Not mountain biking but still pretty cool...

Discussion in 'Free Zone' started by mtbMike, Mar 23, 2018.


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  1. mtbMike

    mtbMike iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    PRESCOTT!!!
    Name:
    Mike
    Current Bike:
    Ibis HD5, Ripley & Mojo 4
    Rafting the Grand Canyon was always #2 on my bucket list (after heli snowboarding which isn't going to happen at this point) so when a high school friend talked about going, I put together a trip. We took up 17 of the 24 slots on the trip so it was cool to go with so many friends. We actually did a paddle only trip for no motors. It was an 8 day trip from Phantom Ranch (which required a 5 am hike down the Bright Angel Trail) to near Diamond Ranch takeout near Lake Mead. If you ever have the chance to go, I highly recommend it and if there was any drawback, it was that it wasn't nearly as sketchy/dangerous as I had hoped...

    You only live once and you're not getting any younger....and mountain biking in New Zealand has moved into the #1 bucket list slot. Start saving your pennies and join me in 2020!!

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    Cyclotourist, mike, Oaken and 15 others like this.
  2. herzalot

    herzalot iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    2020 Revel Rail,Yeti SB 130 LR
    Lava Falls was tame?

    I'll join you for MtB NZ. :thumbsup:
     
    Danmtchl and mtbMike like this.
  3. mtbMike

    mtbMike iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    PRESCOTT!!!
    Name:
    Mike
    Current Bike:
    Ibis HD5, Ripley & Mojo 4
    Lava Falls was definitely the biggest rapid which was expected. We dropped into a monster hole and were almost vertical on the climb out (kind of like the movie Perfect Storm) but came out unscathed. One of the other rafts had a swimmer at Lava Falls. The was the only person that fell out of the raft all week. I would have gladly ridden in a modern, updated inner tube all week for more "action".
     
    Cyclotourist and Danmtchl like this.
  4. herzalot

    herzalot iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    2020 Revel Rail,Yeti SB 130 LR
    I was an avid whitewater kayaker from 1981-1994. Boats were 12' long then. Kayaking is definitely more intimate than riding a large raft. Even the smallest of eddy lines can flip you over if you are not skilled. And no, sit-on-top kayaks don't count. We're talking wedged in and spray-skirted - one with the boat.

    I never did the Grand Canyon. Biggest water I managed was Westwater on the Colorado, above Moab. Toughest runs I did were upper Arkansas above Buena Vista (The Numbers, but not Pine Creek) and the Royal Gorge on the Arkansas. I did not venture into Class V water.

    Similar to my mtb actually - I like challenging runs, but not death defying.
     
  5. mtbMike

    mtbMike iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    PRESCOTT!!!
    Name:
    Mike
    Current Bike:
    Ibis HD5, Ripley & Mojo 4
    My father in law lives in Durango (6) months a year and I've been saying for 10+ years that I need to learn to whitewater kayak. Unfortunately, we usually go too late in the year....like this year when I'm going in October to attach a Moab trip on the back end. All the good water is long gone in Durango by then.
     
  6. herzalot

    herzalot iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    2020 Revel Rail,Yeti SB 130 LR
    Yup. Lived there from 1981-1987. Went to college there. I never had the courage to run the upper Animas or the Piedra (Pagosa Springs), but kayaking in town after work in spring was occasionally very rowdy - especially at flood stage with 6' standing waves. But yeah, by late July, it was pretty bony and slow.
     
    Cyclotourist, Danmtchl and kioti like this.
  7. mike

    mike iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Western US
    Name:
    Mike O
    Current Bike:
    HT, FS
    Thanks for the share, @mtbMike! Nice trip, well done :thumbsup: MTB is cool, but not the only game in town.

    Thx also for the nudge to get out and do stuff...aye, cap’n! :cool:
     
    Cyclotourist and mtbMike like this.
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As a former Amazon Associate I continue to get screwed trying to stay qualified as an Amazon Affiliate. So I quit!


Want to donate to imtbtrails?