Day 1 of rafting down the Colorado River involved meeting our amazing River guides, going down my first rapids ever, lunch along a beautiful scene of green water against red and orange canyon walls, a 10 minute thunderstorm in our cots under a tarp followed by a bright moonlit night in the sweltering heat. The day was Tuesday, Sept 6th, 2022. I knew I picked the right boat when our guides Phil and Chris gave a detailed history of the geology we encountered for the first 20 miles of our journey. Being in the middle of Glen Canyon, we wouldn't reach the Grand Canyon for another two days. Exerpts from my field journal: "I couldn't even begin to explain my excitement and thrill of being here. Going over my first rapid was exhilarating!.... We traveled through the Kaibab Formation at 210 mya and stopped at camp where it was approx 300mya. Chris knows the geology and I am here as a student... Lightening illuminated the sky above the Canyon walls bringing thunder that reverberated all around us. Not even 60 seconds go by before wind and rain came. I threw the tarp over me on the cot, folding it around me and beneath my feet to keep it from flying away. I was like that for a good 8-10 minutes, hoping nothing important would fly away. It was peaceful, being under the tarp listening to the rain hit the top and the wind ripple through. Nobody at camp made a sound. It was just the rain and the wind and the rumble of thunder. And just like that, the storm passed and the only sounds left was the river and the chirping of the bats for the rest of the night." #coloradoriver #riverrafting #wildernessriveradventures #geology #lifeasageologist #teva #arizona (at Lee's Ferry) https://www.instagram.com/p/CjOgU5XPtzO/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
