I am much excited about heading down to Utah this weekend for the Callister Family reunion. Summer has begun, and many are gathering up the chicks and heading for adventure. There has been much talk recently of "simplifying" vacations. Many are having to "downgrade" to more local vacation spots, and simpler accommodations..... sounds like a Callister family summer trip! Thankfully, we grew up in a spot that was within a few days drive of many of the coolest places in the world (Yellowstone, Glacier, Zion, Bryce, San Diego, San Fransisco, Victoria BC). The truth is we only left the state of Utah on rare occasions. Between those adventures and many I've had since, I am blessed with a rich memory of nearly every corner of the state. One particular trip stands out to me right now: It is today's great moment:
Colorado River float: June 1998.
I was about to leave on my mission and this trip was to be one of the last I would have with the family for a long time. We busted out the family raft and a few cheap floating appendages, headed to our favorite stretch of River (about 30 miles northeast of the City of Moab). This location is nothing short of stunning. High red cliffs frame your view, and occasion breaks in the canyon provide views of the snow capped La Sal mountains, and an occasional rock formation. This section of the Colorado River is more akin to a lazy river than the turbulent rapids that prevail further south. There is, however, enough whitewater to keep adventure seekers satisfied.
This trip was a mix of floating face up next to the raft in the refreshing (albeit incredibly dirty) water of the River, cliff jumping from the lower bluffs adjacent to the river, singing songs around the campfire, water fights, and sharing funny memories of summer trips past. This specific trip was also seasoned with drama and limited hardship. At one point the wind was blowing so hard that we had to row DOWNSTREAM for about an hour... that was less fun. And when we made the ill-fated decision to entertain ourselves by bouncing off of a rock, which ended up trapping us in the full torrent of the Colorado River and pinning my Dad's leg under a rope between two rafts..... we wondered if we would have fond memories of the trip... but after surviving with only shallow physical and emotional scars we got over it quick.
What a great time! Here's to the float trips of the future!
Jake
3 comments:
I too remember this trip very well. It is funny, but looking back now i see that vacation as very precious moment in our families lifeline. at the time we were just on a trip, but in the big picture it stands out as an amazing few days- a big deal in our history.
I loved that trip!!!!! We were just talking about doing it again soon. Beautiful, fun, and exciting. And as Rachel said, "an amazing few days".
remember having your own 'personal cup" attached to your life jacket? that was a fun trip. i still have the original 8X10 photo of the whole family hitting the big rapid! it is a classic picture!
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