Return from Big Bend, a trip report...

“11 days from home, 4 days and 17 miles on the trail, 4 days and 21 miles on the river, great food, great drinks, greater company, 1 wet Mom dumping and lots of stories...more to come and photos too.”

“ewww, your mom dumping??? THINK about what you write! LOL!

Can't wait to hear about the trip! :-)”

“NOT Mom taking a dump, Mom getting dumped out of the boat....sheesh...happy new year!”

“LOL! Happy New Year to you, too! ;-P ;-P ;-P”

“Glad you enjoyed it. I would have been happier there than moving.”

“glad you had a great time. Sorry to hear about your mom getting dumped. Did she take you out to the wood shed after you landed...lol”

“as soon as I realized that I wasn't going to prevent the flip, I was out of the boat and to her in a flash and had her up on the mud bank before she was totally wet. Only her feet and left arm got wet. I moved like lightning. I won't spill the details at this moment, only to say that I lost minimal (for me that is) gear and the boat didn't die a horrible death. Dutch Oven Dave was like superman, but that is the end of the tale, not the beginning and the beginning has yet to be begun. So, I'll not talk anymore about that scene at this moment in time...

Chili...you were missed!!!! we had to suffer with sub-par food...NOT!!!”

“Hi Stikmon

I will look forward on seeing your pictures of Big Bend! A place I have always wanted to get to..was this your 1st time there?”

“Hey Stikmon, I was really upset I didnt get to go. Next year I bt I come up with a way to go. I will have to fly and meet you somewhere. Cant wait to here about the trip. When you coming to the Smokies to see me and Chili?”

“you're not even there yet. Lets get that accomplished first, then do trip planning.

Although I could see an April thing.”

“I usually sit right down and crank out the reports, but I have been tired and busy this week with camping gear strewn about my house. But, I wanted to spend a bit of time tonight to get it down for those interested persons to read. I'll have photos available later on.

Wednesday December 22: big freakin snowstorm prevents me from loading the gear into the Awsome Trak. Do it on Thursday night and plan on leaving out now in the weee hours of Friday morn. 3:30 am, alarm clock goes off, let Khatru out, load car with last items, turn on heater, shower, dress, Hardees, and away I go...slipping all over snowy roads. It takes forever to get anywhere and speed is diminished. Gotta make Dallas by noon and it ain't gonna happen due to bad road conditions between Kennett and Little Rock. I get to Dallas at 1pm, and Jeff is already there 1 hour, traffic was horrendous...something about some christian holiday. Got to the airport at 2 and Jeff was ready to go. 2 hours behind schedule. What schedule???? we ain't got no schedule now, we drive and drive and drive and stop when we need to get gas, eat, bathroom...whatever. We talked and shared stories from the year since we last saw each other. lots of stories...and lo and behold, we finally arrive at Rio Grand Adventures in Terlingua Tx. at the precise time that I originally thought we would make it...11:30pm, well it was actually 11:33 so we were still behind schedule. Its great when you know how to warp space and time. 1099.5 miles in 19.5 hours. A new one day drive record for me and one that will probably never be duplicated.

Deborah and Steven knew that we were coming and she had a space heater crankin for us and left the light on. Jeff quickly set up his sleeping pad and I had a cot...I was smart this year. Ear plugs in and I was off to dream land.

Sat Dec 25, Christmas Day. Slept great and didn't hear a thing, including everyone moving around in the morning. I finally awoke and saw that Jeff was up and moving, I decided to take my first nap and went back to sleep, woke up an hour later at 10 and got up and was ready to take nap #2, when Steven came in and wondered if I was going to sleep the entire day away, I said probably, but got up instead. Steve made us coffee and told us that he was selling his rental gear. Jeff and I went shopping and I bought a Discover Scout 16 and Jeff bought a small solo canoe weighing in at 35lbs. SWEET!!!

The only adgenda that day (Christmas Day) was to get to the NPS office to get our backcountry permits for the next 3 days. We wanted to hike the Chisos rim trails and we figured that we could get best dibs on sites if we were a day before the others. We were right! After our shopping with steve was over, we took off to go get breakfast and head to the Park. We got into the park and put the peddle to the meddle and left everyone in the dust. the office was only open to noon, but really it was 1:30, so I was crankin the speed...100mph!!! and then I backed it down to a more moderate 70. Got to the park office, took care of business and then Jeff and I headed out to a dirt road to do some offroad travels to someplace by the Rio to have lunch. After lunch I took nap #2 in the sun in my chair, shorts, no shirt and feet up on the tail gate of the Trak.

We left there to go on up to the Basin HQ to do a short day hike to the Window to catch the sunset. We were the only ones walking in, everyone else was coming out. It was a great hike, nice to stretch the legs and work out the kinks and get into the groove of walking again. the Window was spectacular and unfortunately, I missed the great sunset view because I was dinking around with the new camera taking water flow pictures with sunset colors reflected in the water, a few came out really good. Jeff saw the colors though and he took some photos. we hoofed it out of there and saw the Christmas full moon rise over Pulliam Peak. AWSOME and it got like daylight out and we had no problems navigating in the semi darkness. We had dinner at the Chisos Basin Lodge and it was a special holiday menu. It was great to eat well, one last time before heading up to the back country.

We headed back to RGA for one last evening of sleep indoors and in the morning

Sunday Dec 26: headed back to the lodge to park and head up to the TH to begin our 3 day, 2 night stay up on the rims of the Chisos. It goes UP REAL FAST! We decided on the less strenuous of the directions and headed up via the Laguna Meadows Trail. to the SouthWest rim. we did @6 miles that first day and since we were in NO HURRY, time was not our enemy. We had 6 hours to do 6 miles. It felt great and was no struggle at all, as I had been training and working out for this trek, knowing that it would be elevation after elevation, until reaching the rim. We took breaks whenever we wanted, enjoying the views and taking lots of photos. There were others on the trail, as this is a very popular and famous hike in Big Bend, Texas and the USA and probably the world. It was not overly crowded though.

We arrived at our campsite on the southwest rim @5pm and set up camp then headed out to the rim to watch the first sunset of the trip. As many know, I have had some things going on in my life that have perplexed and confused me, but sitting there, with my feet dangling over the edge of the sheer 1000' dropoff and watching a sublime sunset, all that baggage and confusion left me and I blew it all away into the severe breeze. This is what I needed to make me whole again and let go of those things that were tearing me apart. What wasn't, never will be, and it was time to let go of that and leave it behind in 2004 and get cleansed for 2005 and the Big places in the world are made just for that. I needed Big Bend and she didn't let me down. I cried my tears and laughed my soul clean into the most incredible sunset imaginable, saying goodbye to the only hurt of 2004.

When the sunset was over, I felt reborn and was ready for dinner, beverages, cigars with my friend Jeff, who I only met a year ago, in this same place.

After the dinner, libations were drunk and cigars were smoked, to our respective sleeping quarters we retired. Me to the Tri-light tent and Jeff to his bivy.

Monday Dec. 27: In the am, we both awoke to a beautiful morning and set to do our morning activities...me, I stretched and did my morning excercises in the sun and Jeff, did breakfast. There was no hurry, as there was no time, and we had little mileage to do that day. Something like 4.5 miles. In a no haste fashion, we each accomplished our chores and were packed up to head back onto the trail. The days route would take us along the South Rim to the SouthEast Rim to the NorthEast Rim where we would intersect with the Boot Canyon Trail to take us to our campsite in Boot Canyon. The views again were spectacular and we lolligagged whenever we wanted, taking breaks, and taking a long lunch break overlooking the NorthEast rim off into the Chiuahan Desert and Mexico. The Sierra Del Carmen range and El Pico could be seen across miles of desert haze. It was an amazing site looking out across the desert while we were high on the plateaue where trees, water, coolness, plants and animals lived without the struggle that was taking place on the valley floor. Here was a paradise island in the sky, surrounded by the wastes of the desert. Surely this is one of God's holy places and I/we were once again walking in God's presence. It was very spiritual for me, and I felt the energy all around me, coursing through every fiber of my being. I was being cleansed and it felt good. We continued on descending to the junction with the Boot Canyon trail, which follows a creek bed to the Boot Canyon Spring. We were counting on this spring to replenish our water supplies, but we had word from other hikers that the spring was frozen over with impenatrable ice. We filtered in the creek and others soon followed suit as they saw us. The trail was amazing. In my mind, I knew that down below was the desert, with all its dryness and struggling thorny plantlife, but here it was lush, and green and alive with joy and light and there was music in the air. I felt like I was walking in some sort of tale that was told ages ago, of a time that has long since passed away. A tale of magic and at this moment a stone stairway came into view and Jeff and I stopped and stared at it knowing that, in another time, this might have been the stairs that Frodo ran up to the top of Amon Hen as he escaped from Boromir, just before Boromir died defending Merry and Pippin. It was totally mesmerizing looking and imagining this. We lingerd here for a moment and then passed away to finish our own days journey. We reached our campsite in Boot Canyon again @4 or so and set up camp. I looked for a vantage spot to snap sunset photos on the canyon walls and it was then that I spotted the namesake of the canyon. A huge pillar of stone in the upside down image of a boot. I took many sunset photos, but, it was to be the morning sunrise photos that were superior. My vantage point was a large rock dome that emerged from the forest canopy for an unobstructed view of the entire boot canyon. I met some other hikers for the evening show and in the morning Jeff scrambled up with me and I again met one of the other hikers. Our evening was spent laughing and telling tales, blowing smoke rings and just sitting quietly in our own thoughts. Sleep crept upon us as I played my flute and we both drifted into the world of dreams.

Tue Dec 28: The morning was dark, Jeff and I awoke practically at the same time and headed off to the scramble rock to watch the sunrise. Jeff is not fond of heights and it was good that it was dark so that he couldn't see what he was in for, but he did fantastic and emerged on the top, above the forest to view the rising of the sun. and it was SPECTACULAR! totally worth the effort. We were rewarded with an amazing awakening of the mountains and forest. Afterwards we made our way back to camp and prepared breakfast, knowing that our journey was now nearing its completion and that there was only one last accomplishment to complete...the summiting of 7825' Emory Peak. We reached the Emory Peak spur in no time flat following the Boot Spring Trail, which provided us some fantastic close up views of the Boot spire.

Emory Peak Trail is a 1 mile uphill climb with the last 50 or so yards as a total boulder scramble to the top where there are actually 2 peaks. The taller one is where the radio antennaes are and that is actually 7861 feet (according to my GPS). I climbed that one as I hadn't come that far to not be on the highest point. It was a great scramble and I had no difficulty as I've got little fear of heights and love bouldering. Jeff stayed below. It was an amazing site. I've peaked before, but never have I seen a 360 degree view of this magnitude. I could see 150 miles in all directions...past, present and future were able to be seen in one look, if only one took the time to do it. There were lots of people up there, but, only a few really were grasping the magnitude of what they were viewing. I laid prostrate upon the top rock and said prayers to God and let the spirit fill me to capacity, one final time before I left that place. The photos I took do no justice to the awsomeness of that vista, but, one thing did stand out among all the views...the future. I spotted the visitor center from up there, and pulled out my binoculars where I was able to spot the Awsome Trak in the parking lot and I yelled out BEEEEEER!!!! Soon, in the very near future, Jeff and I would be sucking down ice cold Coors beer.

I headed down from the summit to rejoin Jeff and off we went to complete the journey, get to the ice cold beer that was waiting patiently to be scarfed down. Which in short order is exactly what happened. As we got to within minutes of the lodge, we spotted some scouts coming up the hill..puffing and huffing as they were making their start...they were going to suffer greatly under the enormous weight of their ill packed packs, but then Jeff and I saw the most bizzare site we've ever seen, and old man and fat little boy were coming up the hill, huffing and puffing, carrying their gear under their arms! no pack on, only gear stuffed under straining arms. We stood and stared and watched them dissappear up the hill and then we headed down and out to complete our journey of 16.5 miles. 14.5 on the rims trails with a 2 mile RT sprint up Emory Peak, we were out 3 days and 2 nights.

This is only part one of this trip, because as many of you know, there was a river portion to do and my mother was to arrive that day, but, I'll save that to write over the next day or so. In the meantime, I hope that you enjoyed this segment...Namarie!”

“Thanks, from one of those interested persons. This was the second year in a row that the enthusiasm of your whacky online personna motivated me to suffer 18 hours of driving for 3 days of hiking in Big Bend. Family Christmas obligations keep me from joining your trips, and this time of year I really can use a short solo trip anyway.

Last year I spent a lot of time on the southeast rim looking out over the desert. I had meals there, drank tequila and read a book, even watched the desert at night under a full moon. Try to camp at SE3, SE4, NE3, or NE5 sometime. It is very spiritual.

This year I did the Rancherias Loop in Big Bend Ranch SP, which I think you'd really enjoy. It is a rough, old trail through canyons and around mountians that passes several springs. I never carried more than 3 qts of water and that was more than I needed. It is warmer than the Chisos in winter and a lot quieter, with more of a desert feel.

Have you read "Tales of the Big Bend" by Elton Miles? It's got stories of the local legends - they sell it at the park visitor center.”

“I have not read that book, but since you recommend it, I shall order it up and put it on the pile of 2005 reads. I'm currently reading the exploits of Colin Fletcher called "the river". It is about his trip from source to end. mts to sea on the colorado river. great read.

Next year, when I return to BB, I will keep the BB ranch trip you mention in mind and possible do that trek instead of the outer mt loop. We'll see. there are 352 days until my return to BB and thats barely enough time to squeeze in all the rest of the years adventures, but, somehow, I think I'll manage. Thanks for the "kind" words about being wacky...LOL. Only online am a wack job. Its lifes mysteries that keeps me going”

“Thanks for the great trip report, and I can't wait until the rest....and the PICS!!!!!...omg...I can't wait to see them........backpacking is not just packing up and walking...it is an experience...an adventure....
...and as usual a very visual trip report....

ok...when do we get the rest???/”

“during coffed in the am.”

“Good....something to look forward to when I get off work.........no sleeping in until Saturday......(of course to me 6am is sleeping in.......)”

“sublime lady that she is, but wait, the arrival of the river runners must be told.

Tuesday Dec 28: Jeff and I were at the car and scarfing down ice cold coors in the parking lot of the Basin Visitor Center at 4pm, right on schedule without ever knowing that we were on schedule. Weird when that happens. We exit the park in anticipation of meeting Dutch Oven Dave, Paddlin Polly and my mother at Tivo's in Study Butte for dinner and then well earned showers.

We get to Study Butte and dial the mom's cell phone and viola, they are in town and just past Tivo's and we told them to turn around and we'd see them in minutes. And so it happened that the 2 groups, backpackers and floater met and merged into one floating group. Now let me backtrack here a moment and tell the tale of my mothers journey which began the previous day (Monday Dec 27th) at midnight. Mom worked till 11pm, then drove to the Jonesboro airport where she camped in the car till 6am when the small airport opened. She asked me for a pee bottle, but I didn't have a womans size, so she was on her own. I guess she did ok, I didn't ask. Anywho, she catches her flight to El Dorado, Ar. where she hops a flight to Dallas, where she hops a 3rd flight to Midland Tx, where DOD and Polly pick her up and drive to Big Bend. Quite the intrepid traveler and I challenge any other mother to do such a thing.

Jumping back to Tivo's...huge meal, brews from the cooler. laughing, eating with the Justice of the Peace and his wife, photos...Awsome meal and the cost was negligable. Can;'t wait to go back.

We head out to go back to RGA and get ready for the morning, Jeff and I turn off to get the showers the others continue on, and we find out that the showers are busted! We turn back to go back to SB (10 mile backtrack) and get the showers...$3.00 for 6 minutes...great shower, well worth the price of admission. clean clothes, clean us. We went back to RGA and performed last minute chores transferring backpacking stuff to the dry bags for the river trip in the morning, we all crashed VERY hard. Long day for everyone.

Wed Dec 29:Morning wake up call. Load the trailer, boats, gear, clothes, and off we go to breakfast...and we get to the town of Lajitas, which is becoming a playground for the filthy rich. million dollar homes, townhomes and golfcourses are being constructed everywhere. Quick stop at Big Bend State Park for permit authorization and away we go for the put in spot. We unload, TONS of gear. It looks like we are going for a month. Dave has his XL Tripper (20'), I have the new Scout (16') and Jeff is using the Bunnie (14.7') and each boat has plenty of gear. Polly does a sit down in the slippery mud and we all laugh and soon have the group photo done, boats loaded and off we go. We expect to make 4-5 miles that day, but wind up at 6, which is great...BUT...there is one spot that we had to negotiate last year @2 miles in and this year, we do the same..swift water, narrow shute, we line em through, but not before taking a side stroll up to some abandoned stone huts, where Jeff once again earned his alias "Pig Pen". We are walking back across the dry cracked creek bed. Some of the mud was not so dried and Jeff steps into a patch which is like quick mud. He immediately was sucked down up to the tops of his thighs...and he was floundering around so much that I thought he was gonna get sucked down all the way...he quickly extricated himself from the mud and emerged up on the shelf that I was standing and he was CAKED up to his shorts. OMG...it was halarious and none of us could control ourselves. I went into a major coughing fit, due to my sore throat, and in between coughing, laughing and choking I managed to snap a photo of Jeff's muddy legs. He's lucky he had on Chaco's, cause anything else would have been sucked off his feet. He walked out into the icy river and with a sponge, managed to get the thick adobe mud off. We were all laughing so hard, that Jeff nearly fell into the river.

After we composed ourselves and lined the boats through the challenge spot, we continued on and saw the faux false sentinal that confused us last year. Not so this year, with last years experience, maps, 2 gps', we knew precisely where we were on the map. The landscape for the first part is bleak and not overly impressive, at first glance, but once you get past the visual desolation you can see the complexity and beauty that this wilderness can offer you. Serenity, stillness, timelessness, endurance are the messages that are sent. Spiritual awakenings can result, if you just stop competing with the surroundings. We drifted down the river past cliffs and mounds that shared their weathered existence with us. Wildlife we saw none, except for birds. The songs of the birds filled the air and it was very pleasing. Brown is the color of choice here. So many shades of brown that it almost made one forget any other color but brown. We each, in our own way, slowly got into the mood of the trip and allowed the surrounding hills and the river to show us how to forget and let go of our other life. This was the moment, and as I eased the boat in and out of riffles, I continued the process of letting go of yesterday and relished the idea of being introduced to tomorrow.

We passed last years NYE camping spot and continued on down and got to a great spot precicesly when we were supposed find it. It was up a small bank that we found a great sandy spot on the Mexican side. We slid the gear under the barbed wire fence and then we went over. It was a great spot that afforded plenty of room and a great view of the surrounding hills. We got busy setting camp to order, and decided to nail the Paella for first dinner as I didn't dare to let the lobster and shrimp spoil. This was a $75.00 dinner and I was not gonna risk it. It was GREAT and turned out perfect. Desert was a chocolate cherry Bombcake. We had a space visible bonfire and laughed and sat around enjoying the sounds of the wilderness and the soft murmering of the river. The stars were out in force and shone brilliantly over the world, the moon shone brightly in its post full moon journey and caste shadows over everything. Eventually fatigue and relaxation stole over each of us and in turn we retired to our tents for a well deserved first night on the river.

Thurs Dec 30:Morning came and it was grey. Coffee was brewing upon my emergence from my tent. I slept fully and was feeling great. I leiu of morning excercises, I decided to take camera and coffee and go for a hike up to the nearest hillock. I announced that I was going and no one bat an eye, so, off I went. It was a great walk across the flats and found wonderful cacti and small water washes that were easily negotiated and I struck a trail that seemed to be going my way, so, I stayed on it rising up off the valley floor, getting higher and higher so that I was able to finally emerge at the peak to have a wonderful view of the river upstream and downstream and all that was below me. I could see our campsite and was able to take some great photos from this vantage point. I sat and dangled my feet over the edge and just relaxed into the peace of this moment. The joy of this moment was supremely welcome and I invited the spirit to fill me to the brim. I made a small cairn at the edge where I had been sitting and yelled out and no one knew where I was until finally I was spotted and was told that Polly was gonna eat my cinnamon roll. My coffee was finished and I wanted more, plus Dave's cinnamon rolls are to die for. I headed down and found out that Polly had not eatin my roll and that there was no more coffee. I made more, drank a bloody mary and ate breakfast like never before, not only the cinnamon roll, but, sausage, buscuits and gravy too. There came along a man on horseback who spoke with Jeff. He seemed to be out enjoying the morning on horseback riding through the hillside. Nice!

Afterwards, we all wanted to take naps, but we got to breaking down camp and once again, asked the river to share its secrets with us.

We said goodbye to that place that so wonderfully gave us safe haven for the first night and moved on downriver. We passed the true False Sentinal, and numerous cliffs of unimaginable heights. We were all in amazement of the grandeur and majesty of this place. How could people in the world not know of it is a crime, but if everyone came here, it would loose its magic and be spoiled beyond belief. The entire American side was NPS property, but on the Mexican side, there were numerous signs of civilization in the way of fences, and watering control systems. We saw cows and horses along our journey. Then we rounded a corner and into site came THE Sentinal. Silent, seperate and imposing this monolith stayed with us all the way to the San Antonia Arroyo, where we would spend our 2nd night on the sandy openspace that is offered there. We arrived, again, precisely when we were supposed to, with plenty of daylight to work the bags from the boats and take off for a nice day hike up the Arroyo. Last year, Dave, Jeff and myself saw this as a great place to explore and couldn't due to time, this year was different. We each took a different route to explore. It is a clear fresh water spring that feeds into the Rio offering spectacular photo ops. Once up on the ledge there were unencumbered views of the Sentinal. It was nearing sunset, when Dave and I remet and hiked back to the campsite together where we got into the Tripper and went across the water to a huge pile of drift wood where we gorged ourselves with dry wood to make the evenings bonfire with.

Dinner this night would be Dave's and Polly's. Baked Lasagna, steamed vegi and I made fresh baked Italian Bread. Another awsome meal cooked to perfection...brownies were desert. another space visible bonfire of traditional Stikmon fashion and eventually everyone drifted to their tents. I stayed up and played my flute and took moon photos in the moving water, continuing my learning process on the new camera.

I awoke to the rising sun upon the surrounding cliffs. It was truely magic. I snapped endless photos as the rocks and water awoke to the morning light. Jeff and I, coffee in hand walked down the river to scout opportunities to take this chute to the entrance of Santa Elena Canyon. Not possible, It would have taken another foot of water to make it. Turns out that Big Bend had gotten more rains this year and that there was more water in the river and it flooded out everywere. This little chute we were walking upon had waves of 6-8 feet and rafters had gone down it all summer long. The river was at 4', which was 1.5' higher than a year ago. We walked back and got my camera and went back to take water photos and Polly went with me. I walked all the way down to the Entrance Rapid to the Canyon and saw that it was gonna be a great ride through the main channel.

Polly and I got back for breakfast and we ate greedily and then quickly (haha, I never break down quickly) broke camp and headed back to the main channel where, like last year, we had to line the boats through and then off we went through the entrance rapids...swift tight "S" curves were incredible and got everyones blood crankin and then, there it was! The entrance to Santa Elena Canyon...tall, strong, imposing. Once in the canyon, there was no turning back. We stopped at the entrance to snap photos and prepare for the next phase of the journey. Up to this point we had horizon views to look upon, once in the canyon, all we would see would be towering cliffs and sky ribbon. The temps would also dip on us as the canyon floor got intermittent sunshine, so we put on a few extra layers in preparation. Into the void we went, first Dave, then me and mom followed by Jeff. Jeff nearly flipped after swamping the Bunnie in a strong rapid and there was nothing that we could do to help as the current we too strong to get back to him, but he stayed right side up and managed to get to the shore where he unloaded the boat and bailed himself out. that was a scarry moment, but it ended well.

We were all in the decending canyon. The cliffs rise up, giving the distinct impression that the river is going in a very downhill way. It is a dizzying experience. We passed Mirror Canyons and eventually got to "The Rock Slide". Another world famous place that is known to eat and mangle boats and rafts piloted by inexperience paddlers. Last year, we ran it with no problem, but this year was different. 1.5' of additional water made this a terrifying place for me. And it made each one of take stock of the situation. It was recommended to us by Deborah and Steve to line the boats through. The 2 of us got my mother over, around, through the portage side of the Slide. No photos of her crawling over truck sized boulders, but I'll say this...It was hard and slow and she did superb, with our help. I had carried the thermarest chair for her to sit on, while the rest of us came down. Polly had as difficult a time as my mother did, and Jeff decided he didn't want to risk running the Slide. Dave and I talked and planned on the best way to do it and I had nothing but butterflies in my stomach. With life jacket secured and fear in my throat, Dave pushed me off and I was put into the swift current of "no return". The entrance rock loomed up on me and the churning water was saying "come here and I'll mangle you". I didn't listen and missed the churn, and was to the left of the rock and slightly off my line and I was VERY afraid and did an expertly excuted 360 in the middle of the channel to right myself and I was through!. My heart was pounding and I finally released my breath and yelled out a howl that could be heard all the way down canyon. Next Dave came with the Bunnie and finally the Tripper. All 20' of her made it in pahfesanal fashion. Dave made it look easy and as we were loading everyone into the boat, a Ranger showed up to make certain that everyone was ok and that we had all the permits in hand (we did).

Ranger Mike(I think it was Mike, it might have been Rick...LOL) asked us of our plans for the night and we told him that we were making for Fern Canyon and he suggested that we not, as it might have people that could paddle upriver from the exit to camp for New Years Eve. He made a recomendation to stay above Fern on a nice grassy hillock on the Mexican side, which is what we did.

With The Rock Slide behind us, we knew the rest would be easy and relaxing, but each "s" curve offered its own set of challenges as the water was swift. There were a few scrapings, bumpings and knockings, but nothing of major consequence. The cliffs soared and towered above us and were awsome, and whenever the sun hit the water, I made sure we hit it, just to warm up my mother (and myself) for that little bit. The cascading sunbeams made the canyon look surreal and prehistoric. There was lots of plantlife mixed with building sized boulders and immense rockslides that might have occured thousands of years ago, or maybe yesterday. Everything was stillness, except the ever moving river. The tranquility was only broken by the sound of our paddles as they entered and exited the water. We silently glided on the glasslike surface of the river, hardley daring to make a sound. Barely breathing, we each sat in our own thoughts, that were occupied and overshadowed by the immensity of our surroundings. Surely God was enveloping us with the magic of the universe.

We reached the spot described by the ranger and it was to our liking and as it was getting late, we decided to stop there for our last night and celebrate the coming of the New Year.

There was a really inviting rock slide that offered an easy scramble for great views of the area, including up and down river views at sunset. I took the opportunity to stretch and do some climbing to be by myself for a short bit and watch the sunset. When I got down it was time to put gears into motion and get things moving.

There was thick grass on the rise where we each set up our tents. I was beginning to feel the fatigue of 3 days of double duty gear set up and tear down, plus the 4 days of hiking. My mother had her own tent and so did I, so, I had to set her and me up and I was feeling worn out. The final dinner was to be mine and Dave got coals going while I set the tents up.

The NYE dinner was a 5lb marinated Pork Loin. mushroom and spice marinade...YIKES...taters, onions, carrots, celery were in the oven with the roast. We had gathered plenty of wood, but a bonfire was not gonna happen, the wood was dank and prohibited hugeness and plus, with a ranger lurking in the canyon, we opted to use the fire pan and keep it small. Polly had inhaled smoke from the fire and went to bed early. We popped corks on the champaign that I had toted for the event, we scarfed down smoked oysters on crakers, munched on cheese and hard salami. While the roast cooked Dave made a pineapple upside down cake for dessert.

The roast cooked to perfection. It melted in the mouth like butter and the vegis were great, but the pinealle upside down cake was sublime, especially with the champaign.

Finally, it was time to crash and crash hard we did. I got a good buzz on and had a difficult time getting up enough speed to make it up the hill where my tent was. Jeff had to line me up and help. It was a riot as I tried to make it to my tent. Once inside I fell out immediately and never awoke till the morning, where we ate pancakes and sausage, coffee and juice...bloody mary's too.

Sat. Jan 1, 2005: We broke camp and were off for the final stage. Next stop would be the take out, shower, eat, sleep....NOT!

There were still some challenging spots ahead, tight fast "S" curves that would try and push you to the rocks, but we made them look easy. We past Arch Canyon, then Fern Canyon (next year Fern), then smugglers Cave then the long downward looking section. Here the cliffs rise even more dramatically to soar 1500' above the river. It is dizzying and awsome. This was the final stretch and then we heard human voices and spotted lots of humans hiking along the Santa Elena day hiking trail. And then we were out, with vistas to the horizon once again, you could see the Chisos Mtns, where only half a week before Jeff and I had hiked, but it seemed like so long ago. The canyon ends abrubtly and when one looks back up river, it looks like an impenetrable fortress of rock. It reminds my of Mordor, but not so evil looking.

We stopped to snap photos and soon were off to the take out, then it happened! The last swift "s" curve and I was not paying attention. My thought were on showers, clean clothes, and food and I didn't see that I needed to be on my game. Before I knew it, I was being pushed sideways into a rootwad, where I slammed in the swift water. My mom leaned away from the protruding roots and towards the rushing current, I tried to counter lean into the rootwad and the branch that I was holding onto snapped in my hands and the upstream gunnel dipped below water and the boat began to flip, I jumped out before the roll was competed , yelling at the top of my voice down to Dave "boat over, floating gear" and moved immediately to my mom, and had her up on the muddy shore bank before she knew what was happening and practically before she got submersed. Only her leg and arm got wet. The boat was stuck in the current, cockpit facing the upstream current and my gear was just floating in the still water created by the boat, I grabbed the clear dry bag first...car keys & wallet, handed it to my mom, then started to hand her everything else. I was waist deep in the icy water, but because I dove out my shirt and chest got wet, but not my head, I had a wool ski cap on which kept my head warm. I looked over my should, back upstream to where Jeff was holding onto a tree root in the river, not daring to let go as he would have possibly come smashing down into me and the boat. Dave came up and in his knee high rubber boots (I have a pair now) walked out to get Jeff to shore, where they unloaded the Bunnie and Dave ferried over below the root wad to get my mom over to the other side to safety. She started to hand him gear and he said leave it and get in. In moments she was on the other side and I continued my struggle to get loose the cooler, york box and my 2 blue dry bags, but I was unsuccesful as the current was to strong and was pushing against them wedging them under the water line in the boat. I was becoming very cold and started to shiver uncontrollably when Dave brought Jeff across and got the gear that I had thrown up on the bank. I looked over to my mom and Polly had wrapped her in a large wool blanket and got her into dry clothes. Dave ferried the gear and Jeff said to take my shirt of and put his on, I declined stating that I would still have to get back into the water for the remaining gear. Dave ferried over one more time and we tied the Bunnie off and Dave got to my side and I gave him the lodown situation. He then told me to get out of the shirt because I couldn't stop shaking and he gave me his shirt, he said that I wouldn't be going back in the water, I did as instructed. I then showed him that I could lift the front of the boat 2 feet out of the water but no further. In swift order, Dave tossed a rope around a tree up on the bank, gave me an end to tie to the rope handle and then, I lifted at the same time that he pulled and the boat rose out of the water and the remaining 4 items of gear came popping loose. Jeff held the boat firmly and I shimmied out on the side of the boat and I grabbed the floating items and pushed them to Dave and Jeff where they lifted them to the shore bank. Now with everything out of the boat, It was childs play to get her above water and flipped right side up and Jeff and I climbed into the Bunnie and ferried across to Polly and my mom where I was immediately wrapped in that wool blanket and Dave brought my canoe across to us. I quickly changed into dry clothes and got warm fast. We loaded the boats and I took stock of missing items...hat, grill grate, 2 metal soda holders. The GPS unit had been strapped to the boat, still working as it was waterproof and the new camera was in its waterproof otter box. It was unharmed and dry. the losses are inconsequential and the hat has been reordered from North Carolina where I originally purchased it. This will be my 3rd hat in 3 years. LOL...

We got to the take out 45 minutes late. The entire ordeal took 45 minutes. We loaded the trailer with boats, gear and us, and hightailed it out of there with this note in my mind...A river trip isn't over until the boats are out of the water. NEVER be at ease and always be aware. This incident was totally my fault and it shouldn't have happened, and wouldn't have, if I had been in the present, not the future.


We got back to RGA, where we grabbed our stuff and headed to the showers and then dinner. We skipped drinks at the bar as we were all too tired to really care about drinks.

Got back to RGA and each fell out after some minor activity with clothes.

Sunday Jan.2, 2005: Woke up, loaded the vehicles put my new canoe, The Drowning Witch onto Daves trailer and Jeff's new canoe was strapped on top of the Bunnie on the Awsome Trak. I'll retreive the Witch this coming weekend and Jeff will get his boat sometime soon. We said goodbye to Deborah and Steve and off we went, on the 1099 mile journey back to our respective, so called "regular" lives. But, one can never really go back to what was and I didn't really want to anyway. I left much baggage (and a few peices of gear) in Big Bend and the Rio Grande River, and I didn't want to bring it home with me, and I haven't.

I needed this trip in many ways. To get healthy again and put back into its corner, the confusion and lunacy that I had allowed to creep into my life. That is old news and I now feel like myself again.

You know, since meeting Dave, I've had a hand in helping many other people on the river, and have even conducted "saves" on my own. Having Dave help me was a new experience and I'd like to say to him and to Polly...THANK YOU!!! not only for your help, but for your friendship.

Jeff aka Ice, better known as "Pig Pen"...thank you also...you held that boat like a rock and didn't let me fall in the drink and also for offering me the shirt off your back. I'll hike and trip with you anywhere! and I owe you now.

Mom...what to say. I'm sorry I dunked you, but it ain't a canoe trip until you dip the drink and now you can say, that I tried to drown you for your fortune.

Thanks to the Gods of the Big Bend. You granted me safe passage through your holy land and have once again, allowed me to listen to your voice and feel your heart beat.

photos to follow sometime in the future...

Namarie...”

“as usual......a GREAT trip report......and I can't wait to see the pics!!!...Dave makes it look so easy doesn't he?.....I am looking forward to meeting Polly someday......glad you had a great time.....and came away without some baggage....nothing like a GREAT trip to help.....”

“as usual......a GREAT trip report......and I can't wait to see the pics!!!...Dave makes it look so easy doesn't he?.....I am looking forward to meeting Polly someday......glad you had a great time.....and came away without some baggage....nothing like a GREAT trip to help.....”

“can really change a person. Thanks for the kind words. It was a great trip.”

“Hey Stikkie, thanks for the report. A fantastic journey, eh?”

“journey, not a trip or a vacation or a destination. To call it anything less than a journey would be insulting. thanks Lizs.”

“A good read. I've always thought there weren't enough long trip reports on this site.”

“too many people snuff out the emotional journey that they experienced while in the Big Places of the world.

I get out most every weekend and really have gotten away from writing the 2 or 3 day trips, just because they are so common for me. I think people got tired of reading the exploits of Stikmon, so, I now save the major writings for the big ones.

Thanks TJ. Maybe next year, you can carve out time to return to the Bend and journey with me.”

“There is nothing like a good trip report that makes you visualize the whole trip......maybe it is because I know everyone who went (except Jeff & Polly)......and I can just picture it in my mind!!!....Dave sitting in the back of his canoe....sipping beer and just as calm as ever......Stikky cruising along in awe of his suroundings....please ....keep on with the journeys...and the trip reports...

BUT for now...where the heck are the pics????”

“the only one interested...you.ll see them on the big screen on Friday. much better than on a pc monitor. plus, I'm not having the time to do it. Too busy”

“Stikky....you have to remember not all who read trip reports post......I don't post on all I read, but I read most of them.....my imagination has travelled MANY miles thru others.....I can't wait to see the pics...they were awesome last year......and I am looking forward to seeing Khatru and your mom!!!!”

“not gonna post the photos...someone may steal my photos and use them to make money and not give me a dime of what they make...nope not gonna do it, not until next week anyway...and whats up wif you..you gonna see all 700 on friday anywho. ain't no one else gonna get that, so stop your cryin ya sheila.”

“I really enjoyed your trip report as well stikmon. After being a lurker on here for a few months and reading everyones experiences, it prompted me to sign up here. I like it much more than other flodded boards and everyone here seems to have the same passionate views of the beauties of nature that so many people just dont seem to possess. I once took a friend to albright grove in the smokies and sat in the majesty of all those old giants towering up to the sun and all my friend could say was, \"they\'re just trees man\". Thats what I like about everyone here... everyone sees the wonder in being \"out there\" wherever it may be. And since reading all these trip reports lately I realized that I have been forgetting a lot of little things that made some of my hikes so great. Yep... I am going to start doing trip reports from now on. Thanks for the inspiration TT\'ers!

P.S. If you guys are a itchin for some big bend pics....they are prob not as good as stikmon\'s but they do show how much the place rocks!
heres mine: http://thebackpacker.com/pictures/album/dimd7f4k.php”