A delightful weekend on the Upper Colorado River — 51 boaters and 7 additional revelers enjoyed camping at Radium Campground in group sites A and B plus a few extra individual campsites (thanks to all who were willing to share these extra spots!). Groups boated Friday (1600 cfs) through Monday (mostly at 1200 cfs) with a few over-achievers slipping in an extra run on Thursday afternoon. Runs ranged from Class I (Two Bridges to Catamount) to Class II+ or III (runs with Eye of the Needle and Yarmony rapids). Boaters reported lively water, developing new skills, and seeing wildlife ranging from eagles, heron, osprey, vultures, waxwings, geese, mergansers, kingfishers, nighthawks, mink, great horned owl (hooting), and coyote (howling) to a bear.
Saturday — Two Bridges to Catamount: 18 boaters in 14 boats
We made new friends and caught up with old as we ate and ate well. We had impromptu happy hours on Friday, Saturday and Sunday (from chips and dips to wings, ribs, and tacos), a sumptuous potluck on Saturday evening, and a pancake breakfast with potluck additions on Sunday morning.
Winners of the Saturday cookoff are from left to right: Nita and Craig Flora: Best entree and best dutch oven dish; Henry Williams: Best dessert; Becky Bowers: Best side dish; Noelle Bernhardt: Best of show. Look for a follow-up post/email with their recipes in the near future.
Thanks to all who attended and helped to pitch and take down the party tent, collect waivers and ACA fees, set up handwash/dishwash stations, wrangle trash and recycle, bring extra equipment for loan, help with the Sunday morning breakfast, coordinate and sweep runs, and mentor boaters. In fear of forgetting someone(s), I will not name names, but thanks from the bottom of my harried heart. Special thanks to Membership Chair Bill Ashworth, who again hosted the Sunday breakfast — with lots of volunteer help, to Kit Williams for orchestrating the cookoff competition, and to Instruction Coordinator Debbie Hinde, who scouted and then hosted — with mentor help — two skills practice sessions. Thank you! Thank You!
Anne Fiore’s Rendezvous photos have gone out to the GoogleGroup with a Flickr link. If anyone else has photos to share, please send them out in your preferred format via the GoogleGroup or to me at gvmutz@gmail.com.
Hope to see you on the water again this year and at our annual meeting in November. Check the calendar for scheduled trips and the annual meeting date (TBD) and GoogleGroup emails for pick-up trips.
Kathryn