During February, the month in which we celebrate love in all forms, it seems appropriate to write about a travel destination my kids and I recently visited and LOVED. Since the reasons we love the Grand Canyon are not typical of travel – yet are aligned with many key characteristics of love in general – I felt it warranted a bit of an explanation in words and photos.

1.     There is a reason they call it GRAND:

This is an understatement. If you have ever been IN the Grand Canyon, you can attest to the seemingly enormity of this natural wonder. Like the immense love one’s heart can feel for others, the Grand Canyon is sure to tug at your heart strings. This is especially true if you can explore it from more than just the canyon rims.

2.     It’s easy to get to know it intimately:

Everyone wants to feel as if they REALLY know their loved ones.

Similarly, last summer my family went on a Grand Canyon Expeditions’ vacation. By week’s end we felt as if we’d gotten to know the Grand Canyon in a much more intimate way than most do who only view it from the top.

3.     Love that’s here to stay:

After spending time in the Grand Canyon, I can attest that it is an experience that I will never forget! Just like true love, that warm fuzzy feeling is here to stay whenever I set eyes upon photos from our trip to the Grand Canyon!

4.     It’s the perfect setting to get away from it all:

These days, most of us say we’re going on vacation to get away from it all, but inevitably we’re still connected all day long to our work email via our phones and laptops. On our river rafting adventure with GCEX, there was no electronic communication available. Thus, by the end of the week-long adventure, I truly felt as if I’d been on a secret get-away away from my usual routine. Mind you, my partner on this rendezvous was none other than Mother Nature!

5.     You can explore it many different ways:

Whether you’re a fan of white water rafting, hiking or even riding down the canyon via a mule, there are many unique ways to explore the Grand Canyon. Just like the many people in your life whom you love, each mode of exploration has its many reasons why you indeed love it.

6.     Love Fosters Peace + Serenity:

What is the by-product of true love? Happiness….peace…serenity…joy. I can truly say that I felt all those inspiring emotions by the end of my week getting to know the Grand Canyon.

7.     It’s exciting:

Isn’t new love meant to be exciting? In a similar way, rafting down the Colorado River and exploring the many trails in the Grand Canyon are utterly exhilarating!

8.     Just like a Valentine present, it’s full of sweet surprises!

Don’t we all enjoy getting a box of chocolates for Valentine’s Day from our loved ones? And aren’t most of us surprised by what we actually find inside each chocolate? Similarly, the Grand Canyon has many unexpected charms ranging from lush waterfalls to amazing vistas around every corner.

9.     It will change you forever:

Most of the important relationships in our life affect us profoundly. Think of vacationing in the Grand Canyon as forming a relationship with a power that’s bigger than any of us and that can be called into our consciousness at will to heal, soothe and bring us joy.

10.     It’s got HEART written all over it:

This article was inspired by the multitude of rocks and cacti I found and photographed during our Grand Canyon Expeditions family adventure rafting down the Colorado River by day and camping in the Grand Canyon by night.

Although at home I have a small collection of heart-shaped rocks found on local hikes on the East Coast, I have never experienced such a proliferation of heart-shaped objects in nature as I did that week in the Grand Canyon. Maybe these constant reminders were instrumental in opening our hearts – including normally hard-to-please teens who were on our trip – to the profound beauty that surrounded us.

From running rapids to cooking meals, pitching tents, hiking and swimming, almost every minute on a Grand Canyon Expeditions trip on the Colorado River is filled with excitement!

Sometimes, however, there is usually quiet time nightly in camp or when your raft encounters an extensive patch of flat water. I know, you may be thinking “Gasp! Boredom? In the Grand Canyon? This cannot be!” Well, you’re right! Because with the right imagination, ideas, and sense of fun, you will never ever have a lacking moment on your trip.

Sigh, there is no more disappointing moment on a white-water rafting trip than seeing a seemingly endless stretch of flat-water (non-rapids) before you. What ever is to be done? Well, how about rounding up a few buddies for a silly song? Some of our favorites on our family’s GCEX trip were “I Saw A Bird,” the fun campfire song in which everyone takes turns trying to come up with something with which to coax a bird into one’s home and then a way to send it off on its way. On our GCEX rafting adventure, we teenagers loved singing the infamous “Song That Gets on Everybody’s Nerves” and “Song That Never Ends.” My personal favorite was creating our own covers and parodies of famous songs, from Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” to Broadway favorites.

If you’re still bored during a momentary lack of rapids and hikes, another fun time with friends are classic “talking games.” The parents, teenagers and kids on our GCEX rafts enjoyed such games as “I’m Going on a Picnic” and the word play where everyone takes a turn at verbally adding a word to create a silly sentence. There’s also always good old “Mad Libs” (best played in camp where your Mad Libs book will stay dry), “Two Truths and a Lie” and “Would You Rather?” Another entertaining pastime both on the rafts and in camp are hand games. This includes Tic Tac Toe (different from the paper game of Xs and Os!), Miss Mary Mac, and Slide.

Another “cool” thing was the water sprayers that the guides let us use periodically. My cousin Ethan (you’ll see him on the ledge to the right of the photo below) surprised some of the adults coming out of cave we hiked into with a refreshing water spray!

In camp, a HUGE and super fun way we filled down-time was card games. A makeshift camp card table can be constructed with a stack of sitting pads with everyone sitting around the “table.” Our favorite game was Egyptian Rat Screw — I understand how funny the name sounds but it WILL BE THE MOST FUN GAME you will EVER play! Others that we enjoyed were Spades (similar to Hearts), Go Fish, B.S. (ButterScotch—duh!!), Spoons (which we played with teabags for lack of spoons), and Uno. So make sure you pack a deck of cards. You’ll be the most popular person on the trip!

Feeling antsy in camp? And I don’t mean those pesky red ants! Ha ha ha! No need to sit and only play cards: why not try something active? Some great games for the sandy canyon beaches are stick baseball (you guessed it: baseball using a giant stick instead of a bat), Frisbee, and bocce—using Canyon rules! Our trip guide Art brought bocce ball that all of us young adults and kids played a few nights.  I’ve never played bocce in such beautiful surroundings as the Grand Canyon!

Speaking of which, perhaps one of the coolest places in the Canyon — especially for playing Frisbee, running bases and kickball — is an amphitheater-type cavern. Red Rock Cavern is HUGE and big enough to house a game of Frisbee, kickball, a group of people eating lunch, and an outcropping of rock to sit and chill by. Seriously, this is one of the most amazing, wonderful, unreal, spectacular things you will ever see in your lifetime!  Yes, I think that this officially proves that nature is the world’s greatest artist.

So yes, my friends, make no excuses of boredom, for there are quite a number of games to play and songs to sing when there is nothing else to do. Trust me, I know it sounds dorky, but with the group of people on your GCEX family adventure, you WILL have fun!!

If you ask my 10-year-old son Ethan what he liked best about our Grand Canyon Expeditions river rafting vacation last summer, his reply is “the friends I made.” While most adults would expect the answer to be “the awesome Grand Canyon” or the “cool river rapids,” sometimes children can put their finger on the true essence of a situation better than adults.

This was true in our case, since the camaraderie we experienced throughout our entire Grand Canyon Expedition was a critical, core part of our  family vacation. Ethan felt it, embraced it, enjoyed it, and will never forget it. Neither will I!

Mind you, there was not just one type of camaraderie at play throughout our trip. There were four different social dynamics that all were an  integral part of our memorable Grand Canyon Expeditions trip.

Parent and Child/Teen

Regrettably, like many single parents, I do not have as much time to spend with my son as I would like when I’m home. However, travel is
often a way for us to bond.

On a GCEX family vacation, you and your kids are on the same raft by day and sleep in the same campsite by night. Bonding inevitably happens. I loved that I had time each night before and after dinner to hang out with Ethan and his new friends and play cards. I feel that the lack of technology got us back to basics which included pure, simple FUN!

I feel that Ethan was surprised and happy to see me hanging out and laughing with him and his peers. This in itself is worth its weight in gold – let alone the spectacular scenery which was the backdrop for our mutual admiration.

Child and Teens

I was a little concerned on the first day of our seven-night expedition that Ethan was the only child on the trip. I thought perhaps that the many teens on the trip would ignore Ethan since he was a lot younger.

Actually, quite the opposite was true. Instead, Ethan was like the fun mascot whom everyone rallied around. When we went over big rapids, the teenage boys sat around Ethan making sure he was well protected from the spraying water. The young adults also met Ethan at his level by often happily talking about
SpongeBob episodes or playing Harry Potter trivia.

The result? An amazing closeness between Ethan and the teens on our GCEX family vacation.

Staff and Adults

With four staff members to assist and guide our group of 29 guests, there was a propensity for us to get to know our trip guides. Some guests especially sought out friendship with the knowledgeable staff members: Art, Beav, Randy and Lacey.

For example, one of the male adult guests was an early riser so he was always up chatting with Randy at the camp kitchen as Randy made coffee at 5:30 a.m. daily. Another male adult in our group was fascinated by the topography and history of each mile marker of the Grand Canyon. So he became friendly with Beav and Art – the helmsmen of our two rafts – and they always graciously engaged in knowledgeable Canyon conversation. One of the females in our group was traveling solo from Ireland, so she enjoyed chatting with Lacey, the female staff member in our group.

I found it comforting – as a divorced parent traveling with a child and teenager – to have Art, Randy, Beav and Lacey’s guidance and opinions. Conversely, when I travel with my kids to cities and stay in hotels, there are no other adults with whom to confer. This can be a very isolating feeling. But on GCEX, I relished the “one big happy family” atmosphere that filtered from the top (the staff) down.

Children/Teens and Staff

The social dynamic I was most pleasantly surprised by was between children/teens and the GCEX staff. The pervasive warmth between youngsters and the staff alike was truly genuine.

At first it was in a more formal way. The camaraderie originally occurred when Art asked the teens and Ethan in our group to play bocce ball after dinner one night. This proved to be a big hit that was replicated on other nights too.

Then Art asked two younger teen girls if they’d like to help him making desserts on a number of occasions. The girls were more than happy to help in this unique experience: without a formal oven, Art and the girls made amazing desserts in a Dutch oven atop the gas stove.

Comparatively speaking

I’ve cruised on dozens of mega cruise ships which often carry upwards of 4,000 people. You’d think with that vast array of folks that we’d make friends on every cruise. However, that has been more the exception than the rule. Conversely, with only 20+ folks to mingle with on a GCEX trip, you’d think that forming social bonds would be slim pickings. However, I was so pleasantly surprised that it was the exact opposite, per my afore-mentioned stories.

Maybe it’s the vastness of the scenery that makes us all feel humble and dissolves any airs we may have. Maybe it’s the back-to-basics of roughing it at night that also brings some mutual laughs and bonding. Or maybe it’s GCEX’s amazing staff that set the tone for guests of all ages. I’m betting it’s all of the above that nurture making friends of all ages on a GCEX river rafting adventure.

Did you know, you can’t cross a river merely by standing and staring at the water.   Author Unknown……………….

Come and join us in 2012, Grand Canyon Expeditions.                                                                         (photos) Tom Blagden (tblgden@bellsouth.net)

The transformative powers of the Grand Canyon were beyond anything I expected. The therapeutic energy and amazing scenery of the Grand Canyon worked their magic on me during our week-long Grand Canyon Expeditions river rafting trip while touching my nine-year-old son Ethan in a profound way too.

Mind you, our first 24 hours on our GCEX family river rafting adventure was no walk in the park. My son Ethan wanted to go home during our first day of rafting on the Colorado River. However, by the first evening, he experienced a transformation and was quickly sold on what a cool adventure this was shaping up to be!

As a non-camper from very suburban New Jersey, I did not find it easy at first to adjust to roughin’ it at night at our campsites. However, prior to the trip, I did not expect it would be a fast and easy adjustment for me since I had only “car camped” once on an overnight. Within 24 hours on the Colorado River, though, the Canyon’s awesome beauty wooed me to abandon my corporal routine from back home and instead embrace the gift that was given me:  a week IN the Grand Canyon.

Surprisingly, what was more of a shock – and the hardest to acclimate to – was returning home after the trip to our fast-paced lifestyle. I didn’t expect the transition from the Zen of the Grand Canyon to my hectic, suburban lifestyle to be challenging. In hindsight, I see how I could have done things differently for a smoother transition. Here’s how:

….Stays in Las Vegas

GCEX trips start and end in Las Vegas due to its accessibility to the Colorado River and the prime air connections. While this makes perfect sense, for me the serenity of the Grand Canyon was so juxtaposed to the glitz of Las Vegas.

Although we did not opt to stay in Las Vegas overnight after our GCEX river rafting trip, we did have an entire afternoon and early evening in this glittering metropolis since we had a very late evening flight home. I made the mistake of promising the kids to spend an afternoon at Circus Circus. While they had a blast, I felt very overwhelmed with the noise, lines, and man-made atmosphere that prevailed. Mind you, 15 years prior I commuted daily to the urban jungle of New York City. So what was this all about?

It was about the enormity of nature’s “grandest” wonder. It was about the peacefulness of the Canyon. It was about the parts of the Canyon that had become a part of me but are so very far from the neon and man-made canyons of Vegas.

My advice: If you do stay a few days in Vegas, pace yourself. Start day one with relaxation in your hotel’s pool and build up to the casinos and Circus Circus.

Take It Slow When You Get Home

Make sure you have a day or two off when you get home before you get back to your job. These days will help you transition from the lack of a timetable during your Grand Canyon adventure to the schedule that most of us must adhere to in our working lives.

Once you’re back at work, try to schedule a soft week the first few days back on the job. While this is not always possible, it makes sense for two reasons. First, it’ll help you transition easier from the pace of Canyon life. Second, you will NOT be up to your normal speed the first few work days anyway and will most probably be  operating at a slower speed.

I almost thought something was wrong with me because I found the transition from Canyon tranquility to my usual “energizer bunny” lifestyle challenging. However, upon speaking with GCEX personnel a few days after my return, I was told that the more you truly connect with the Grand Canyon and Colorado River, the more it gets into your very being. I then realized that once energy so beautiful becomes a part of you, there’s less space for Type A lifestyles. In retrospect, I do see some important and necessary changes I made in shortening the length of my work days and nights AFTER my return from the Canyon.

Reclaiming Grand Canyon At Will

Being deep in the Grand Canyon for a week and camping alongside the banks of the vital Colorado River is not something that you can immediately return to by clicking your heels like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz.

However, there are ways to reclaim the feelings that the Grand Canyon evoked. These include closing your eyes to visualize the peacefulness of the experience when you find yourself getting into the Type A stress mode as well as perusing photos and video clips of your trip. When I look at our pictures of the Grand Canyon, at first I can’t believe I was actually there. But after a few minutes I feel as if I’ve been transported back to the surreal – yet very real – multi-hued canvas that the Canyon walls painted everywhere I looked during our family vacation. I once again feel as if I am an actor playing a very cool part in a movie!

The easiest way to evoke the Grand Canyon and Colorado River, however, is by planning another GCEX trip. One of my friends did just that and his second GCEX adventure was even more awesome than the first!

With our attention this month on gifts for the holidays, let’s admit it – we all DO like to be given pleasant surprises. The unexpected can make the difference between deeming a gift “nice” versus “awesome”!

The same goes for travel. While we all usually have expectations of travel experiences prior to our departures, isn’t it the pleasant surprises that wow us the most?

I experienced exactly that on our family’s Grand Canyon Expeditions adventure this summer. I was as impressed with the special, unexpected touches as I was by the larger-than-life scenery of the Grand Canyon. The surprise “gifts” we received from our GCEX guides all went a long way in making the entire experience a gift that keeps on giving. Every time I think back to that amazing family vacation river rafting on the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon, I smile as if I was being given a gift anew.

Since some of us like to peek in the nooks and crannies of holiday packages prior to opening them fully, the following is a preview of some of the special aspects of a GCEX family vacation.

Surprise Bag of Tricks

There were a few key items that the staff brought along on our trip that pleasantly surprised us.

A few times Art, our lead guide, read to us after dinner from his favorite book, “The Exploration of the Colorado River and its Canyons.” Written by J.W. Powell – the one-armed explorer who pioneered exploration of the Grand Canyon and Colorado River – the book proved to be an inspiration for young and old alike. At first I thought, “The kids/teens are going to be bored by this.” However, as when one receives a gift, I was pleasantly surprised how all ages were enraptured by the amazing feats of J. W. Powell. My nine-year-old son Ethan made me take a photo of the book cover to remember the title so we could purchase the book once we got home. We did.

Another well-received “gift” from Art was the bocce ball set he brought on our trip. Twice during the week-long adventure, he took the teens and kids aside to play a competitive game of bocce ball amidst the sandy beaches of the Grand Canyon. Playing this fun activity against nature’s most beautiful backdrop is something Ethan will always remember.

Continuing these lovely surprises, our other river guide Beav read us an amusing thank you note written by a boy on a previous GCEX trip. Since he read it on the last morning of our river rafting adventure, it was an apt farewell. It transmuted our journey from the surreal world of the Grand Canyon to the man-made world we were about to rejoin.

Staff’s Special Gift Giving

The GCEX staff is the proverbial Santa Claus when it comes to giving gifts throughout the Grand Canyon adventure. These varied daily throughout the trip.

One that will echo with me for years to come is that of Beav playing a Native American flute atop a huge rock in Blacktail Canyon. We hiked into that canyon and during our free exploration time we heard the hauntingly beautiful tones evoked from Beav’s unexpected informal concert.  Even the children and teens were hushed by the simplicity of the sounds and the surroundings; it made our visit to Blacktail Canyon beyond memorable.

However, when it came to the youngsters and teens in the group, Art was the real proverbial Pied Piper. He was the first one to get into the water at Little Colorado River and show the kids how to safely enjoy the natural water slide there. What I found remarkable was his patience at allowing the youngsters plenty of time to ride the slide over and over again.

Every time we explored landside, the kids and teens were always hiking right behind Art leading the pack. While some of the adults lagged behind, the energy of Art and the kids was never- ending. I felt very safe allowing Ethan – the youngest on our trip at nine-years-old – to be a part of this group. Even though I could not see if he was hiking the winding trails safely, I ultimately felt that Art and the older teens were constantly looking out for the littlest one. This in itself was a gift to me.

Gifts For Foodies

Throughout the week, we were constantly surprised at the excellent meals we had. Keep in mind that all food for the week is transported on two rafts and cooked outdoors. From a Mexican dinner with all the fixins’ to one of the best grilled steaks I’ve had in ages that was served at our farewell dinner, we were constantly impressed by Beav and Art’s culinary skills.

I was especially pleased with the options that I had even though I have a number of food allergies. Additionally, my niece Lindsay is a vegetarian and Ethan is a picky eater. Yet we all had plenty of satisfying options throughout.

Since there were two young teen girls who liked to cook, they were often invited to help making the nightly desserts. They thoroughly enjoyed this activity and it made it more personal for them too.

A gift for all seasons

Although I wish I could transport myself back to the Grand Canyon during this hectic holiday season to hear the peaceful rush of the Colorado River lull me to sleep, I can instead look at the photos here and feel as if I am transported back to the biggest gift I was given this year: the privilege of becoming a part of Mother Nature’s most spectacular creation.

Talk about a gift that keeps on giving!

You’ve arrived!

After careful preparation for your Grand Canyon Expeditions’ (GCEX) adventure http://www.gcex.com/blog/post/1628 you and your family are finally river rafting down the mighty Colorado River amidst awe-inspiring Grand Canyon scenery. Ahh…the trip preparation WAS totally worth it!

But what’s expected of you and your family once you are river runnin’ by day and camping on the shores of the Colorado River by night?

Rafting Rules

Aboard GCEX’s rafts, your guides are similar to a captain of a ship. They navigate, they educate, and what they say goes. This makes them sound stern – which is quite far from the truth. Our guides were Art and “Beav”; they were masters at navigating the river. Once aboard the rafts, it was clear to all of us that the Colorado River and its rapids need to be respected. Thus, all guests – even my son Ethan who was the youngest (9 years old) in our group – heeded all instructions from Art and Beav. These varied from “Rapid ahead; please sit down. All those in front, sit toboggan style and hold on” to “make sure your life vest is buckled” every time we shoved off from shore. Simple instructions but definitely worth listening too!

When we weren’t runnin’ a rapid, we were free to relax on the rafts. Snacks were handed out mid-morning and mid-afternoon and there was always plenty of drinking water available to keep us hydrated. Hydration is a must since the sun and wind can de-hydrate you easily especially children. My son Ethan was not drinking enough water in the beginning of the trip and he was feeling sluggish and nauseous. I mentioned this to Art and he made me wake up
Ethan to drink copious amounts of water. By next morning, Ethan was his usually perky self. So while Art was our river guide, he also doubled as trip medic and tripled as chef! His multi-faceted talents never ceased to amaze us and as a parent, I felt very secure knowing he was in charge.

Duffel Lines

Ok, this was NOT everyone’s favorite part of the trip! But I have to admit there was a sense of team work every time we docked on a new beach for the night and formed a duffel bag line. Art and Beav would ask us to line up facing each other in a line that stretched from the raft to up the beach. As the guides and assistants handed off our personal duffel bags, ammo boxes (metal, waterproof boxes for valuables) and sleeping duffel bags, the duffel line expedited off-loading and finding our equipment to set up camp.

I was amazed that the many teens in our group jumped right in and never complained about having to be a part of the duffel line. Maybe there was no “baditude” because it was such a unique thing for them to do AND they could stand by their buddies on the duffel line if desired. My son Ethan’s strength surprised me as he joined right in each time. I think it made him feel good about himself that he was old enough to be a part of the “team.”

Tent Time

Teamwork is necessary for setting up your tent too. The tents are easy to assemble – even for someone like myself and my son who’d never pitched a tent before. However, securing the long tent poles into the ground are a bit challenging to do on your own. Since there were three of us in our party, I encouraged Ethan and my teen niece Lindsay to assist some of our new-found single friends in setting up their tents.

If you prefer to have a star-filled sky as your wallpaper, then there is no need to set up a tent. However, many in our party did set up their tent even if they slept outside. This way, they had a private place to get dressed and a just-in-case spot if we were surprised by rain storms during the night.

I didn’t let the kids sleep in too much in the morning because I was a bit neurotic about making sure we had our tents, duffel bags, and ammo boxes packed up in time to load them onto the raft for the daily morning departure from our beach campsite. Since I was a newbie at pitching tents and camping as a whole, I admittedly over-compensated so that my fellow campers would not know this was a new experience for me!

Meals

Meals were always looked forward to on our trip. The third hat that Art and Beav wore was that of amazing chefs. From hot, griddle breakfasts to lovely on-the-run lunches and ethnic dinners, the food was beyond plentiful. I’ve been on dozens of cruises where food is always sumptuous. I never, ever expected this to be the case when traveling by a river raft that is a fraction the size of a cruise ship!

Some of my favorites were: amazing grilled steaks; Mexican night with ALL the fixin’s; and Thai peanut wraps. I have extensive food allergies yet I never had a problem with meals during our GCEX trip. (The following article is helpful for those with special dietary needs: http://www.gcex.com/blog/post/1642.) Be advised though, you have to alert the head office at least a month prior to your departure if there are special foods you need them to stock for you.

Leisure Time

As a divorced parent, I don’t know what “leisure time” means when I’m back home! That said, I so relished our leisure time on our GCEX river rafting trip because it truly was totally relaxing. There was nowhere to go….nothing that had to be done…no chasing kids around a hectic theme or water park like on other family vacations.

Instead there was simple and enjoyable camaraderie where all ages mixed. I can’t remember the last time I played cards with my son nightly, as I did on that trip. Actually since we so enjoyed playing cards together with our new friends, Ethan and I now play cards a lot more at home than before the trip. That said, make sure you bring a deck of cards with you because they are compact and provide hours of family fun. If you have any other small games, they might be worth bringing too.

Art brought along bocce ball for the kids and teens, which they enjoyed. He also brought simple water sprayers which were used to keep us wet when it got too hot on the raft. However, my son found another use for them: one day he and another girl hid in the canyons of a short hike. As we completed the hike, they surprised us with a cascade of water. On that hot July day, it was welcomed for sure!

It’s funny to think of how different our lifestyle was for that one week last summer. While it took about a day to get used to the routine, now that I am sitting hours on end at my computer amidst chilly weather, there is nothing more that I’d like to do than enjoy the camaraderie of my family and friends on our Grand Canyon Expeditions adventure. Throw in the sound of the rush of the Colorado River and soaking in nature’s most spectacular creation — the Grand Canyon – and it makes for quite the “happy camper!”

After a full day river rafting on the Colorado River, we were always more than happy when our Grand Canyon Expeditions http://www.gcex.com/ guides pulled over to a little beach to make dinner. Last summer my aunt Luisa, 10-year-old cousin Ethan and I (14 years old) had a great time munching our way down the Colorado River even though we were hands-down, the picky-eating  family of our trip!

So, what’s for dinner? Cheese quesadilla? Oops – my aunt is allergic to dairy. Beef stew? Oops again – I’m a vegetarian. Salad? Oops again – Ethan can’t stand anything green! Don’t worry, no matter what your food issue (be it a food sensitivity or just that certain food, such as fish, makes you squirm), there will ALWAYS be something for you to eat on a Grand Canyon Expeditions (GCEX) river rafting trip. There always was for us, the picky-eating family!

Breakfast is the easiest meal to accommodate everyone. Some mornings there are eggs, while other days there are pancakes, waffles, and hash browns. Some of the sides include English muffins and some type of breakfast meat (bacon, sausage, ham), hot cereal and ALWAYS fruit. Other staples also include peanut butter, jelly, and honey for waffles and English muffins. For beverages, we enjoyed hot coffee, hot chocolate, and tea.

While there is usually something for everyone, if you do have food allergy or diet restriction, make sure you tell GCEX’s main office at least a month ahead of time; also inform your guides once you’re on your family vacation. For example, my aunt can’t have milk, yeast or eggs so the office packed our rafts with plenty of soy and rice milk as well as cold cereal to accommodate her. And, hey, don’t be embarrassed because I bet you can’t top our needs: vegetarian; yeast, egg, and dairy allergies; and an EXTREMELY picky ten-year-old!

Lunch is usually pretty simple. By that I mean a classic favorite: sandwiches. With lots of choices in bread (including wraps), meat, veggie, and extras (don’t forget the chips!), you won’t be disappointed. One day there was even an Asian peanut wrap. I couldn’t believe we were in the middle of the Grand Canyon yet we were having some really great ethnic food! Don’t worry, there’s the daily option of peanut butter and jelly for fussy eaters like Ethan. What was amazing too was that our guides simply erected a long, high table and created a really good cold lunch within minutes of docking our rafts!

And now, ladies and gentlemen for the main event: DINNER. The guides toil long and hard to create such an extravagant meal for you after a long day of navigating your raft and you forever owe them your eternal gratitude! Okay, let’s cut the drama. But seriously, the GCEX dinners are AWESOME and, of course, so is the rest of the food. There are usually a ton of dishes, creating lots of options if one dish doesn’t suit you. And this time I mean it: there is ALWAYS something for everyone. Chicken for the non-fish-eaters, veggies for the vegetarians (and altogether health nuts), meat for the protein maniacs, you name it!

Don’t worry about getting hungry between meals either since there is a plentiful supply of fruit (apples and oranges) and chips on board your raft. However, if you happen to be anemic, diabetic, vegetarian, or have some other diet restriction that limits your supply of certain nutrients, I HIGHLY suggest bringing along some granola or energy bars in your ammo can (waterproof tin to keep your camera and other valuables in) on a daily basis. You may need them if your nutrients run low and it also helps in keeping squirmy whining kids quiet. Haha!

So there you have it: no matter HOW crazy, restricted, or just plain unadventurous your diet is, your guides will always have something to satisfy your needs, your hunger, AND your sense of adventure – even if you’re in the middle of the beautiful Grand Canyon!

For most, rafting down the Colorado River and camping IN the Grand Canyon is an once-in-a-lifetime trip. But for those who are privileged to have this amazing opportunity, preparing for your trip should start many weeks prior to departure.

Alas, I was too busy with my daughter’s high school graduation and all the pomp and circumstance surrounding it to prepare ahead of time for our family’s Colorado River rafting trip  with Grand Canyon Expeditions. In hindsight, I wished I had prepared myself and my family more ahead of time. While the trip was amazing, the first day’s transition might have been easier had I prepared earlier.

Here’s what I learned from my family’s trip rafting the Colorado River:

PREPARING YOUR KIDS AHEAD OF TIME

One thing my nine-year-old son Ethan and I did do properly was watch the detailed trip DVD that Grand Canyon Expeditions (GCEX) provides to all guests. The DVD includes many short yet specific videos that gave us an excellent idea of what to expect on our upcoming adventure. For those who aren’t booked yet on a GCEX river rafting trip, you can view a general video on youtube.

My one suggestion is that you temper the shots of the white water with reassuring comments if you have grade-school children coming on the trip. My nine-year-old was a bit anxious after seeing video footage of the big river rapids we’d encounter. Now that I’ve experienced them with him, I realize if I told him that the rapids are nature’s version of water rides you find at theme parks he would have been less concerned. After day of running rapids with GCEX, my son’s trepidation waned immensely – as did mine. By mid-trip, Ethan was brave enough to sit in the front of the raft during rapids!

Another idea is to do a little research ahead of time online to learn more about the anatomy of a river rapid. Knowledge is power and it will help younger children feel more comfortable once they encounter Colorado River rapids.

Similarly, I wished I had gotten some books about the Grand Canyon prior to our trip for my son and me to learn more about this natural wonder. If Ethan had seen in a book or map where it is geographically located and how GRAND the canyon really is, it would have given him a helpful reference point. GCEX provides a link on its website to Google Earth which provides birds-eye views of the Grand Canyon:

“TO DO” LIST

In pre-trip documentation, GCEX sends guests a detailed list of what to expect and also what to bring. I strongly suggest you follow the “what to bring” list – I did not and almost regretted it. Here’s why:

One of the recommended items is rain gear. I thought, “Why in the world do I need to go buy rain gear since we’ll be in the sunny, dry Grand Canyon?” I didn’t realize that the water temperature of the Colorado River in the summer is in the 50’s. Therefore, when you’re runnin’ river rapids, the water feels mighty chilly when it cascades on you! If it’s early morning or late afternoon, chances are the sun’s position will create shade on the Colorado River. That means you will feel cold and stay wet after every rapid.

If you have to do any shopping for trip items, leave yourself plenty of time to find the items you need. For example, neither my son nor I had any proper sandals that could double as water shoes on the rafts yet have support for short hikes. Since I had to specifically shop for these items, I’m really glad I left myself time to do so since I did have to go to a few stores until I found the Keene-brand sandals that were perfect – and totally worth the investment!

PRE-TRIP ORIENTATION

Every GCEX trip features a pre-trip orientation meeting the night before your departure from the Las Vegas hotel. I strongly urge to arrange your travel plans so that you will be able to attend the meeting in full. These meetings provide additional helpful hints as well as your waterproof duffel bag in which you’ll have to pack all your possessions for the next week while runnin’ rapids.

I was very thankful that the personnel at the GCEX pre-trip orientation advised us that rain gear is necessary to keep dry from the rapids. Since GCEX offers a selection of rain jackets and pants to purchase during pre-orientation, I took advantage of this and was extremely pleased I did!

 Another item sold at the pre-trip orientation is a laminated river map. Some of our new-found friends on the trip had purchased one. The kids and teens loved passing it around periodically to see what mile marker we were at or to learn fun facts about the Colorado River and its brave early explorers.

WHAT IS EXPECTED OF YOU

Every night and morning of your GCEX adventure, you are expected to pitch your tent(s) and then pack them back up, along with your sleeping mat and sleeping bag. (However, if you opt to sleep under the stars, tenting-pitching is not necessary. The choice is yours nightly.) As a suburbanite who had not camped before, I found this a bit daunting the first 24 hours of our trip.  However, within a day it was no big deal and I got faster at accomplishing those tasks daily.

Once on the Colorado River by day, you will be expected to wear a life vest at all times. All clothes and rain gear fits under the life vest.

Oh, and for those of us who are middle-aged, keep in mind that there aren’t any steps to help you get onto the raft. You have to climb or hoist yourself onto the buoyant rafts. While at first my raft-climbing technique was very lacking, after the first day we made trip friends and some of the teens in our group would easily hop onto the raft and then hoist me up!

READY, SET, GO!

So you’ve been diligent packing and you’re becoming a pro at pitching your tent. What’s left?

Relax, sit back and enjoy the ride — literally and figuratively!

While I’ve been on hundreds of family trips – most of which offer some aspect that is relaxing – there is nothing like being on the Colorado River for a week to really re-wire you for relaxation. River runnin’ is the equivalent of watching an Omnimax-style movie – but you’re the star! Not only is the scenery that passes you by so amazing that it sometimes looks fake, but the constant sound of the Colorado River easily will lull you to sleep each night.

And those experiences are what make this trip worth the pre-trip preparation!

I was appalled that my son wanted an iTouch iPod for his 10^th birthday and even more surprised when I found out that most of his friends in our middle class town already have iTouch iPods! This is yet another sign of our high-tech times.

While new technology can bring us together over great distances via email, skype, texting, and more, it also keeps us from truly communicating and connecting on a very basic, necessary level.

I’ll give my son Ethan some credit though – he, my 13-year-old niece Lindsay, and I gave up all our electronics for a week this summer during our Grand Canyon Expeditions adventure (GCEX) and had a blast discovering simple pleasures together instead. Yes, techno kids of today CAN go cold turkey and CAN have the trip of a lifetime! The scenery and experiences during our Grand Canyon Expeditions trip were so unique and awesome that both Lindsay and Ethan never focused on what they were missing (electronic toys) from their home routine. Instead they were awed by the beauty of the Grand Canyon as well as the fun they had had in a natural yet exciting way as we went rafting the Colorado River.

Here are some of the simple pleasures we truly enjoyed during our adventure:

Natural Enjoyment

Yes, you can get your toughest critics – teens, tweens and kids – to be enthused! The scenery surrounding us as we were rafting the Colorado River IN the Grand Canyon for a week was so spectacular that even the teens on our GCEX trip thought it was “awesome!”

Each day, GCEX guides took us on group hikes. Surprisingly, the many teens on our trip were always the first ones following the leader to a beautiful vantage point for viewing the grand scenery. There was never any grumbling about how hot it was or that they were tired. Instead, the teens and tweens were totally happy simply walking and hiking in nature.

Adults and teens alike also bonded each time we hiked to yet another pristine waterfall. Whether it was simply squealing with delight together at the cool water splashing us or taking photos of each other peeking from behind the waterfall, we connected in a fun way at every waterfall stop.

Millions of dollars are spent each year by families who attend indoor and outdoor water parks. Conversely, the entire clan on our trip LOVED the natural waterslide at the Little Colorado River. I never heard one “this is boring” the entire two hours we repeatedly allowed the water to take our bodies gently over mini-rapids on the Little Colorado.

But even more ever-apparent and basic than the natural water park was the daily evening sky that was illuminated by countless stars and a glorious full moon. My son noticed it all right away on the first night when he said, “The Grand Canyon and a full moon; it doesn’t get any better than this!”

Relaxed Daily Routine

As a divorced, custodial parent of two children, I lead a very hectic life. Admittedly, sharing a leisurely dinner together is a rarity. So I really cherished relaxing over breakfast, lunch AND dinner daily with my son and niece during our GCEX adventure.

The relaxed camp life we experienced – when not on the rafts – allowed us time to even read for a change. On a few occasions, Lindsay enjoyed getting away from the group and serenely sitting on a rock near the Colorado River with a good book.

The lack of television, phones, computers and electronic games afforded us time to talk and play simple, yet fun and interactive, games such as cards. In fact, these popular nightly games attracted most of the teens/kids, including yours truly. It made me feel like a kid again to have the chance to unwind over a lively and competitive game of cards.

Accommodations: Back to basics

I’ve cruised on about 40 ships with my kids, so it’s safe to say we do enjoy “bells & whistles” when we travel. But what was so heartening was that we also got into the simple accommodations of our GCEX trip: a tent that fits two, a sleeping bag, and a pad for under our sleeping bags. That’s it!

While it took me the longest to adjust to these camp life accommodations –I had never camped before — I frankly started to look forward to when I’d briefly wake up during the night. It was during these moments of pure silence that I celebrated the simple yet awesome beauty of the star-filled sky above me.

Other Simple Pleasures

The guides on GCEX trips do so much with so little equipment. For example, a few times after dinner they read from the journal book of John Wesley Powell, who was one of the foremost Grand Canyon explorers in the 1800’s. While I thought the kids would be yawning the whole time, instead Ethan insisted we order Powell’s book as soon as we got back home so that he could read additional details.

Another pleasure we enjoyed bonding over was spotting heart-shaped cactus and rocks. Lindsay and I were amazed at how many cactus and stones in the shape of hearts we spotted while in the Grand Canyon. We’d never seen this anywhere else. Actually, we felt like we were following a trail to simple pleasures that touched each of our hearts.