September 5, 2005 - Camaraderie

I spent the last 2 days on the Colorado River, paddling through the Black Canyon with a lovely group of people. The trip was planned by Tim, the friend of my friends, Bonnie and Dov. There were 10 people on the trip. I know Bonnie and Dov well and have met Bonnie’s brother, Aaron. Otherwise, everyone else was strangers before tomorrow. It could have gone either way. I was assigned to share a tandem kayak with a stranger as well. The rest of the gang pretty much knew each other and have been friends for a long time. It ended up that I had a wonderful time. This group of people made me feel very welcomed. They shared their camaraderie, food, and drink with me with no hesitation or reservation. My paddling partner, Dan, was a pleasure to share a boat with. We managed to keep our boat pointing downstream and shared some very pleasant conversation for the two days.

Tim has been down this river many times and served as a great guide. Without his experience, we certainly would have missed the exciting and beautiful side-canyons. The highlight of this area was the result of the geothermic characteristics. There were natural hot springs everywhere which were lovely to soak in (except for the presence of an amoeba that enters your brain through your nose and kills you). The landscape was rugged and stunning. And, our campsite was isolated, grand, and beautiful.

It was a wonderful experience…made so by the good nature of the people with whom I had the pleasure to travel. Thank you Tim, Nathalie, Julie, Louis, Bonnie, Dov, Aaron, Angel, and Dan. I hope our paths continue to cross…on land or on the water.