Riverbend Journal

After my butt had been firmly pounded up into the vicinity of my lower neck by the bouncing of the jeepney over the last few hours, we arrived at the famous Sagada caves in northern Philippines. My then fiancé, her best friend, myself and a local Filipino holding a rusty lantern older than all four of our ages combined, headed down a steep path towards the entrance of the cave. As we entered into the throat, the warm breath of the cave flowed over us as we stopped and waited for the guide to bring the flame of life into the lantern. A small, feeble flame, debated whether to burn bright and decided to just stay small and feeble, guided us as we entered the bowels. Our walk down through the cave boulders quickly turned into something that I liken to trying to walk on greased marbles. I slipped but prevented myself from falling by pressing a nearby boulder only to discover that it wasn't algae and moisture making them that way but bat guano. Shit! After an eternity, we finally exited ...

April 21, 2000 It was completely socked in with clouds when I woke up but like they always seem to do, they had cleared off by the time we pushed off in the dories. We ate a breakfast of burritos and fruit before helping to get the nine people who are leaving today packed up and sent off ahead in two of the dories. The remaining seven of us took down the remainder of the camp and shoved off an hour later. We floated down to Whitmore Wash in time to see the last helicopter arrive and take the last three people away leaving behind the last of two families consisting of three adults and three children. Most of the nine people who left had been with our group since day one and it was a change in the group dynamics to not have them anymore. After so much time spent around a defined group of people, the three adults and three children were literally strangers among our group, especially the children who were joining an up until now, adult group. They hadn't shared in our experiences; ...

April 20, 2000 When I awoke, the camp was still silent, so I sat in my sleeping bag watching the sky lighten and turn all shades of red, pink and yellow. I would have taken a picture if I could have reached my camera without getting out of the comfort of the sleeping bag. But the colors faded with the rising sun and the cooks got up to start the water and so I left the comfort of my bag for the harsh desert here in the bottom of the canyon. Everyone was up early, probably due to nervousness about Lava, so after a breakfast of cherry French toast and strawberry yogurt, we shoved off. For twenty-one miles we floated mostly calm water and small riffles and I couldn't help but imagine that Powell felt he was almost home free at this point. We stopped only once at National Canyon for a short hike and a pasta salad lunch before we eddied out above the dread Lava Falls. I scurried down to look at the rapids with everyone else and as soon as I laid my eyes upon the fury, every single o...

April 19, 2000 Slept through the full moon last night but not a very deep sleep. It was like trying to sleep with a car headlight shining directly in your face. Only after it dropped over the rim out of sight did I finally get some quality sleep. Since I was the only one on this side of the stream and had the place to myself, I stayed where I was in the morning leisurely packing, writing in my journal and enjoying the quite time. By the time I brought my gear down to the beach for loading, everyone was looking at me funny because they were used to seeing me all packed and writing in my journal while they themselves were packing. I didn't inform them that their thoughts weren't correct and instead settled down for a breakfast of bagels, eggs, hash browns and sausage. We pushed off and drifted for about five miles before stopping for most of the day at Havasu Canyon. The creek itself was a brilliant crystal blue full of many fine swimming holes and waterfalls. Grapevines covere...

April 18, 2000 Overcast and windy when I woke up next to my overnight "visitors." Today was a leisure day (i.e. no hurry to start day) so I sat still sitting in my sleeping bag, leaning back against the bluff rocks and watching over camp as everyone slept late. Elena brought up some steaming cups of hot chocolate and she, Jorge and myself sat sipping them while watching camp slowly come to life. After breakfast of a stack of pancakes draped in bacon and smothered in real maple syrup, we loaded the boats. One of the new couples that we picked up back at Phantom Ranch are about the most disorganized persons I have even known. Even though it was a leisure day, we waited two hours after everyone else was ready to go before they were finally ready. Normally I wouldn't be concerned but when it affects my hiking time in the evening because we got such a late start, I get a little bit bothered. We have had to wait at least an hour extra for them every morning since the day they j...