Paddling Down the Colorado River Through the Grand Canyon

Twenty years ago I wrote Grand Canyon Magic, an illustrated memoir of my 13-day-white water raft trip down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. My husband Bob (we are now divorced) had suggested we take the trip to mark our twentieth wedding anniversary. All together, thirteen people were on the trip--six paying passengers--"peeps" in river guide jargon and seven crew member, a large crew because of additional people training to be guides. The picture is of me in the bow of the raft paddling through a rapid. Note my name on the strip of duct tape on my life jacket; we joked that that was so the guides could identify our body after we capsized and drown! Obviously I survived the trip, although I did capsize and bob/swim through a rapid in forty-eight degree water.

It was such an amazing experience that I want to share it with you by periodically posting excerpts from Grand Canyon Magic on my blog. Pictures too. I'll use the title Grand Canyon Magic for the excerpts.