This evening we spent at the foot of John's Canyon at mile 58.5. This place was so neat. There were camping spots snuggled in openings is a large tamarisk grove about eight feet above water level. Into this sand/clay bank there were some more little people scratchings, but of far poorer quality than what we had seen on Day 2. The campsites were immediately upstream from the John's canyon outlet where there were two pools, one at river level, the other forty feet up. What a sight it must be in a heavy rain storm. When we arrived, water was flowing in a small stream from the river into the pool, then out in another stream. The next morning, these streams had disappeared - the river had dropped three or four inches overnight!
There was a path leading downstream which ultimately took you to the upper
pool. Nearly everyone except Bill and Norm took off to see the upper pool. Darren, Paul and Tiffany went first. A few minutes later Dave and I left followed several minutes later by the rest of the company. Dave and I walked and walked until it became evident we had passed the connection to the upper rock level, a cairn one had to stand on to get to the connecting path. Backtracking, we ran into the rest of the crew. We had passed the cairn a second time without seeing it. Fortunately, younger eyes prevailed and found it. Dave and I went up first and waited for everyone else.
A short walk back upriver brought us a view of the lower pool some fifty feet below. Another vertical scramble took you down to the level of the upper pool where Darren, Paul and Tiffany were walking around. Another ledge could be seen thirty above the deep end of the pool, its shallow end riverward. I started the scramble down only to find I couldn't do it. The handholds felt too slick and secure foot placements were, to me, non-existent. Kara had similar problems and could not be talked into climbing down. We chatted for perhaps the only time on the trip while standing on the ledge overlooking the lower pool. I finally got antsy and headed back, Kara deciding to wait for her friends.
When I got to the connection to the lower path, I came close to seizing up again. I could get into the crack in the rocks well enough but just couldn't seem to find the proper hand and foot placements which would allow me to reach the cairn. It took me five minutes to figure it all out. I was no further than twenty paces from the cairn when I heard the voices of the rest of the group coming down the upper path.
Owing to the short distance covered this day, it was party night! Tropical punch prepared by Bill and Kara was offered to all. Norm and I passed, but I think everyone else dove in. Paul and Tiffany had joined Norm and I near our tent as the wind started blowing once again. Tif started drinking wine. As we talked, I saw the wind collapsing one side of Norm's tent. I went to move it to a site a little better sheltered. Norm told me later that Tif said to Paul "Stop him! He's moving closer to us!" A reference, no doubt, to my snoring. Poor Norm - he had to endure it every night. Everyone else could separate themselves from us at night, and did! Usually, Norm's tent was the first one established, though not always in the best site, before the rest drove a stake.
One unusual sight that afternoon was a couple of WWII warbirds flying the canyon. Norm, Dave and I are perhaps a little better attuned to the sound of powerful propeller driven planes than the rest. We heard them first and stood, gawked and pointed as the pair of Bearcats rounded the up-river bend, headed in our direction, passed us and pushed into a 90-degree bank to make the next river bend. Around ten we were once again treated to the sound of the B1s though we didn't see them.
Breaded pork chops, stuffing and green beans were on the dinner menu. After the feast, everyone gathered at a spot overlooking the lower pool near Bill and Dave's campsite. Jokes and riddles were the order of the evening. I tried one of my favorites on Darren - A man enters a bar and asks for a glass of water; the bartender pulls out a gun and fires it; the man says "Thank you." and leaves - what happened? He thought about it for less than 30 seconds and gave the right answer! I was staggered - it took me 15 minutes when I was asked! It was probably the most pleasantly social evening of the trip.
Originally written Oct96. Last updated 26Jan01.
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