1. Relax. You will be where you should be when the river and your guide takes you there.
2. Togetherness is great. So is a little solitude.
3. Cleanliness is a relative thing. (I wonder, is godliness relative, too?)
4. Where you are going will be beautiful. Where you have been is beautiful. Don’t forget to notice where you are right now.
5. When hiking on a narrow ledge, lean in. The canyon will hold you up.
6. A hike means the guides will reach the end. A walk means some of the rafters will get there, too.
7. Getting to the end of the trail is cool. So is sitting down and letting the beauty seep into your soul.
8. Bats are beautiful.
9. You should push yourself just a little harder than you think you can. You may be surprised at what you can do.
10. Memories are the most precious things we have. We will have many photos of the trip, but it is the memories we should cherish.
*Memories of each other—the “duffle shuffle”, the early morning coffee call, “First last call on the toilets”, the world’s best UNO game, bathing in the colorful Colorado and swimming in the cool clear pools of Havasu Creek.
*How much fun it is to wash dishes, how good peanut butter tastes (on bread it’s good, on chocolate chip cookies it is superb!)
*How wonderful it is that a group of strangers, aged 12 to 72, can become friends.
*How beautiful the sunrise and the moonset are in the Canyon.
*How the white clouds define and sharpen the blueness of the sky.
*How the chaotic schist contrasts with the ordered calm of the sedimentary rocks.
*How grateful we are to have shared this experience with all of you. Thank You!
—Barbara Meyers
Guest on Colorado River & Trail Expeditions-Rowing/Paddle Grand Canyon Rafting Trip
