I decided to take a Trip on Tuesday Jan 5th.  On Sat, the 9th I left for Ecuador.

After some flight delays, I got into Quito at about 11 pm Sat. Night. I was pretty beat, and though my hotel was located near a noisy disco, I fell right asleep. 8am found me at the hotel lobby, meeting my group. 2 guides, and 6 paddlers. 3 guys, 3 girls. Ages 30-46. Everyone married, but not traveling with their spouses (except for our Guides, the Fantastic and Super Phil and Mary DeReimer of  AdventureKayaking.com. Super nice, friendly crew.

Sunday was a 1/2 travel day, we drove over a nearly14,000 foot pass to the Town of Borja, where we have a very nice lodge. We outfitted boats, and went for a short class III paddle on the Quijos , followed by dinner.

Monday was awesome. We woke up, had yummy breakfast, and went for a long paddle. Fun, class IV paddling, very continuos, but nothing super hard. About 5.5 hours on the river. We paddled on the Cosanga, to the confluence with the Quijos, and then paddled the Quijos.  Saw an Andean Cock-in-the-Rock and many, many other birds.   VERY, VERY, VERY cool.

Early on Day 3 we left Borja and went to Tena, about an hours drive away.  We stopped on the way to do a really pretty river, though the water was a bit low.  This was the Rio Misahualli.    It was fun, and I think would be super classic with more water.

After paddling, we headed to Tena, which seems to be a bit of a rough place.  Not dangerous, just very impoverished, gritty and run down.  Our hotel is nice, and the area is gorgeous, but not much else interesting about Tena.  If you weren´t paddling, I can´t imagine wanting to spend much time here.  There is an incredible steak restaurant.  The steak place has several pet sloths, which was cool.    And the rivers nearby are fantastic.  Simply incredible.   So good.

Day 4-
We seem to be in a bit of a dry spell, so many of the rivers are a little low.  Today, we did two laps on the upper stretch of a river, the Piatua, and it was awesome.  Not very high volume water, but steep, fun and fast. the river channelized nicely, meaning the low water wasn´t an issue.   I bet the run is stomping hard with high flows.

The first time through, we took our time, looking at a few spots, talking about the moves, etc.  Second time through, we just blasted.  First lap took 2.5 hrs, second was 50 minutes.  SOOO much fun.   The group (6 paddlers, 2 guides) has melded really well, I feel like I´ve been boating with them for years.   Every one looks out for each other, and all seem to be strong paddlers of similar skill.  I don´t think anyone is bored with the paddling, and no one seems in over their head.  Such a cool, perfect trip.   If we had a little more water it would be just a bit better, but it´s still awesome.

Another dinner at the steakhouse.  So good.  all 8 people had huge, delicious steaks, some drinks, etc, and the tab for the table was well under $100.   Maybe some of the best steak I´ve ever had.

It´s hot as heck in Tena. I wish I´d brought some more clean shirts.  I might have to send a few out for laundry, if I´m not paddling, and not in A/C, I´ve just got sweat pouring down my body.  Running out of non-stinky shirts.  Tough to stay hydrated too, but I´m doing it, pretty much always drinking something.  The sun is brutal, we´re almost on the Equator, so I´ve been using the sunscreen 2-4 times a day.  So far, no red.

Day 5

We paddled the Lower Jondachi today.  Easier than some of the other stuff we did, but probably the prettiest run we did.  Some really fun rapids too.    Steep canyon walls, wild orchids, and the several Blue Morpho butterflies, huge blue butterflies the size of a large saucer. The put in was interesting.   My truck arrived last, and there was a group of German boaters who had arrived even before our first truck.  The put in was crowded with locals, who appeared eager to earn a few dollars carrying boats to the put in.  I felt a bit weird having tiny Ecuadorean women carry my boat for me, normally I’m offering to carry for others!   But not long into the steep, muddy, hot, humid hike, I wasn’t going to complain.

Day 6+7

Day 6 and 7 we were back on the Quijos, running a longer section than we’d run on Day 1, that included a few bigger, more technical rapids.   Our group had truly melded by then, and it really just felt like paddling with my freinds.  Jokes flew, people watched out for each other, and it was grand.  Really, truly awesome.

On Day 7, Sat, we headed back over the pass to Quito.  We had a big steak dinner that night to say goodbyes, and all too soon, 1/2 our group was heading home.   Phil and Mary would be picking up a new group in the morning.  Ann and Merida had invited me to join them Mtn Biking on Cotopaxi, so it wasn’t quite time for our goodbyes.

Day 8

Another early start to the day, but this time, no paddling gear.   I was joining Anne and Merida to bike Cotopaxi.   Anne described it in an email as follows:

ap made it home in one piece after geoff, merida and i nearly perished from hypothermia at 15,000 feet and all developed an unusual case of sudden-onset black lung on our mountain biking adventure.  we took a tour that involved getting taken up cotopaxi in a 4WD vehicle and dropped off to coast on “mountain bikes” downhill.  at the top, the wind was blowing at about 40-50mph (you do the metric conversion) and the temp was freezing.  and did i mention the sleet?  we were all laughing pretty hard about it and geoff had the quote of the day when he approached merida and me and said, “i hate you both!”  it warmed up as we descended and that is when the dust cloud hit!  we coughed our way back to quito.  overall, a comical adventure.  i am also certain that we did not have the ace guide of the biking dutchman roster!

i had such a great time hanging out on and off the water with y’all.  if you are ever in boise, you are always welcome to stay at our place!

yours, as always, in the third person,

ap

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Kim and I celebrated a very nice thanksgiving day with her family, and stayed up late talking and playing games. Although some of the family got up silly early (actually, never went to bed) to hit the black friday sales, Kim and I overslept and got a late start driving to Joshua Tree. With a few stops for provisions, we made it to Indian Cove early afternoon, and quickly suited up to climb. We ended up doing a route with 2 short pitches. Fun, but nothing to write home about. Still, it did feel good to be moving over rock. Back to camp, cook dinner, chat and settle in. We were joining Alex, Mara and Bryant, and enjoyed their company a lot.

Saturday we woke to some ominous looking clouds. Went to Crossroads for breakfast, then headed into the park. I started to try and lead F8, but realized I was way to weak, and downclimbed. Oh well. we all had fun trying it on toprope. We also ran into our old friends from the Costa Mesa Rockreation, Jeff and Sandy. (That’s the gym where Kim and I met!). Fun to catch up with them.

It was getting colder, and stormier, but we headed over to a second climb. Alex did a great job leading a 5.8, and dropped a toprope on a 10 (b/c?) next to it. We each took our turns on the 5.8, and Alex and Kim both styled the 5.10. I was cleaning the anchors when I felt the first drops of rain/frozen rain/snow. I sent Kim ahead to the car, and Alex and I packed the gear and enjoyed a stormy hike out. We saw multiple parties still on the rock, which looked unpleasant.

Once in the car, we headed over to Keyes View. Not much of a view, but it was fun to see the snow in the desert. Fun. We decided it was too cold and wet to cook and camp, so we headed to Edchada’s in 29 palms. We’re soft like that. After dinner we went back to camp, and enjoyed a campfire on a crisp, clear (by now) night. Gorgeous.

Sunday we woke to rain. Cold, wet rain. Packed camp and headed out. Fun weekend, even if short on actual climbing.

I didn’t take many photos, so some (the night ones) of these are from Bryant Burkhardt.  Check out his cool website at:

http://paddlecalifornia.blogspot.com/2009/11/paddling-in-desert.html

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We’ve had many offers to join Jerry on trips.  Jerry is a unbelievably active septuagenarian.  He used to do a little guiding for Southwind, but mostly I know him as a regular at San Onofre, where he absolutely rips on a waveski, 3 or so days a week.   He’s been trying to get Kim and I to join him on his annual trips to go canyoneering in Zion.  Awesome stuff, and truly an example of what good living can help provide.

Anyway, I’m getting off track.   Jerry was putting together a group to paddle the Black Canyon section of the Colorado River, below Hoover Dam.   Kim and I were eager to join.  It was a crazy, crazy week with work and travel, and I found myself on the eve of the trip launch without having even started thinking about packing.   I load the kayak, kim packs some gear, I pack some gear, we hope we’re not bringing too much or too little.  Normally I’d test pack the boat, but there is no time for that.   Everything gets thrown in the truck, we stop by Trader Joe’s for food, and we’re heading east.   It’s supposed to be about a 5 hour drive, but we get a late start, I’m tired, and there are lots of coffee stops and a few catnaps.  We end up pulling into Willow Beach Marina just 100 minutes or so before our appointed launch time.  I catch a few Z’s in the bed of the truck, but am fitful.  I rise, and pack.

Despite a less than stellar start, everything else about the trip is stellar.   Our group consists of:

Geoff (me), Kim, Jerry, Bob (a amazingly fit octogenarian, who also waveskis regularly), Herb, Cindy and Mike.  60 years from oldest to youngest, but everyone got along great, paddled hard and it was awesome.

Day 1 was fun and pretty.  We launched from Willow Beach, and paddled miles up the Colorado River.  The water was crystal clear, and the canyon got prettier and prettier as we got further upstream.   The water was moving, but it wasn’t too hard to paddle against.  In a few spots it required some fast paddling, but we made decent time moving up to the Arizona Camp.   We landed there, and set up camp.  After a delicious lunch, we hiked up a short way up a narrow canyon to enjoy the hotsprings in the narrow canyon.   After a long soak, it was back to camp.  We hung out, talked, and most wandered off to bed pretty early.

Day 2 -  We rose, packed for the day, and headed upstream.  The canyon get getting prettier and prettier.  There were a few more spots that were challenging to get through in the kayak.   A few hours later, we were at the base of the Hoover Dam.  As big as it looks from the top, it looks even bigger from the bottom.  Impressive.   We visited the Sauna Cave, one of the more unique features on the river.  It is long, deep cave.  Just tall enough to almost walk upright, and as wide as a hallway.  There is a hotspring flowing through it, and it creates a crazy, neat, almost natural sauna.  Very cool. This is the turn around point for the paddle, so we started heading back down stream, with stops for some more cool side hikes and more hot springs.  Including one that was a waterfall.  A waterfall hotspring.  Too cool.

Back to camp. Another pleasant evening.    Day 3 we rose again, and it was a quick paddle back downstream to willow beach.  Such a great weekend.

After we loaded the kayaks, we drove towards Vegas.  Kim and I decided to stop and tour the Hoover Dam, which was interesting, and stopped for a meal in Vegas.   A fabulous weekend, great paddling and great company.

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We’re lucky to live in an incredible part of the country.  Within a few hours drive of house, we got the ocean, mountains, lakes, forests, deserts and a big city.   We try and keep pretty busy, and have some great adventures around here.   In the pictures, you’ll see sea kayaking, a Toad the Wet Sprocket concert, riding our tandem bike, etc.   Everything in this album is within 2 hours of house.

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Awesome food and party Sat afternoon too. 

Many thanks to Marc and Buck and everyone else who helped put this together.  Fun times.

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I swam in my HP heat when my skirt imploded, and didn’t make it through, but did pretty well in IC and waveski, getting a Third (IC) and a Second (Waveski). Pretty cool. It was a great contest, and hopefully we can get it to become an annual event.

Thanks to Kim for taking so many great pictures.

Geoff

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Last weekend, we went with a group of friends out to Santa Cruz Island, just off the coast of Ventura, in the Channel Islands National Park. It was a great time. We camped on the island, explored the sea caves via kayak, and snorkeled. Such an amazing place, and one of america’s least visited National Parks.  Gorgeous and fun.

Can’t wait to go back!

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Dachau and Freiburg – Day 2-3 of Trip

On Sunday I woke early, and hopped on the train into town, lockered my luggage, and headed out to Dachau. Wow. What a serious and heavy and interesting and overwhelming and incomprehensible place. No way to really understand the horrors that took place, and how people could do that to other people….

After Dachau, I boarded a train for Freiburg. 5 hrs later, I found my hotel, and went for a short walk. Day 3 of my trip was day 1 of the conference, and it went very well. Lot’s of great information, and several good contacts. Promising. After the conference I bought expensive but not fancy at all dinner (Europe=SPENDY) and walked around town until the rain started.

Freiburg bike ride – Day 4 of Trip

“It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.”
— Ernest Hemingway

I was at the conference all day today, and felt like I was learning a lot, but the afternoons sessions didn’t seem that relevant for me, and my brain was starting to slip. I left around 3:30, and rented a bike. I rode through town, parked my bike at the base of a trail and did a steep 20 minute hike up hill to a big tower they built overlooking the town. A little hazy, but nice views. Back down the hill, and back on the bike. Through town again, with a stop at a bike store that specializes in tandems, then onto a bike path along a river. Rode for quite some time, along the river and through suburbs.

Stopped at a grocery for dinner, then more riding. Just really enjoyed being out there. There were lots of Germans out and about, seems like people here do lots of walking and riding. I like this town. Prefer it to Munich quite a bit, though it’s tough to put my finger on exactly why.

Back into town, and several laps of the car free downtown. Love it. A gelatto stop, and back to the hotel to do a little work, then bed.

Tomorrow, 7 am meeting, then conference for the morning, then heading 5 hrs north for a thurs meeting.

Germany – Day 5+6 – Last Germany photos

Yesterday (weds) was a long morning at the conference, followed by a long drive with Andy ( ceo of Romny Scientific) and his wife. We cruised north to Bonn, Germany. We stopped on the way in Heidelburg, to visit the famous castle there, and spent an hour or more poking around. Pretty cool. Finished the drive, checked in, and dinner before another late night in bed.

Thurs is was up early, good meeting. We were in the meeting for most of the morning, then went back to the city center. Walked around for 1/2 an hour, grabbed lunch, then headed 20 km north to Cologne. Gorgeous.

We went to the cathedral there. It’s a World Heritage site, and incredible. I’ve been to several of the other great cathedrals and churches (Westminster, Notre dame), and this one blows it out of the water. Simply impossible to understand the scale of this thing until you stand at the base. and the architecture is a fascinating lattice of towers, hollow airy towers, and huge arched roofs.

Simply stunning. We explored for quite some time, then it was back in the car. I rode with Andy and Jenny to Manheim, then caught a train to Stuttgart. In a few hours I’ll be on a plane to London…..

Location: Heidelburg and Bonn, Germany

England

I went to Germany for work, but arranged to fly back via England. Some of you may know that I was born in England, and both my biological parents are English, so I have extended family there. My mom’s mom is there (my only remaining biological grandparent) and she’s an amazing woman. Since I don’t get to see her often, I took the opportunity of the trip to go. After a hellish bus ride from London, I found myself in Kingsbridge, the small village near the south coast of england, where she lives. It’s a pretty little village, and we had a great time. We walked round a bit, went for coffee, enjoyed gluten free pastries and meals. A great time and I loved every minute and it was over far too soon. I was there for 2 partial days, and one full, then it was back to London where I spent a day with my old high school friend Kim Grey (nee Polly). Good times, but no photos. Back in the good old USA now, happy to see my cute wife again.

Location: Kingsbridge, England

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But we only rarely climb anymore. I mostly kayak, and we’ve been busy with school, start-ups, work, family, etc.etc.

But we made a few trips to Joshua Tree this spring, and as I’ve lost a little weight I’m feeling a little more comfortable on rock again. We wanted to do a longer climb, to practice all the stuff that comes with multi-pitch climbing, but something not too hard, so we went to Tahquitz yesterday and climbed the famous Fingertip Traverse route with our friend Scott.

My head wasn’t all there. I remember climbing this route solo, without ropes, a number of years ago, but it felt harder than I remembered. I think gravity has gotten stronger in the last 5-6 years.

It was a fun day. Thanks Scott for joining us!

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