Arizona River Runners Stories

Take a look at this email - it is a great, realistic review! Read about Eddy's Colorado River adventures with Arizona River Runners.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From:
Date: Thu, Aug 30, 2012 at 11:15 AM
Subject: Recent Rafting Trip 8/23-8/25/12
To: info@raftarizona.com


I just wanted to take a moment to express my views on our recent rafting experience. I apologize for not completing the survey, but due to the traveling I am unable to locate it.

My first impression when my son and I arrived at the Desert Rose in Las Vegas, was that the guide Anna Lee was very well prepared and attentive to every last detail. Anna Lee talked to all of us and answer our questions, no matter how repetitive they were. She got us ready to move out, and had already started to remember our names.

When we arrived at the Bar 10 Ranch, well, I don't know where to start the staff was efficient and lunch was on the table. They kept us busy all day long with horseback rides, stories about the ranch, skeet shooting, and some free time, then it was time for dinner. After dinner there was the ATV ride, and my favorite - the night time entertainment. What a show, from the singing to the Cowboy poetry read by Garth, we had a great time. I would rate the Bar 10 as a 5 plus star resort, even though we opted for sleeping on the deck - the midnight star show had more action then anything that LV could ever hope to offer.

The next day we were up at the crack of dawn, well a few of us were, and the staff again rose to meet the challenge, breakfast, loading of baggage and people to the river was done without a hitch, what a team.

That was just day 1.

Day 2.
When we arrived at the Canyon we were met by our rafting guides, what a motley bunch of river rats they are too. Kenny was the lead rat, and at first struck me as a guy who was too obsessed with the river and the Canyon, and possibly himself (that was way off base). I thought man we got us a real whacko here, but first impressions often change very quickly, as this would be the case. Our first stop we had a run in with a green Mojave rattle snake, that was an eye opening experience. I have been around poisonous snakes before, and have even handled copperheads, and eastern timber rattle snakes back home, but this snake was different.

Our first hike was exciting with the snake, and eye opening when Kenny took us to the shade and read us a passage from John Powell's journal. Kenny was quick to point out that Powell had used literary license when it came to his journal. Never the less, Kenny's passion about the Canyon was very evident in his readings, and his talks with us, and this passion was shared by each of our guides (Zach, Dennis, and Anna Lee). The rapids we all came to enjoy, were just a small part of the Canyon, the history, the beauty. The life of the Canyon was what finally trapped me.

When we made camp that night my attitude of why I came on this whitewater trip had been altered by the river rats, and I had caught a fever from them for the Grand Canyon, and the mighty Colorado River. As I lay there that night, my first night in the Grand Canyon, and watched the moonlight dance across the walls and bushes of the Canyon, as the stars appeared to multiply in he sky, and I once again I gazed out onto the Milky Way, I knew this would not be my last trip to this beautiful place, and I thanked God for men and women like Kenny and the crew who not only make a living sharing this place with other's, but who truly love the Grand Canyon and work to insure it's continued existence.

Day 3.
Dawn came too quickly, as did the end of our trip. I had entered the Grand Canyon looking for adventure, I now left with a longing to stay, and enjoy the beauty that is this majestic place. Thank you for providing a wonderful trip, an incredible experience for myself, and I believe all of us who were privileged enough to share this trip. Great job, does not even come close, because this was more than a job for our guides, it was a view into the life that they have chosen to share with us.


Thank you,
Eddy

Woodbridge, VA
August 23 - 25, 2012 

3 Day Grand Canyon River Trip