Moab, Utah: Day 6/10
Today had an early start, although neither my companion nor I felt like getting out of bed. We had a trip planned with Paddle Moab, where we were scheduled to go canyoneering and then kayaking with our guide. Our departure time was at 8 am, and for once, it wasn't quite hot. Prior days had reached 106 (even in the shade!), which we tried to tough out but really couldn't. I don't care what people say about dry heat - it's miserable.
As we got moving, I was worried about not just the heat, but also a partner who was afraid of heights. In the shade, this part of our day was amazing. It was cool and comfortable. Out of the shade, it was another scorching day. I'm pretty sure even the jackrabbit that scurried past was sweating. One thing was for sure- by 8:30, we knew we were cooked, both literally and metaphorically.
We arrived at the top of the canyons and found another group attached to the descension rock. After about fifteen minutes, it was our turn. I went first, dropping about 100 feet down into the canyon. I was pleasantly surprised by how cool it was down there. After a short walk, we approached the second drop. This one may have been even nicer because only the first few meters/yards were walkable. Then it was just a straight drop zone. It was a blast until the hike-out arrived, and it had become a 100-degree day of dry, July heat once more. Thankfully, part two of the day was on the water.
The kayaking part of the trip was refreshing. After a brief deli sandwich lunch along with carrots and hummus, we went upstream about 7 miles to drop a car and then go another seven for our put-in. We hit a few nice class 1-2 rapids and then a bunch of other ok spots too. The river, at points, got noticeably chilly. Perhaps the surprise of the day came when a beaver was spotted swimming upstream with sticks in its mouth.
After our day was done with Paddle Moab, we got in the car, read 106 on the thermostat and drove the road to Potash, which was beautiful, and swam at the boat launch at the end of the road. The current was strong, but thankfully, I'm a good enough swimmer to be safe even when I got caught off guard by the current and depth. I'm so glad I jumped in the water. I think my core body temperature may have dropped 20 degrees. This was what I'd been waiting for all day.