Today, I drove 326 miles from Phoenix to Fredonia, Arizona, and the warehouse of Western River Expeditions. I was up here to deliver the first proofreader copy of what will be my very first book. The person receiving the book was Bruce Keller Dory Boatman. Bruce was one of the boatmen for Caroline and my Grand Canyon trip last October; he is also the person responsible for inspiring the title of my book, Stay In The Magic. The reason for meeting in Fredonia was that Bruce had come down from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, to lead a rafting trip down the Colorado for Western River Expeditions. Interestingly for me, I was able to witness the day-before preparations of what goes into packing a 16-day rafting trip. The trick to packing for one of these trips is not where the tents, sleeping gear and the kitchen are packed on board a raft; it is where to stow all the food and alcohol, with a heavy emphasis on alcohol – there was a lot! The yellow cans on the left are non-refrigerated foods, and on the right are deflated rafts, water cans, and part of the camp kitchen. The next morning, ice chests would be packed and alcohol purchased.

Daily meal items are distributed by which day they will be required and packed in green plastic bags before being sealed in a waterproof can, the last thing you need on a river trip is water-damaged food.