Two-4-Tuesday

Rio Chama - The Adventure Begins

The day before our August 31 launch, Kathy and Henry work on the assembly of the cataraft that will carry them down the river.  Kelly relaxes.

And they're off!

Note:  Thanks to Larry Grona for the photos.

 

Three-4-Thursday

Aragon Rapid Redux

 

On their third practice run together, Benz and Evy attacked the meat of the rapid directly.  No more fancy spin moves above the rapid this time.  They guided the canoe straight into the hole created by the angry currents.

 

Evy even caught a little air as they exited the hole unscathed.  Bravo!

Note:  Click on any photo to enlarge.
 

Wednesday Wildlife

Our trip to Chicago for my nephew's wedding proved that, even in a large city, there are opportunities to observe wildlife. 

We first met Sue, the largest, most complete (more than 90%), and best-preserved Tyrannosaurus rex ever found, at the wedding reception at the Field Museum in Chicago. Sue roamed North America about 67 million years ago, and was discovered in 1990 at the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation in western South Dakota.

We returned to the museum the next day during daylight hours to get a better look at this imposing figure.

Because of its weight, the original skull is exhibited separately.

A skull of a different sort was on exhibit at the Chicago Institute of Art.  This is Cow's Skull: Red, White, and Blue, painted by Georgia O'Keeffe in 1931.
 

Two-4-Tuesday

Was I Dreaming?

 

 This is what I awoke to the other morning ...

... or was it really this?

These two competing visions of my life are displayed at the Chicago Institute of Art.  My lovely (and, hopefully, forgiving) wife and I spent many hours there on August 25.  The first painting is Antonio Mancini's Resting, from 1887.  The second is Jupiter Rebuked by Venus, produced by Abraham Janssens around 1612.  Someone remind me which of these more accurately depicts my world.

 

Sunday Sunlight

Chicago Sunset

 

We were in the Windy City for nephew Collins Ward's September 27 wedding.  The reception was held in the fabulous Field Museum.  As we entered the museum following cocktails on the grounds, we were treated to views of the city's skyline at sunset.

To the east was Lake Michigan.

A different kind of sunset was displayed in the Chicago Institute of Art.  This is René Magritte's The Banquet, painted in 1938.

Three-4-Thursday

Rio Chama - Aragon Rapid

Evy and Benz made three "practice" runs through the rapid on the afternoon of our layover day at Aragon Campsite.  Actually, they were just out to have fun.  On their first try, they did an almost 180-degree spin move in the eddy just above the rapid to briefly face upstream before quickly reversing to face forward again (I could almost hear each of them saying "I meant to do that"), then ran cleanly through on the quieter right side of the rapid, as shown above.

On their second run, Evy and Benz wowed the onlookers by executing a full 360-degree spin move just above the rapid (see above).  At the last second, they then avoided the "meat" of the rapid by slipping their canoe just to the right of the submerged boulder on the right side of the rapid, before pulling hard over to the shore, as shown below.

So what did they do on their third run?  Well, given the title of this blog post, I can't show you that now.  But stay tuned!

Note:  Click on a photo to enlarge.
  

Wednesday Wildlife

A female common merganser (Mergus merganser) swam quickly towards the shore as Kathy and I floated past it on the Rio Chama on September 3.  Trying to guide the cataraft and handle my camera at the same time meant I had to settle for a less-than-clear photograph.