Stayed behind

Started today on the river in the paddle boat for the two miles on the river until the morning hike. We walked up a dry creek bed for maybe 150 yards, before coming to a section that required rope to continue. The mountain goats of guides that we have ran up the face of the canyon end, secured a rope at the top, and had everyone head up after them.

The rope climb involved putting your feet on the walk and resting backward so that your body was about parallel to the ground, and walking up the wall stiff armed.

Kris made it up with a little difficulty. Several other people had some trouble, but everyone who tried made it up to the top. I decided not to go, and handed Andy my camera, asking him to take pictures, please. Kris had already told me he didn't want camera duty, so he didn't get it.

Andy did a great job with the pictures.

I didn't go. I chose not to go, sure, but I was definitely frustrated with myself for not going. Honestly, I was too scared to go. What a stupid reason not to go. I stayed back with Pam and Adam, the parents of Michael and Sonya, all from Boston, and Erin, whose sister shimmied up the rope in the blink of an eye, Greg, a trip assistant and Pat.

I spent the time lying on rocks, munching on one of my luxury items that Kris bought me (also known as "peanut M&Ms"), and reading the book Sunk without a Sound. Tracy told Kris and I the story about Glen and Bessie Hyde, who tried rafting the Grand Canyon in the thirties and were lost. Their boat was found with items in it looking like they had just walked away from it. Andy found the book in the trip library, and I kinda snagged it from him.

The book mentions a "Glen Sturdevant," who was the Grand Canyon Park naturalist in the twenties. He died in the Colorado River back in 1929. I wonder if he's the namesake of the Sturdevant Falls in Pasadena. I'll have to look that up when we get back.

Update: Apparently not. Wilbur M. Sturtevant from the 1890s instead.

I really need to learn how to do some rock climbing. This lack of both confidence and upper body strength is both retarded and unacceptable. Seriously.