Mother of All Adventures-Colorado River

Mother of all adventures/Grand Canyon/Colorado River Raft trip Fellow Adventrapaneurs,Reentry from our recent whitewater float trip has been at best difficult.Returning to LA & work has been ugly. The isolation from the rest of theworld and the rules of the Canyon are in sharp contrast to urban reality.This letter will serve as an overview of the trip. Todd Cretors has agreedtowrite the detailed report, outlining each day's fun.Thanks to Brian Hinshaw for organizing and coordinating a memorable trip.Brian selected a hybrid trip with AZRA that required "EXPEDITIONMENTALITY."Seventy-five percent of the trips on the Colorado are taken with motorizedpontoon type crafts. Twenty-four percent are oar powered and 1% is paddlepowered. Our trip was a a combination of oar and paddle.AZRA is absolutely the best company. The guides were stellar. All were freespirits and extremely competent. Two attractive female river guidesprovidedadditional beauty.The magnificent "eight" enjoyed a tremendous nine days floating from Pipecreek to Diamond Creek.One rapid after another! This portion of the Colorado has the mostchallenging whitewater.Calm-Sounds of the rapid-Forward-Into the whitewater-Exhilaration-Celebrate!!Oars together in the air!!!Highlights included:-Awesome wildlife that included Peregrine Falcons, Bald Eagles, Ospreyflyingwith fish in their beaks, Trout, Wild Turkeys, Blue Herons, Egrets,Chuckwallas, Desert Bighorns, Mule Deer, Ringtail Cats, A Pink Rattlesnakeand more.........-Prominent rapids including North America's premier rapid-Lava Falls-Raft flipping at rapid 209-Best meals ever-Skinny dipping at Beaver Falls Havasu-Swimming the rapids- Laura's Violin concert in a slot Canyon-Hiking the Kanab route to Whispering Falls-Rappelling down to the narrows into Waterfalls at Deer Creek-Jumping off the natural "board" into the Colorado-Catching and releasing beautiful trout-Hiking to Elve's Chasm and to the "Source"-Hiking the River trail-BJ the river guide jumping off his raft on to another and letting histerrified group plunge into a rapid without it's leader-Cervezas at camp-Warpaint and drums ---- The retired Becky (wild thing) dancing naked intheraft en route to Lava RapidsLow Points-Peterrrr da Bighorn Sheep's moniker redefined as "Peterrr Da Cheap" by RobLevy-Ed, the minister, praying in his tent for our group after observing badbehaviors-El Lobo demonstrating bad behaviors that included refusing to have hispicture taken with the group-Someone stealing 18 of Peterrr da Bighorn Sheep's beers-Brian, clearing out the entire beach and taking El Lobo's title from him.-Rob, flirting with the lovelies and expressing "It's really hard to findgood people!"-Long line in the A.M. for the porta potty-Ann's charming personality-Tevas not gripping -Chacos needed-Missing Thunder River due to Hatch's pontoons taking our landing spot-Flys, Flys, Flys in camp on day sevenHeroesPeterrrrr and Rob get the most adventurous awards. Thanks to James for hisPhotography work.