Day Three

Friday, 7/3 - Up at 5:05 today, once again waking with Rick but waiting `til he was through with the bathroom. 63 degrees, very clear skies - looks like it's gonna be a good one! Roused the Scouts at 5:25 - less groaning and griping now; they're beginning to get accustomed to the dawn reveilles now (as is, of course, intended!) Quickly organized and out the door at 5:50, and back down to our very favorite McDonalds - but had to wait `til 6:05 today for them to open. Guessing from the parking lot the past two mornings, these guys don't exactly have a big opening rush. Did the vehicle-by-vehicle ordering thing again, with the added "bonus" that the cashier got terminally confused and gave me about a hundred sixty bucks worth of change (plus all our meals) for my hundred dollar bill. I laughingly told him I was gonna eat there three times a day if he kept that up! Well, I straightened that out in quick order, snarfed away (what is it with Scouts and their love-affair with those greasy McDonalds hash-browns?), and headed back out the door at 6:30 sharp. Back down I-25 to 24 West, and quickly heading up the seemingly endless run to Ute Pass. The perfectly clear skies gave us the usual great views of the North face and backside of Pike's Peak to our left. Lots of commuter traffic again, heading east to Colorado Springs; even more this year than last - and that was pretty heavy (not a good sign for the future.) Despite the traffic, I enjoy this drive for the dramatic changes in the flora as you gain elevation; after 3 straight years, you look forward to certain aspects of the trip, and this is one for me. There's two distinctly different sets of trees as you climb out of Colorado Springs; first is a very thick areas of Douglas Fir, Spruce, Aspen and Lodgepole Pines, which quickly thins out to (almost exclusively) Ponderosa Pines. Once you crest the pass, you're treated to a spectacular view of a high plateau spreading in a 50 mile vista in all directions to the front, with views of the snow-capped Collegiate Range to the far west. As always, we stopped for a few photos at the scenic overlook at the crest (plus a few surreptitious bathroom breaks in the trees.) Back on our way, we headed down into the valley (down being a relative term here; we're probably at 8,500 feet.) Lots of cattle, plus our first buffalo herd (to the left) and three "prairie deer" (pronghorn antelope), also to the left. Even more sign of beaver activity along the streams than last year - they're obviously making quite a comeback in the area (and no wonder the mountain men came here - it must have been just unbelievable when they first arrived.) Several signs pointing to "South Park" excited plenty of comments from the Scouts and Al (per the totally weird but quite popular TV show.) Finally started climbing back into the preliminary foothills of the Collegiate Range, with increasing traffic heading - I guess - into Buena Vista. I don't think there are any other major towns out here, but I've never studied the map all that carefully; there's nothing else along Rt 24, that's for sure. Finally pulled into town, and followed the Adventure Sport Expedition bus right into Riverbend Park; now that's what I call good timing! Headed over to the bus to greet Blair - he recognized me from last year, and gave me a warm "hello." Relayed the release forms to him (couldn't find Chris Blackwood's forms, and had to re-do them on the spot), while everyone checked out the river (and the comfort station!) Took a minute or two to "chat up" a family from El Paso, Texas, who were sharing the morning run with us; nice folks. Everyone started in on getting dressed, then one of the guides ("Vanessa") gathered the group together under a small gazebo-like information center and gave the usual safety spiel. We finished getting dressed (swimgear and sneakers) and lacquered up with sun-tan lotion (the sun was already painfully intense), and crowded on the bus. Off to Brown's Canyon - a stretch of the Arkansas River with numerous Class III and IV rapids; about a 20 minute ride. The guides gave us some additional safety lectures on the way, and still more once we arrived at the launching site. Everyone got their lifejackets fitted while the guides unloaded and re-inflated the rafts. Views of an huge fleet of rafts - at least 40 - on the bank across the river (Noah's Ark Tours again) gave us all a bit of a sense of urgency - we didn't want to be stuck in the middle of that crowd! - especially since their idea of doing the river is to paddle it as quickly as possible (pretty sad!) Raft # 1 was Rick, Matt C., Ryan, JT and I (Guide was Dave); # 2 was John, Mike, Nathan, Dan, Al and Jay (Vanessa); # 3 was Brad, Brendan, Matt S., Chris B., Rusty and Chris W. (Eric); and # 4 was the family from El Paso. Everyone got a quick "how-to" lecture on paddling (emphasizing synchronicity) and how to wedge your feet in the crevices in order to help avoid getting launched from the rafts while in the rapids. I had a quiet chat with each guide, and asked them to maximize the experience for each group - right down the toughest part of each set of rapids (each gave me a knowing grin, and said "no problem!") Ready at last, we slid the rafts down to the river on the double rails specifically designed for just that purpose; fortunately, we were able to get out on the river ahead of Noah's Ark, although I'm sure they'll try to catch us! The Arkansas seemed a bit higher this year, and also looked significantly faster. Not as cold as I remembered though, Thank You Lord. Matt C. and I took the front positions in Raft # 1, so we're gonna get a free bath for sure (well, I can use one anyway, so no sweat there....) Most of the first couple of miles were spent getting our acts together for paddling, and then the mandatory splash-fights with the other rafts. Will they never learn? - "Don't mess with Bob!!!" Finally, however, we got into the one-after-the-other succession of real rapids - Pinball, Staircase, Big Drop, Zoom Flume, Canyon Gate, Widowmaker and Raft Ripper - wow! Some of the standing waves were over our heads, and we must have shipped tons of water, each! The guides were good on their promise to make each rapid a real roller-coaster ride, and Dan and Al got "launched" at Big Drop; Al managed to pop right back into his raft, but Dan was quickly separated, and we ended up picking him up. He definitely had a rather wild look in his eyes as we pulled him in, but quickly managed a smile, with everyone cheering and slapping him on the back. Unbelievably enough, he had held onto his paddle the whole time! Al just laughed over his brief swim. There's a cold shower for ya! Interspaced between the rapids, we were treated to one train running down the canyon, plus the usual fantastic scenery and beautiful, unusual rock formations, all brilliantly clear in the morning sun. I took as many photos with one of our "wet-cameras" as I could manage; hope the other rafts did as well. Done at 11:10, with a hard turn to the shoreline take-out to the right. As expected, it went quicker than last year due to the higher water and faster current - but what a ride! About half the guys did a little wading around the take-out point, but I was already chilled enough (and therefore passed.) The parking lot was sunny and warm, so we recovered quickly, everyone chattering away like blue jays. Blair was already waiting for us, so we quickly re-loaded the rafts and headed on back to Riverbend Park, with an startling diversion mid-trip as an ambulance and police cruiser passed us at about 80 mph, each with sirens blaring and lights flashing. Back at the park, we once again invited the guides to eat with us at Panchos - but they again declined; three years in a row I can't buy them a meal - weird! Checked out our photos (taken by Colorado Photography at Zoom Flume) and picked three winners - Al also selected a fourth photo for himself. We combined our purchase with the El Paso family's shots, which made it cheaper for both groups. Too bad these guys don't charge a reasonable rate for duplicates; I'd buy enough for everyone from them, and save myself the hassle of trying to get them re-done back in Arlington. Oh well! Tipped each guide $ 20.00, which pleased them immensely, and we took off for lunch. Everyone but Matt C. Dan, Ryan and I headed off to Panchos (our favorite lunch spot from the past 2 years); the four of us instead headed for "Pizza Works," a new place which had received rave reviews from the guides. Right off the main drag, behind the Post Office (where I dropped off Jenner's thesis, now completed.) Pizza Works officially qualifies as a hole in the wall (with a grand total of one table in the "dining room," but what the heck.... Very friendly staff. We ordered a large pepperoni and sausage (the cholesterol express!), and sat back to listen to Dan regale us with an account of his self-proclaimed "near-death experience" on the Arkansas River. I can hardly wait to hear the same account 20 years from now! Well, the place was jumpin' with carry-out orders, so popularity isn't an issue; I think they'll make it. Just as our pizza arrived, so did Vanessa and Eric, to order lunch themselves; apparently, their afternoon run was canceled - too bad they hadn't known a little earlier. They did their own ordering, and headed out for a small outside table under the front awning. By now, we were getting distant rumbles of thunder and a few raindrops, but the storm seemed to be holding along the mountains to the west. Our pizza was great (and huge!), but we couldn't finish it all, and gave the last two slices to the guides, and bolted for Trailhead for mountain biking, passing Pancho's on the way (the guys were just coming out as we drove on by.) The rest of the crew arrived in short order, and we started getting organized. Rick decided to pass in order to try and track down his luggage again (and check out the entirely too expensive camping gear offered by Trailhead); Matt C. and Rusty also passed on biking in favor of an extended stay at the Dairy DeeLite. Everyone else got fitted with TREK bikes with special shocks and all the other accoutrements. Helmets and water bottles all around, plus two repair kits, then a quick safety lecture (with the usual stern warning not to run over any cactus plants), and we headed back once again to Riverbend Park and the Whipple Trail. Had to yell at the guys at the bridge across the Arkansas - as usual, they were all taking off like bats out of Hell. Called everyone back and sternly reminded them to keep an eye on the storm - even though it was slowly moving away to the northeast, it could return quickly, and we didn't want to be on an exposed ridgeline in a heavy-duty electrical storm. Divvied up the repair kits (Al and I) and cameras (Mike and I), and asked the guys to wait at the trail intersects (yeah, fat chance there!), and off we went. As expected, the group was totally strung out within 10 minutes - so much for waiting at the intersections, or setting a sane pace! The last raindrops ceased, and a brutal sun came out and quickly set the ambient temperature on "fry." What a difference! Even though I knew it was dumb, I went ahead and stripped to the waist - better a little sunburn than heat-stroke from sweating all my water out! The Whipple Trail turned out to be "heartbreak ridge" - very steep uphill, with we tail-end charlies all gasping for breath. Good altitude training for Philmont, but painful nonetheless (and I ain't 25 any more, neither.) Al guts were also hurting him - he overdid it at Panchos, and had forgotten his meds. Mike and John found a neat little jumping area, and hung out there for awhile, then returned back to town, but Al and I gutted it out and continued on up the hill (since we had the cameras, repair kits and first aid kit.) As it turned out, Mike and John should have stuck with us, because we finally gained the railroad cut at the top of the trail within another 3 minutes, just another 150 feet further up. Ryan and Dan were hanging out there, waiting on us; everyone else had continued south on the cut. It was here that Al finally figured out the gears on his bike - he had taken the hill in high (not low) gear the whole way. Well, that's one way to get a workout. Nice vista overlook of the valley and the Collegiate Range to the west - amazing the enhanced perspective from just a few hundred feet up. Took a couple of pictures, then headed south along the cut, following the rest of the guys. Slight uphill grade, with some sections being rather bumpy with "washboard" rutting, but a pleasant ride overall. After a couple of miles, we intersected with another mountain bike trail/road heading down to the right. The railroad cut basically ended at what appeared to be a park of some sort (several U.S. Forest Service signs.) Looked for mountain bike tracks to see if I could determine where the rest of the crew had gone, but nothing definitive, so we sucked down some water and headed on down the trail/road to 285/24. Very steep (and Dan is going for near-death experience # 2), but a lot of fun. Finally intersected with 285/24, and headed back to Buena Vista. Within 10 minutes, we found the crash site where this morning's ambulance and police cruiser presumably must have been headed - there was a State Trooper still there, writing up a report under flashing lights, and crash debris all over the place. Some "serious" skid marks too - must have been a bad one. We rather gingerly picked our way through all the broken glass, turned right onto 24, and continued on into town. Back in town, we visited the municipal park again - this has a large and beautiful reservoir under large trees, cool and quiet. As last year, there were lots of kids running around and fishing - and plenty of good-sized trout swimming around in plain view. After cooling off in the shade for awhile, Dan, Ryan and I headed back to Trailhead, while Al went back to Riverbend Park for a second partial run up the Whipple Trail again (now that's hard-core!) Don't know how far he pushed it. Back at Trailhead, we turned our bikes in, and then turned around to find Nathan and Mike wheeling around the parking lot in a shopping cart. Got that straightened out in a hurry (as in, "knock it off, and put that back where it belongs") and went in to talk to Rick - good news! - they finally located his and Chris' gear, and had arranged for Tim A. to pick it all up when he arrived at the airport. Part of the crew arrived in bits and pieces, still strung out, but at least no-one alone, and Rick escorted them down to the Dairy Delite. Another thunderstorm was slowly moving in, so I stayed behind as a "base monitor" for the last group still out out on the trail, but took a minute to snag a coke from the local Pizza Hut, from a quite sullen and minimally cooperative hostess; what a difference between her and the open friendliness at Pizza Works! Not surprisingly, the place was mostly deserted - if you want a pizza, you don't need a crappy attitude as a topping. Relaxed in the van for a few minutes, quaffing my hard-won soda, as the rain moved in. The rest of the crew showed up around 4:55 or so, all dripping wet but laughing and happy, followed by the Dairy Delite contingent. Checked the rest of the bikes in, and saddled up for the long drive back just after 5:00. Of course, we then just HAD to stop at the 7-11 for more sodas. Turned out to be the longest soda break in history, and I finally got aggravated and chased everyone out around 5:30 or so. Left in a pretty good downpour, but we outran it within a few minutes. Back on the plateau, we spotted a few distant buffalo and antelope, plus got a close-up view of a herd of long-horn steers (which is a first for me, if I remember correctly.) Dangerous looking animals, albeit true icons of the Old West. After about an hour, the 7-11 purchases kicked in, and we took a short side-excursion to water some more trees. Not too many comfort stations on the high plains, that's a fact. Coming into Woodland Park, we all got severely aggravated with a couple of moronic drivers - one driving a compact, the other an Airborne Express Van, who were hogging the road and holding up about 50 or 60 cars. An extremely dangerous situation, because everyone was riding about 8 inches apart on a fairly steep downhill, and getting highly frustrated. This went on for at least 20 minutes, but it seemed a lot longer. Flashing lights and horns from several other drivers failed to get these clowns' attention, but they finally separated by 20 feet or so, and we (and many others) got around them, with some drivers giving both idiots the traditional one-finger salute, "with feeling" (although sorely tempted, I resisted.) Both drivers remained completely oblivious. And people wonder why there's road rage. After that, it was pretty well anticlimactic back to I-25 (Thank God!), and we cruised up to the Academy Boulevard Country Buffet for dinner around 7:45 or so - great deal and excellent (all-you-can-eat) food, another keeper. Had a long chat with the manager who gave us the deal; she seemed most pleased to see us there in uniform (even if Class B's for most of the Scouts.) Took about an hour, which was certainly sufficient to stuff everyone to the gills (again), and we headed out to Briargate for the fireworks. Easy enough to get to - just a right onto the intersecting road at the shopping center where the Country Buffet was, then a left onto Union. We quickly ran into moderately heavy traffic - everyone else with the same idea - and drove up to the parking lot; however, the lot didn't look like a good idea for subsequent exiting, so we U-turned and headed back into the neighborhoods for a more convenient departure point. We easily found an acceptable spot, and gathered together for a 15 minute walk to the hill overlooking the park. In a quite unpopular decision by the Evil Bob, I refused to give everyone their free release to go hang out wherever - having the crew spread out among 40,000 people was the last thing we needed. Nathan, Mike and John managed to assuage their pain by hanging with a group of young ladies about 25 feet behind us - claiming to be "competition-level rock climbers," and denying any association with the rest of us Scouts, of course (will they ever grow up and get over it?) The rest of us just found convenient spots in the grass and listened to the distant band(s) playing patriotic Sousa marches. Beautiful fading sunset outlining the mountains to the west, with Pike's Peak a looming darkness to the southwest. By 10 pm, it was finally dark - really dark - and they started in on the fireworks. A decent, 18 minute long display, with various designs (some a bit tough to guess) and "roman fire" displays. Good finale - got some nice pictures - and we were quickly gone. A fast 10 minute hike to the vehicles, and off to the Academy. Pulled in just before 11, and started settling in - only to find what appeared to be a dead mouse on the floor in my side bedroom. "Dead" turned out to be "sick," and "mouse" turned out to be "bat." Not good! I ended up killing it with a dust-pan, and carried it outside to discard it in the deep woods (after warning everyone not to go anywhere near its saliva trail (about a square yard of floor.) Disinfected the entire area by dusting it (and the dustpan) with a small can of comet, and carefully checked my sleeping bag for any wet spots - a dose of rabies (or whatever it had) would really put a dent in your Philmont trek! After a quick scan, it was clear that I was OK on the bag, and that the bat had apparently fallen from a small hole in the ceiling just above where I found it. Tim A. arrived just about this time, along with Rick's luggage and the cargo van, and we had a brief chat before calling it a night; he was pretty beat, too. Bed by 11:20, after having to confiscate a box of "poppers" (those mini-firecracker things) from Mike, and 5 minutes later barking at everyone to shut up. You'd think a hard 18 hour day and a 4:00 am wake-up call would clue people in to the value of a little sleep, but apparently not. I stayed up `til about 12:15, writing some diary, re-organizing the receipts, and winding myself down. 52 degrees and semi-clear. Another great day - but an even longer one tomorrow.