So since Vicky is working full time now at Next Gen, I had to rework a way to get out west for a bit and then link up with Jay and her to do a shorter trip together.
So, this: A trip down the Dolores River that flows into the Colorado River close to Moab. Packraft of course. Then hook up with the Kokopeli Trail, something I've wanted to mountain bike ride for quite some time, all the way back to Gateway, Colorado (the put-in). Must have been a fifty miler on the bike, at least, and the haul was up 4000 feet. Shooweeh. Well, first off, I flipped in the Dolores in a Class Three plus rapid. Then the crawl up the Kokopeli was quite a trip. The ride down through John Brown's Canyon was one the most fun things I've done -- straight down through a beautiful winding canyon, along a stream.
Then four packrafting trips, all around Jackson and the Teton Bridger Wilderness. I used the following descriptions to go with: Wyoming Packrafting. I did Pacific Creek, Bear Creek, North Buffalo Fork River, and Green River and Lakes. All fantastic -- North Buffalo was quite a ride. But biggest of all was the hike into Pacific Creek, where I first ran into a moose, full rack, at least seven feet tall. And then -- and this turned surreal -- I look up and there's a grizz just thirty feet from me. He snorts. I get out my bear spray. He walks a bit and then snorts at me again. And I think, well you probably know what I think... And then he bolted into the woods. Hoowee.
After these four trips, with some car camping thrown in here and there, I met up with Vicky and Jay in Boise, Idaho (Bear Creek, my final trip is in eastern Idaho). We then went luxury and floated with OARS down the Snake River through Hell's Canyon -- a marvelous five day trip. Caught some bass. Went through some Class IV rapids. And rode a Dory through some Class IV. That was one of the grooviest experiences we've had in our travels.
And then race back across the country, making it home with only two nights on the road. Shazam.
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