want to miss and well worth traveling halfway around the world to get to. The trip was organized by Robin (Sybil’s mom) and Potter to celebrate Potter’s 70th birthday. It was a family trip, which we hadn’t done in a loooong time.
4am wake up call to start hiking down to the Colorado River where our rafts are waiting for us. We’re missing Sarah in this picture, who stayed home with the kiddos and made sure Edward had a successful first day of kindergarten.
A very early sunrise hike down the bright angel trail into the canyon the first day. The goal was to beat the sun.
Well, we did’t beat the sun. It was hot and the hike was long, slow, and arduous. But we made it, and it it was worth it. That was about the only “work” we had to do for the whole week.
We thought we’d have to paddle, but our job was to relax, stay hydrated, not get too sun burnt, and hold on through the rapids…yeah, that was pretty much it!
Each day was filled with very wet rapid rides. The water was about 50 degrees and the air was 100 degrees+. It was a cold silty awesome slap in the face when those waves splashed up at you.
About half the day was spent floating quietly down the river without distraction, something we realize we rarely get to do. We spend so much time in front of screens that it actually takes a little while to remember how to relax and do absolutely nothing.
A short hike to a small water fall. We all jumped into the clear cold water to refresh.
Another day, another refreshing, cleansing waterfall.
One of our campsites along the river.
We hiked up here through a slot canyon where the walls were painted with old Havasupai Indian hand prints. One of our favorite hikes and rest stops.
Some of the Havasupai Indian handprints on the slot canyon walls. We were told they may have done this to show their bravery. It would not have been easy to get to that spot. Between those prints and where we’re standing is a deep 50+ foot narrow canyon.
The waterfall below the hike above.
Another beautiful clear swimming hole we hiked to at Havasu falls.
At the end of the river trip we were helicoptered out of the Grand Canyon. Sybil sat up front.
Andrzej had the whole back seat to himself.
Our week-long rafting expedition with Hatch far exceeded our expectations. Our guides were experienced and knowledgeable of the river and reacted intuitively and skillfully during the largest rapids we have ever seen. Each day was breathtaking view after breathtaking view of the rugged canyon. We went on short hikes up slot canyons to small oasis with spring fed fresh clear water, a sharp contrast to the red silt filled Colorado river that we had become used to. The silt got everywhere, including in your teeth, but it mattered little next to the thrill of being there. The brilliant night sky, unspoiled by ambient light, was filled with shooting stars each night. Some nights we slept directly under the stars amongst the snakes and scorpions, other nights we enjoyed the sealed comforts our tents provided.
We learned the history of the Grand Canyon, from the Native American tribes surrounding the canyon, to its early discovery by the Spanish looking for gold in 1540 and its irresistible draw of exploration. In 1869 John Wesley Powell and his crew famously did so over a 3 month long expedition. When you are deep down inside the canyon you can only wonder what it must have been like to stumble upon this massive feat of nature and how this amazing place was created. We learned that the Colorado river has been “cutting” this canyon down about a paper thickness per year for what researchers believe has been over 5-6 million years.
Final views of the canyon from our helicopter ride back to Bright Angel Lodge, where we had left our car for the week. We got the private helicopter, presumably because few people drive to the Grand Canyon for their rafting trip and need to be transported back to their car like us.
Finally heading back home.
Originally, we planned on taking our time and driving up the east coast to visit friends and catch some surf along the way in the Atlantic. Unfortunately, hurricane Florence decided to thwart our plans and wreak havoc in the Carolinas. Instead, we booked it back home to visit our house, friends, check in with our “jobs”, and regroup before taking off again.
Hurricane Florence thwarting our plans to drive up the east coast.
Andrzej catching the last bit of Florence on the NH coast.
Made it to Jon and Jess’s wedding!
In style!