Colorado River Rafting

 

Bonnie and I have been looking forward to a 6-day float trip on the Colorado River. We started near Moab last Monday and ended 96 miles later at the upper end of Lake Powell. During the 6 days and 5 nights, we had NO Internet access, so it was a kind of forced solitude. That was part of the attraction and blessing!

For the first three days, we covered 47 miles. During this stretch, the river drops approximately one foot per mile - it is wide and calm. Then we passed the confluence with the Green River, and entered Cataract Canyon, famous for its rapids - dramatically different from the start! (More on those later.)

I loved playing with the little 1-person inflatable kayaks our tour company ( Holiday River Expeditions ) made available. They are light and stable, very fun. And I could move quite a bit faster than the large rafts loaded with people, food, fresh water, and gear. One of my favorite things was to paddle over to the far side of the wide river, far from the rafts, and do a little exploring on my own.

On a couple of occasions, Bonnie and I were packed and ready to go before the rafts were fully loaded, and so we put on our PFDs (personal flotation devices - aka life jackets) and with the tour leader's permission, started floating down the river on our backs. We quickly rounded a few bends and were soon a long way from the rest of the group! On one day we spent a full hour this way, in blissful solitude, before the rafts caught up to us.

It's an awesome feeling to be all by yourself in a remote, wilderness situation. We had a few tour companions not far away, but any trace of civilization was many miles distant. It was utterly still and serene - just an occasional ripple of the water. The scenery was breathtaking: towering red sandstone cliffs on either side, clear blue sky above, occasional patches of green. We startled a number of great blue herons who were fishing in the shallows. It was an incomparable time to ponder the joy of being alive and healthy, the beauty of creation, and the things that matter most in life.

I think I need more of this. I think WE ALL need more of this! It is so helpful to "escape the world" - somehow shut off distractions and interruptions, find a place that is quiet and peaceful, and just listen - mostly listen to our own thoughts, but also listen to the world around us, to hear nature's voice, to hear God's voice. That is hard to do for some, such as parents of small children. But it is SO important to our mental, emotional, and spiritual health! We can't very often do that for a week; but we can and should try for a few minutes, as frequently as possible.

I #GiveThanks for the privilege of leaving the world behind, for a few days, and feeling profoundly the glory and grandeur of God’s beautiful world!