Carol and Ned, Still ticking in 2012!!!

Hello all!

It has been a long time since creating a blog message, so I thought it about time to let you know that we are still around and still up for a good adventure that might come our way. (This may sound like a Christmas letter in July!!)

Ashton in the drivers seat!

Our first grand child arrived August 10, 2011.  Ashton Frank Pozanc will soon be a year old and is the light of our lives!! He lives in Winona , Minnesota with his mom and dad, Tim and Gretchen.  We just love to visit!!


September in the Maritime' s

Last Fall, we did a month long road trip to Quebec, New Brunswick, and Maine.  We had intended to include Nova Scotia, but ran out of time!!!  That will be our next trip East!!  Here are a few highlights from that trip.

We enjoyed a paddle on the St. Maurice River in Quebec.

Our mode of travel, with kayaks and bikes.

Eastern most tip of the Gaspe Peninsula, also the end of the international Appalachian Trail

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 March & April in the Southwest

 In March we headed to the Southwest, the Grand Canyon to be specific, to check something off out Bucket List.  That was to hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and back up!!!! We did it, and it was good!  We started down the South Kaibab Trail in 20 degree temperatures and with our ice grippers on our boots. Hiked the 6 miles down and down to Phantom Ranch where we enjoyed two nights in our cabin with 10 other folks.  The day at the bottom was spent hiking into The Box and enjoying the sun and 70 degree temps!! We hiked back to the South Rim via the Bright Angel Trail.  The trail up was spectacular, oh the views of where we had been!  It took 8 hours to climb up the 8 miles distance and 5000 feet in elevation. It was easier going up than down.  I would do it again!

24 degrees at the start of our hike down into the Canyon on the South Kaibab Trail.

The first half mile of switchbacks were ice covered, yaktraks came in handy!!

Warmed up as we descended.

Our cabin at Phantom Ranch, shared with 10 others from our group!

This is a view of the Colorado River, we still have many switchbacks to go!!  The foot bridge across the river is on the right side of the picture.  The trail continues on the opposite side of the river and travels to the left  into Bright Angel canyon for about a mile to Phantom Ranch.

 
This is called' The Box', it is the start of the North Kaibab trail to the North Rim.  It is a narrow canyon where Bright Angel creek comes down to the Colorado.  It gets very hot during the Summer months, it was warm, and very windy when we were there.  We visited this area on a day hike from the Ranch.

This is toward the beginning of the hike out on the Bright Angel Trail, it was snowing at the higher elevations.

Almost to the top!!  But still 3 miles to go.  Icy trail again, Indian Gardens can be seen at center left on the lower level, the cottonwoods were leafing out there! In the top background of the picture, the Bright Angel Fault line can be seen where Phantom Ranch is located and where we started out hike up several hours ago!

Closer to the end!!  Still going strong!

This is one Grand place!!

The Owyhee River, Southeast Oregon

Our next adventure came in late April into May.  We signed up with Road Scholar to paddle raft the Owhyee River.  The water was low thus making for a more challenging navigation.  The Owhyee Canyon passes through volcanic rock in the deserts of Southeast Oregon.

The Owyhee is a pool and drop river, we had stretches of quiet water than rapids, most were not huge.

The food, lunch here, is always fantastic on a river trip! 

Hiking up a side canyon.

Scouting rapids in the heart of the canyon.

Some of the more exciting sections!! 

This is within walking distance from our last campsite, which is just to the left.  Rafting allows one to get into wilderness places inaccessible otherwise.  

What's Next!!

We will be traveling to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory to paddle the Yukon River from Whitehorse to Carmacks.  We will be on the river 9 days.  August 1st is the planned departure date from Wisconsin.  After the River Trip, we will continue north to Dawson and the tundra of Tombstone Provincial Park, then head South to Tok, Alaska and pick up the State Ferry System at Haines and travel the Inside Passage to Prince Rupert, then head back to Wisconsin.  

The journey is the adventure; and the adventure is the journey.

I hope to send out updates as we travel when time and internet connections cooperate.




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