There is a small group of marginally sane dory boatmen that have been organizing peculiar expeditions in one form for the other for a few decades--we're not sure how long. We pick one stretch of river each year, find a way to launch further upstream and/or continue further downstream than normal people do. And we extend the schedule to allow leisure time, more side hikes, and more simply being there. Then we find a licensed outfitter willing to orchestrate the trip. Then we hire on for the trip, lease our dories to said outfitter, and put the word out to like-minded souls who want to sign up. Amazingly, people do. They sell out pretty fast. We have diehard devotees. Crazy, huh?
In years past we have done the Canyon of Lodore, the Rogue, the San Juan, Cataract Canyon, Desolation Canyon, the Yampa, and Grand Canyon. Each time we have been able to create a longer, more comprehensive and unique trip than you can find anywhere else.
We call ourselves Dory Moon Expeditions.
Andy Hutchinson, boatbuilder, musician and doryman is currently our default ringleader. Kate Thompson, doryman, musician, logistician, rows another dory. RJ Johnson, doryman and geologist, is usually there. Tim Cooper, raconteur, boatbuilder, and doryman, is often on the crew. And of course me. All of us rowing vintage Briggs dories, the Stradivarius of wooden river boats.
Next year we are heading back to the San Juan River, which flows along the Arizona-Utah border through a geologic wonderland in the heart of Ancestral Puebloan country. Amazing place. But rather than be satisfied with the shorter standard commercial itinerary, we are launching far upstream at Four Corners for a 13-day extravaganza. Read more about it here:
The Ol' San Juan 2018
And we are already working on 2019, when we will be launching a 21-day Grand Canyon trip, from Glen Canyon Dam to Pearce Ferry on Lake Mead. September 26 – October 16, 2019. In honor of the 150th anniversary of Major John Wesley Powell's 1869 voyage, and the 100th anniversary of Grand Canyon National Park. Not a trip to miss. Stay tuned for that one—we don't have a price yet, but if you are interested drop an email to: andyhddory@animas.net
Yahoo! And a respectful bow to the dory moon boatmen—to their vital bond to our nation’s restless rivers and colorful canyons—and to them as creators, hosts, and guides of such amazing and life-changing journeys.
ReplyDelete—from a couple fellow travelers