Journal Notes - August 25, 1983

Unpacking boats at end of trip and loading onto flatbed trucks

The Boatmen

The Airplane we took back to the start 

of the trail where our cars were parked. 

August 25, 1983

Well, today was the last day. It was a real fast trip! Each day was full of adventure. I kept telling myself for weeks before the trip that I had no idea what to expect, and I was right.

Like every other morning, we woke up at about 6 AM, packed, ate breakfast, then packed the rest, hopped into the rafts and started floating down the river to our first stop. This morning we docked at Diamond Creek. Everybody helped to disassemble the boats. Even the wooden frame that supports the oars were unbolted and thrown into a neat pile in the truck. The big backpacks were taken out and everybody started to re-pack, dividing the load between the pack and their day packs. After the school bus was loaded with the packs, everybody, including the boatmen, gathered together on the rocks for a group picture. About five different pictures were taken, so we should find the best one. 

The finale of the morning was when after the bus’s motor was warm, the five boatmen came up from the sides with buckets of water and splashed them at the open windows. Everybody was laughing and yelling!

The road we took to the plane landing in town was bumpy and almost nauseous, but not as nauseous as the plane ride. A lot of people felt the same way. Lorrie got sick after we landed. There was a man on the trip, Tim, a Florida cop, who was petrified of flying. He almost pulled up the seat beside him that Joan was sitting on. This guy looks like Lou Ferrigno. He has a tattoo on both biceps. The whole flight he just scrunched in the seat with his head resting on the top of the seat and his red baseball cap over his eyes. His wife, Becky, sat beside him, holding his hand the whole way.

The plane trip that we had planned was to fly through the Canyon and see the places that we were, but the plane that we boarded wasn’t going to take the scenic route.  Ray kept saying that the mix-up happens every year. We were all disappointed.

After landing, we boarded vans that took us back to the Bright Angle Lodge. Me and Lorrie ran to the bug, patting it a couple of times, and quickly threw the packs into the car. We then went to our rooms. We have three adjoining rooms and one room that is separate. Me and Joan went to the laundromat to wash our clothes because nether of us had clean clothes for dinner. 

We made reservations at the El Tovar. Me and Joan didn’t get out of the laundromat until 5 PM and our reservations were at 5:30. Lorrie stayed with our clothes. She had joined us later to wash her clothes. 

The rest of the night is a comedy. I rushed to the single room that I had first started in, but when I got there, it was locked. Then I went to Shanna and Susan’s  room where I quickly took a shower, got dressed in my old clothes since Lorrie had all my clean ones. I ran to the parking lot hoping to find either Joan or Lorrie. I ran to Lorrie, gathered my stuff together and changed into my jeans behind the car door. I had on my new Moki-Mac t shirt. It was the only clean article of clothing I had. We met Joan in the lot. Lorrie then went to the restaurant. Me and Joan went back to the rooms where her moccasins were. We then walked very quickly uphill and joined everybody at dinner at 6:30 PM. Luckily their order had just been taken. Stephen still had not gotten there or Ian and Alda. 

For dinner I had Fetticini and lobster appetizers, French onion soup (fantastic!) and a bacon, avocado and grapefruit salad. I expected lettuce with it. For dessert I split a rum chocolate mouse with Ian who showed up half-way through my dinner. Ian also finished my Fetticini. 

Now I am at the motel in my Death Valley t-shirt and white Adidas shorts lying on the sofabed that folds out. I have packed my suitcase and my daypack. My blue shorts and Moki-Mac t-shirt lay over the arm chair. 

I bought two books on this trip so far. One is called “The Marvels of Animal Behavior,” written by the National Geological Society. It has some beautiful and fascinating pictures in it. The second book is, “The Valley of the Horses.” I heard Alda talk about it very highly and I saw it in paperback in the grocery store this afternoon. We went there to get some shampoos and detergent. 

I have to get some sleep since we will wake up early. Tomorrow we are going to the Moki-Mac warehouse to give the boatmen a present of bottles of liquor. Good night!