twobjshelbys Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 I was scheduled originally for this adventure for Aug 31. But my friend who was in charge can't make it. So we started hatching a backup plan. It's been 12 years since the last adventure and I didn't want to miss this last chance. So as dates got released after knowing Jack couldn't make it I started trying to catch abandoned dates. Today I won the lottery!!!! Depart for 16 days on the Colorado River through Grand Canyon on 3-Aug! This is truly an adventure. The Canyon is absolutely nothing like what you see from the top looking down. This is my 5th trip and 4th private trip, and probably my last. The wait is just too long. So here's a carrot. This trip was put together on very short notice. I have to organize the whole thing in about a month. The biggest hurdle is going to be to find some experienced (and I mean experienced) rafters, especially in the Canyon. If anyone here has been down before and you'd be interested in going let me know. No promises about going but we need to overbook at this stage before I start collecting money (which is a commitment to go.) Second would be passengers. This is not a commercial trip - everyone works, cooking, cleaning, filtering water, etc. I've been scanning all of my Grand Canyon pictures and will post a few here to tease Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sportscars Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 Congrats on the lottery Tony! I can't believe this will be your 5th trip, that is awesome. I would love to throw my name in the hat but I have little rafting experience and those dates probably wont work for me anyway. I do have a good amount of kayaking and a lot of backcountry camping experience and the canyon trip is on my bucket list. Have a great time and take a ton of pictures. I'll be thinking about you first week of August! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twobjshelbys Posted May 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 Congrats on the lottery Tony! I can't believe this will be your 5th trip, that is awesome. I would love to throw my name in the hat but I have little rafting experience and those dates probably wont work for me anyway. I do have a good amount of kayaking and a lot of backcountry camping experience and the canyon trip is on my bucket list. Have a great time and take a ton of pictures. I'll be thinking about you first week of August! Actually, some kayakers (also experienced) might work out. We might be able to drop one raft if we had enough. Too many and we end up needing a baggage boat just for their gear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejrail Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 I'm jealous! I did the Snake out of Jackson, Wyo. years ago. What a great time. I've always wanted to do the Grand Canyon but finances, kids, jobs, etc. always got in the way. With all of our rain, snow and resulting runoff this year, the water should be good. I understand Lake Powell is filling again this year so they should be releasing plenty of water for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mywickedshelby Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 Sounds like a great time Tony...I am jealous too......Dale and I have been talking about a novice trip and hope to pull it off next year....... navigating it on your own must be an incredible experience.......have a great time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIKEBOY Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 T O N Y' S BUCKET LIST: * Own a Shelby Mustang * Go to Bondurant's School of Driving * Go down the Grand Canyon in a raft * Go down the Grand Canyon in a raft * Go down the Grand Canyon in a raft * Go down the Grand Canyon in a raft *Go down the Grand Canyon in a raft (again) * Own a Ford GT Supercar Don't worry Tony...there's still time for the last one on the list!!! :happy feet: Chris Have fun buddy!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIKEBOY Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 T O N Y' S BUCKET LIST: * Own a Shelby Mustang * Go to Bondurant's School of Driving * Go down the Grand Canyon in a raft * Go down the Grand Canyon in a raft * Go down the Grand Canyon in a raft * Go down the Grand Canyon in a raft *Go down the Grand Canyon in a raft (again) * Own a Ford GT Supercar Don't worry Tony...there's still time for the last one on the list!!! :happy feet: Chris Have fun buddy!! ....and these are just the ones I know. You've led a charmed life my friend! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twobjshelbys Posted May 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2011 I'm jealous! I did the Snake out of Jackson, Wyo. years ago. What a great time. I've always wanted to do the Grand Canyon but finances, kids, jobs, etc. always got in the way. With all of our rain, snow and resulting runoff this year, the water should be good. I understand Lake Powell is filling again this year so they should be releasing plenty of water for you. Water will be high and a constant flow all summer. They are predicting 24000CFS in early August. Apparently the "bubble" won't happen. The "bubble" is a sort of tide that happens. As demands for more electricity from Vegas, Phoenix and southern CA occur the dam produces more electricity by releasing more water through the hydroelectric tunnels. This causes a periodic increase in the volume of water - a sort of tide. We had our boats beached once because we landed at camp during high water. By morning all of the boats were high and dry. Everything had to be unloaded, boats lifted up and carried across a rock garden, and reloaded. Set us back over two hours that day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twobjshelbys Posted May 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2011 T O N Y' S BUCKET LIST: * Own a Shelby Cobra 427 * Own a Shelby Mustang [ or two ] * Go to Bondurant's School of Driving * Go down the Grand Canyon in a raft [ 1979 ] * Go down the Grand Canyon in a raft [ 1988 ] * Go down the Grand Canyon in a raft [ 1998 ] * Go down the Grand Canyon in a raft [ 1999 ] *Go down the Grand Canyon in a raft (again) [ 2011 ] * Own a Ford GT Supercar Don't worry Tony...there's still time for the last one on the list!!! :happy feet: Chris Have fun buddy!! You forgot the one in red. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twobjshelbys Posted May 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2011 Sounds like a great time Tony...I am jealous too......Dale and I have been talking about a novice trip and hope to pull it off next year....... navigating it on your own must be an incredible experience.......have a great time! Commercial motor powered trips are easy - they do everything for you, cook, unload the boats, etc. But they move so fast you don't get to see a lot. Navigating is somewhat of a challenge. I've got good notes in my guide book (and I keep a second just in case). Plus I started marking key things with my GPS. Primitive Lat-Long markings. Now there are GPSs that even have the rapids on the river marked (just like trails in the other parks). I will probably buy one just for the h*** of it. It is helpful for the lead to have something as reading the canyon walls for some of the key pullouts is hard, and if you miss it (like Havasu) there is no going back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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