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| View from Helicopter (ride out, day 9) |
Sunday, July 8, 2018, 2:50PM MST
We are about midway
through our flight from Oklahoma City to Phoenix, the first leg on this
once-in-a-lifetime adventure in the Grand Canyon. I will spend 7 days on the Colorado River,
starting at Lees Ferry (mile 0) and ending about 190 miles later near the South
Rim of the Canyon. The river rafting is
operated by Arizona River Runners, while the whole excursion is organized by
Canyon Ministries, headed by Tom Vail in partnership with Answers in Genesis, a
YEC (Young-Earth Creationism) educational ministry.
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| Stylin' in my new white hat |
The tour has a dual
purpose. A) Adventure and awe – to be in
one of the most majestic icons of God’s creation will be an awe-inspiring,
worshipful week. B) Education and worldview
challenge – I will learn a great deal about geology, hydrology, and history,
and will have my own OEC (Old-Earth Creationist) perspective challenged by the
best evidence and reasoning that YEC has to offer. On both counts, I consider myself tremendously
blessed to be taking part.
At the same time, it is
difficult to leave Vanessa and the kids behind.
I already feel loneliness, missing my life partner and companion. I don’t like missing days and weeks of my
kids’ lives. Even as they get older and
less dependent, I still cherish each day that we have together. I know that each day is a divine gift, not to
be taken for granted.
I also feel guilt over
the opportunity. I get to experience
this, but my family doesn’t. Would that
we could do it together!
July 8, 2018, 8:30PM MST
(Arizona Standard Time) – Radisson Hotel, Phoenix Airport
Settled into the Phoenix
hotel for the night. Flight arrived on
time at 2PM local. Got my duffle bag and
waited about 20 minutes outside for hotel shuttle. Temperature was about 106F (41C) … “but it’s
a dry heat”! Dry doesn’t make it any
better! What a stupid saying. Mataeo (my 17-year-old son) says that even
Elaina (his heat-loving girlfriend, born and raised in Oklahoma) thinks this is
too hot. We’ll see how I do with the
heat in the Canyon. Lots of water, lots
of sunscreen. Pray for God’s protection,
and health.
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| Castle Rock |
After checking in, met my
roommate, Martin Zhang, an Old Testament Ph.D. student at SBTS (The Southern
Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY – my alma mater), who is from
Wenzhou, China. Really delightful young
man! He and his wife are preparing to go
back to China to teach in an underground seminary there. The seminary has sponsored half the cost of
his education – a real blessing. I pray
that this contact may be fruitful in opening future ministry, teaching, and
study abroad opportunities.
Our teaching sessions
started at 3PM.
#1 (3-4PM) – Intro &
Vision, Terry Mortenson, with AiG. Nice
to hear him openly welcome people of different OEC views as equal brothers in
Christ. Emphasized that we’re on the
same team, won’t know the full picture until heaven, and he could be
wrong. Yet there is a truth, and only one age-of-earth view ultimately can be
correct.
#2 (4:15-5:30) – Geology
101, John Whitmore, from Cedarville University.
Very informative. I’ll be
referring back to his material throughout the tour. Learned about strata formation and different
perspectives on the Canyon’s origins. So
far, it’s been very fair-minded.
#3 (5:30-6:30) –
Supper. Salad, penne (alfredo or tomato
sauce), grilled herbed chicken, buns, and a chocolate mousse cake. Delicious and filling.
#4 (6:30-7:30) – Canyon
Ministries, Tom Vail. Great history of
the ministry, his conversion testimony, and the relation of worldview to canyon
tours.
Wrapped up. Did some email, talked with Vanessa and the
kids. No one is missing me much yet –
they just saw me this morning! I’m
pretty tired. Will read a bit and get to
bed.
Lord, I thank you again
for this opportunity. I thank and praise
you for the beauty of your Creation, especially masterpieces like the Grand
Canyon. Grant me an open mind and
spirit. Most of all, fill me with Your
presence and love.
Monday, July 9, 2018, 9:44PM – Marble Canyon Lodge
Long day! Up at 6AM.
Showered, dressed, packed, checked out.
Breakfast at 7. Then another
teaching session until about 9. Then we
loaded on bus for the 4-hour drive to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.
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| Navajo Bridge from top |
On the bus, we shared
brief testimonies, chatted, and ate lunch.
The drive up to the Canyon was fascinating. We went through desert landscape that looked
a lot like Medicine Hat or Kamloops area.
Eventually we climbed about 1000 ft (350m?) up to the Canyon Rim. That part was counter-intuitive to me. The Canyon itself is so deep that I expect to
drive down to the viewpoints. Instead, the Rim is a vast plateau. We were at the Desert View overlook, which
had stunning views both North and West, as the Colorado River has a stark 90 degree
turn.
There was an impromptu
geology lesson from Andrew Snelling (from AiG) on the formations we were
viewing – again, very interesting. On
the bus ride from the South Rim to Marble Canyon, I was able to ask several
questions about C14 and radiometric dating, and got very helpful answers. Andrew highlighted several problems with the RM
½ life dating methods that were quite pervasive.
Arrived at Marble Canyon
about 4:15. VERY rustic cabins,
We had 90 minutes to
explore before supper. The Navajo
bridges spanning the Colorado River are about 200m down the road. We all went there, got some good pics. I bought a new hat with a good tie-down –
also good wicking to get wet and keep my head cool. I like it!
J
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| View from the South Rim (top of Canyon) |
I talked a few guys into
spelunking toward “Castle Rock” – a beautiful tall formation that looks
remarkably like a Scottish castle! B.J.
and I walked all the way there and climbed halfway up. The other three guys bailed partway. Neat exploration. Thankful for the spelunking buddy.
Learned in tonight’s
orientation that we’ll be sleeping on cots on ground tarps in sleeping
bags. No tents. Just us under the stars. L This is going
to be very trying. Lord help me to be
out of my comfort zone, but to find rest and strength in You alone. Exhausted.
Lonely. Need sleep.
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| Panorama from Marble Canyon Lodge |
Tuesday, July 10, 2018 12:15
PM – Lunch Stop
Rough sleep last night,
even though it was in a real bed! We’ll
see how I do under the stars.
Accidentally set my alarm an hour early.
Got back to sleep.
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| Hat is still white ... day 3 (river day 1) |
Breakfast orientation at
7. River crew orientation at 8; then we
headed down to the river. Lee’s Ferry is
the boat launch, also mile 0 on the US Geological Survey measurements. Loaded the boats and got strapped in. Cool Zodiak-style boats – very large. 14 people plus crew (1 or 2) on each boat.
Almost immediately we
stopped on the far (left) side of the Colorado for a short (1/2 mile?) hike up
the canyon to a nice viewpoint. Saw some
fossilized trees, along with an old Mormon wagon trail. Lee’s Ferry was their crossing point – John
Lee was the Mormon ferry-master who built and maintained the crossing. [Turns out he was a bit of an outlaw –
implicated in one of the Mormon massacres of other pioneers, he was eventually
turned in and executed.] Witnessing the
depth and power of the river flow, it’s easy to imagine the danger and
difficulty of river crossings before permanent bridges. And of course the height and width of the
Canyon poses challenges for bridge construction.
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| Navajo Bridges from river level |
At mile 4.5, we
stopped. That’s the first emergence of
Coconino Sandstone, a significant formation, and John Whitmore’s research
expertise. We were about directly under
the Navajo Bridges at Marble Canyon, where we stayed last night. Learned that the Canyon Rim is 477 feet above
river level! Crazy. And the Canyon will get deeper still.
Just before stopping for
lunch, we passed our first sizeable rapid – Badger Creek Rapid, about a 5 on
the 10-point rapids scale. [Named after
an early explorer’s battle with a Badger at that rapid when he pulled off the
river.] I’m sitting 4th-back,
which is a relatively dry spot. Still
got fairly damp! Clothing is perfect,
though – the shorts and shirt both dry very quickly in this dry heat.
So far (from breakfast to
lunch), I’ve had 4 water bottles and applied sunscreen 3 times. Trying to stay hydrated and un-sunburnt. Loving the time on the River! Lord, your Creation is indeed majestic and
awe-inspiring.
Tuesday, July 10, 2018 5:30
PM – Supper and Camp @ Lower South Canyon (mile 32)
We’ve stopped for supper,
and set up camp, at about mile 32, lower South Canyon. Campsites are really just sandbars with
enough space between shrubs to set up cots with sleeping bags. It will be an interesting night, seeing
whether or not I can fall asleep in these conditions! I suppose I’m tired enough that sleep will
come (eventually).
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| "Indian Dick" formation in Canyon |
After a fairly stop-heavy
first 12 miles, we went the last 20 without stopping at all. I was hoping to see Silver Grotto at Shunami
Wash, but no such luck. There was a
great set of continuous rapids from mile 20-30, really exciting ride! Getting soaked at each one sure took the dge
off the heat and made the day bearable.
LOTS to drink – an Arizona iced tea, cranberry juice, 2 bottles of water
juiced with Vitalite, and another 8 bottles of water. Sunscreen every 60-90 minutes. So far I feel I’ve done a good job of
moderating hydration and body temp.
Thank you, Lord, for Your protection thus far.
With all the sweat and
pee, we need lots of salt and snacks too.
Makes me a happy camper! Lunch
was good sandwiches, fresh veggies, chips and Oreos. Morning snack was a Payday bar and an
orange. Afternoon snack was mixed nuts,
half a Snickers bar, and a granola bar.
Supper will be coming soon.
Some neat folks on the
trip. B.J. is from Arkansas; youth
pastor who also works Admissions at Mid-America Baptist Seminary. He’s a younger guy, with a 2-year-old girl and
ab aby on the way. He’s adventurous – we
climbed Castle Rock together yesterday, and then explored the upper reaches at
South Canyon where we’ve set up camp.
I’ll try to talk more about others as time goes on.
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| Downstream view, approaching small rapid ("riffle") |
The Canyon is
amazing. At Marble Canyon the rim was
477 feet up; we’ve already passed through stretches of over 1000 feet from
river to (immediately-visible) rim. The
Canyon will deepen as we progress. There
are so many layers of rock, and so many crevices and caves and overhangs and
debris fields – absolutely stunning! I
cannot imagine how people made it down the river in wooden oar-powered
boats. Absolute craziness. Many of the rapids are bounded by sheer
cliffs on both sides – you wouldn’t have been able to portage around them. Hence a lot of early river-runners died in
their attempts. We’ve already passed the
drowning-spots of Frank Brown (1889, mile 12), Hansborough and Richards (1889,
mile 25), and the old guy whose name I can’t remember (1980, mile 27).
Supper is ready. Off for now!
Wednesday, July 11, 2018 6:46
A.M. (Camp)
Good morning! Well, my first night of truly roughing it
went about as expected. Directly after
supper I started getting ready for bed.
We were (rightly) warned that it gets dark quickly in the Canyon, and we
should be well set up before dusk. Good
advice. My main problem was not knowing
how I wanted to set up!
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| Camp materials: cot, sleeping bag, tarp, sheet. Yellow bag = boat "dry" bag; duffel goes inside |
We each have a cot, a
very plush sleeping bag, a thin sheet, a pillow, and a ground tarp. I secured the tarp under the legs of my cot,
then laid the open sleeping bag on the cot as my mattress and sheet. That was okay – a bit warm on the back. The sheet was then my “blanket,” which for
the most part was unnecessary, as the temperature overnight was probably 84-75F
(28-24C).
So I was “set up” in my bed
by 8:45 or so, and started trying to fall asleep. Then I saw lightning flashes, and began to
worry about what the night might hold.
At about 9:30 the wind started to pick up. After 10 minutes or so I realized I would
need to take my stuff down off the tree branches so it wouldn’t blow away or
down.
About 10:00, the rain
started. Very light droplets, just
enough to help me cool off some. At that
point I realized I needed to pack my stuff into my waterproof boat bags. So I got up and repacked and reorganized. Then the rain started in earnest! With nothing separating me from it, I quickly
got unpleasantly wet, and decided to try “Bill’s Burrito.” I got up (again) about 10:45, undid my ground
tarp so only one corner was under each cot leg on one side, then pulled the
full tarp over my cot and my body. That
kept me dry, but also made me very warm.
I waited out the rain, which petered out by 11:30, then went back to
just the bare sheet. The wind then
picked up again, keeping me awake.
The worst thing about the
wind was the SAND. The wind itself was
very refreshing, but it blew fine grains of sand all over me. I was sweaty, so naturally the sand stuck to
my body – and blew in my eyes (and ears and nose). A bit unpleasant!
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| Redwall Cavern |
But one thing I’ve
learned and accepted thus far in the Canyon is that you have to just embrace
the sand (and the water). You’re going
to get wet. Accept it. Embrace it.
Your feet are going to be wet and sandy – embrace it. There’s no point fighting it, trying to avoid
the water or sand, because you would lose that fight anyway! So even overnight, I embraced the sand – just
let it cover me.
Anyway, between the wind
and rain and sand, I was up past midnight already, and by then I had to
pee! Well, in the Canyon, all pee goes
in the River, no exceptions. (“Dilution is
the solution to pollution.”) My cot was
3 spots up from the river, so I had taken an overnight pee bucket, which I then
had to clean and repack in the morning.
Eventually, after 1:00, I finally fell asleep, and slept fitfully until
the sun came up … at 5:00. J I dozed in and
out a bit, then got up, went to the bathroom, and packed up my campsite. It is breakfast time now.
I survived my first night
– and I trust that subsequent nights will get better. I’ll know how to set up, and will be so tired
I’ll sleep no matter what comes! I am
thankful for the sleep I did get – it was more than none.
Wednesday: 12Noon (Lunch)
Another stunning morning
on the River. We stopped at Redwall
Cavern (mile 33), a very large cavern carved in the Redwall Limestone. Terry Mortenson gave a 45-minute talk on
animal death and predation in relationship to the Fall in Genesis 3. Good challenging thoughts. We then had some time to explore the Cavern,
take some pics, and sing a few hymns together (great acoustics!). Before leaving, John Whitmore showed us a
couple examples of nautiloid fossils in rocks, to help set us up for the next
stop, at …
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| Natural spring just behind canyon wall gives rise to trees growing through/out of cliffs |
Nautiloid Canyon (mile
34.5) – an 8-foot thick layer of limestone absolutely littered with billions of
nautiloid fossils – little six-inch sea critters that got buried in a massive
mud flow. Convincing argument for a
catastrophic fossil deposit, and fits much more easily within a young-earth
global flood perspective.
(Afterthoughts: My OBU Colleague John McWilliams notes that typically,
dead critters don’t stick around long enough to be fossilized, particularly in
huge numbers like we see in Nautiloid Canyon.
Hence, massive fossil deposits are pretty strong evidence for a
catastrophic event of some sort which wiped out entire groups of animals all at
once. The global flood of Genesis is a
good candidate for such a catastrophic event, and there doesn’t seem to be a
reasonable alternative that would explain the numbers and spread of
fossils. Cedarville’s John Whitmore
notes that the fossilized Nautiloids are evident in a layer that spreads
throughout much of North America, and even toward Greenland and Europe – in
other words, it’s not just a localized catastrophe, but an incredibly
widespread (global?) event with monstrous effects. Such evidence certainly makes me pause, and
ponder whether perhaps I need to reconsider the young earth position.) Even I was able to discern some of the
fossilized Nautiloids – hopefully the pictures turn out.
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| Redbud Canyon (Mile 39) |
We’ve stopped for lunch
at Redbud Canyon (mile 39), where we were able to hike up a couple of ledges
before the lunch call. Up the 3rd
ledge there were streams coming out of the cavern walls – absolutely
fascinating that the water is able to infiltrate the rock wall like that and
then produce moss, ferns, and trees growing out the side of a cliff! Absolutely amazing. Every leg of this journey brings new wonders.
Wednesday, 4PM (Camp @ Kwagunt Creek, mile 57)
We’ve parked for the
night.
We passed some
fascinating spots and amazing views this afternoon. Probably the most spectacular was at
Nankoweap Creek (mile 52.5). In addition
to a beautiful side canyon with a delta-like area, there were mid-cliff
granaries! The Indians (Pueblos, I
think, but maybe Anasazi?) built 5 storage caves about 400 ft up the canyon
wall – a location that would have tremendously difficult to access. This is an extremely harsh and unforgiving
terrain, and the wild fluctuations in weather would make it even more
inhospitable. You have to admire the
hardiness of the tribes that made (and make) their homes here.
Another interesting spot
was at mile 40, where they once planned to build the Marble Canyon dam. The limestone rock strata are not at all
suited for dams, and the limestone is too permeable, so that water would have
consistently leaked through the walls of the dam, probably resulting eventually
in a catastrophic dam collapse. Besides,
the whole upper canyon would have been flooded, meaning no one would be able to
see the magnificent sights we’ve seen these past 2 days. Fortunately, the Canyon was designated a
National Park, and the dam proposal died.
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| River rafts (Arizona River Runners) |
Enjoyed chatting with Tom
McCall, a Systematic Theology prof at Trinity.
Nice guy. We are on similar
wavelengths regarding age of the earth, both fearing that the discussion has
become more central (and poisonous) in Christian circles than it deserves to
be. He asks great questions and shares
helpful thoughts. He’s also a pretty
interesting guy! He pastored in Alaska
for several years, and has driven the Stewart-Cassiar highway in BC that
Vanessa and I drove in 1998. We talked
shop a good bit, comparing notes on textbooks and curriculum.
Big campsite
tonight! We landed about 3PM, unloaded
the boats, and set up camp. I found a
very nice level spot fairly high up, with good shade from trees. Mike Haggard (Military Mike), from
Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary (Northeast Campus, in New York state)
and Paul Brushaber (my roomie at Marble Canyon) are sharing the mini-plateau
with me. I’m sure hoping for a better
night’s sleep! Although in fairness, I
didn’t feel as tired today as I thought I would.
After setting up my cot
(which takes me a bit) and sorting my bags, I had a bracing bath in the
river. Even washed my hair! Water is about 50F (10C) – pretty chilly. But it was sure refreshing coming out of the
water. The water really helps cool the
body core down. And the water is still
nice and green (clean) – the muddy water from last night’s small rainstorm
washed away.
This morning was cloudy
and fairly cool. Getting wet in the
rapids was actually a bit too cool! After lunch, though, the cloud cover was gone
and it got very hot. No major rapids today. Just a few minor ones.
Wednesday, 6:30PM (Camp & Supper)
We’ve had some group
circle time, then spent time just visiting with one another. Supper will be ready shortly.
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| Gorgeous River view; clean (green) water, River Day 2 |
The food! Has been very good thus far. Yesterday supper was salmon fillets (fresh,
generous size), rice pilaf, broccoli, and salad. Appetizers were crackers, cheese, and spiced
sausage. Dessert was
blueberry/strawberry cheesecake. Pretty
impressive fare for a river raft camp.
Keep in mind, they pack ALL the food and drink, including water, on the
two rafts, and it needs to last for all 7 days on the river! Pretty efficient setup.
Breakfast today was eggs,
hash browns, and fresh fruit. Snack was
granola and candy bars, apples, etc.
Lunch was sandwiches with a very nice chicken salad mash. I’ve been impressed by the crew’s cooking
ability thus far.
Used the camp toilet for
a 2nd time this evening. It’s
… pretty much a portable outhouse.
Pretty effective system, but surely not much fun for the crew to pack up
every morning.
Chatted a good bit with
Brett Williams, Provost at Central Baptist Theological Seminary in
Minnesota. He’s also got two girls and a
boy. Colorado born and raised – we
talked shop and family. This trip is a
neat opportunity to network and get to know fellow Christian leaders. That’s kind of the point of Canyon Ministry’s
“Christian Leaders Grand Canyon Tour,” I suppose!
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| River view - Day 2 |
Our leaders: John
Whitmore teaches geology at Cedarville University in Ohio. Kind, soft-spoken and very
knowledgeable. He seems to be the most
serious and sober-minded scholar of the group.
Bill Barrick, the trip
leader, teaches Old Testament at Master’s Seminary in California. He’s definitely the most vivacious,
personable, and humorous personality – a great leader for the group.
Andrew Snelling (geology)
and Terry Mortenson (history) both work full-time for Answers in Genesis. Their institutional affiliation leads them to
be perhaps a bit stronger in their claims and positions. “Young-earth is the teaching of God’s Word,
and denying that (YEC) compromises the authority of Scripture.” They are both generous and gracious with
other Christians, just not with their
OEC (or TE) positions. It occasionally comes across a bit
over-the-top, but it is also fully expected on a trip promoting the scientific
and theological defense of YEC.
I’m getting tired even
before supper tonight. Starting to
fade. I miss my family more tonight than
last night. It’s “slurpee” day, and
Estelle’s birthday. Not that we’d go to
7-11 anyway, but Alethea would mention it and Keilani would beg to go! I miss their voices, I miss their faces, I
miss their hugs (begrudging though they’re getting). I don’t think my kids realize just how deeply
I love them, and how much I enjoy being with and around them, and how my heart
aches when I am gone.
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| Camp @ Kwagunt Creek (Night 2) |
Brett and I were talking
about how we miss our wives, and don’t sleep as well without them. Lord, I am so thankful for the beautiful, wonderful
family you have blessed me with. Thank
you. Keep them safe. Draw them, near. Fill them with Your love, remind them of
mind. Help me to sleep tonight, and to
keep healthy on the river.
Thursday, July 12, 2018 6:34 AM – camp/breakfast
I thought night #1 on the
River was rough. Boy was I wrong! Last night was absolutely horrifying. Got to bed just after dark, 8:45. Had my tarp properly situated to be able to
“burrito”. It was warm, of course. The wind started almost immediately. Apparently, it gets so windy at night because
of pressure and temperature differences in the Canyon. Down Canyon is considerably warmer (which
means our days are going to get hotter), and at night the heat releases by blowing
up-canyon. Sensible explanations for
what we experience.
Anyway, I tossed and
turned in the warm & wind, and actually got a little bit of sleep. Then, around 10:30, the rain started. But this time it got very heavy, and it didn’t stop until 3:00. Which means I got precisely NO sleep between
10:30-3:00. My burrito sprung a
leak. I had the tarp nicely secured at
the head and foot of the left side of the cot.
I pulled it across my body, trying to tuck the bottom corner under my
right foot, and holding the top over my head.
It worked for the first bit, but with the wind and the heaviness of the
rain, the bottom corner of the tarp pulled away, and water started coming in by
my feet. It seemed impractical to get up
and reposition the tarp. I would have
needed to get my glasses and flashlight, and I (and my sleeping bag and cot)
would have gotten soaked while I re-positioned the tarp. So I just endured the water seeping in. After a few hours of driving rain, the bottom
half of my sleeping bag was thoroughly soaked, as was my sheet.
Around 1AM, between the
rain and the isolation, I was crying, and crying out to the Lord. Momentary feelings of abandonment swept over
me, and I blamed God for my discomfort.
Mostly, I was really just feeling sorry for myself. When I reflected on that this morning, it
seems kind of pathetic! I have this
tremendous privilege of rafting down the Colorado River through the Grand
Canyon, primarily through the generosity of others. My family is experiencing the sacrifice of
missing husband and father for over a week.
There are billions of people around the world whose normal living
situations are worse than I got last night.
So who do I think I am, that I should feel that God owes me comfortable nights in the midst of this great adventure?
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| With Cliff McManis - hat is still relatively clean - Day 3 |
So this morning, I’m
trying to keep perspective. It’s easier
once the sun is up, and I see the sun washing the tops of the Canyon walls in
brilliant light. But I am tired, and
exhausted. It was a rough night, and I
miss the physical presence and comfort of my family. Lord, please help me to maintain a
God-oriented perspective, to focus on You and Your grandeur, and the majesty of
Your creation. Be with Mataeo, as he
works and prepares to go camping in Colorado.
Help Keilani to keep positively occupied, and to be a help for Mom. Help Alethea to remember how loved she
is. Comfort Vanessa with Your presence,
and help the days go quickly for her.
July 12, 4:50 PM – Mile 76 (Nevill’s Camp)
 |
| Canyon Walls - River Day 3 |
We had a shorter day on
the river today – only about 19 miles.
The river level rose 3-4 inches overnight because of the rain. The river level is also affected by water
release levels from the Glen Canyon Dam upriver. The flow from Glen Canyon is based upon hydroelectric
energy demands. High energy days require
higher flow releases. The fact that the
water in Grand Canyon is released from Glen Canyon also means the water is a
reliable temperature: 46F at the dam, warming about 1 degree every 50-80 miles.
So, water level was
higher today. The river is also
incredibly muddy (and chocolate brown) because of the heavy rains. Side canyons would have had flash floods
overnight, which washes a great deal of silt and mud down side channels into
the Colorado.
The river yesterday was
clear and clean, which made my bath both effective and refreshing. No bath today!
There were 3 nice-sized
rapids today, including Neville Rapids where we are camping. But there is a lack of suitable camping sites
over the next 15 miles, making this a logical stopping point for the night. Tomorrow is promised to be the most exciting
day of rapids, with three “9”-rated rapids and our only “10”.
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| Salt Deposits on Canyon walls |
We saw a few new rock
formations emerge today, including our first volcanic rock – the Cardenas
source. The rim rose as much as 4500 ft
(South Rim) to 5400 ft (North Rim) above the river level. The pictures I’ve taken certainly won’t do
the views justice, but hopefully they will convey something of the immense
scale and beauty.
Another wondrous
site/sight today was the “Hopi Salt Mines”.
The cliff walls down at water level were a very striking white because
of salt leaching out of the limestone and forming deposits on the surface –
including some that look like icicles hanging from ledges. It was fascinating and beautiful! Also striking is the salt’s role in Hope
life. The rite of passage for a young
Hopi teen boy was to hike down the Little Colorado River canyon, then trek
along the river a couple of miles to place their feather in a salt deposit and
remove an already-placed salt-encrusted feather. How on earth did these unguided boys make
their way along a raging river with sheer cliff walls?!?!?
At camp we had lunch, set
up our cots, then reconvened for a teaching time. A brief little rainshower came through, and I
was able to try out the Frog Togg jacket, which kept my upper body completely
dry. So, the equipment works!
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| View from Ledges above Nevill's Camp (Mile 76) |
After teaching time, we
went for a short hike up 75-mile canyon.
The canyon is fairly narrow, and very steep, and there is neat evidence
of flash flood deposits along the canyon walls at head-height. We would have hiked farther up, but Bill was a
bit concerned with the possibility of a minor flash flood given the rain we had
seen. So we turned back toward camp. (I would have carried on up-canyon, but I
explicitly asked permission and was denied … so down we went!)
I did talk B. J. into
going exploring – we climbed up the shale formation above our camp, resulting
in a stunning overview about 300 ft up the canyon wall. It was a very pleasant side trip – I am so
thankful to have a reliable spelunking buddy on the trip!
We’re in a Q&A time
now. The teaching times all week have
been very good – I think there is a lot of persuasiveness and helpful material
which has made me start to re-think YEC vs. OEC. Not sure that I need to change my view, but
there’s certainly more evidence (scientific) for YEC than I expected. But the Q&A time is not quite as
helpful. I find that the leaders,
particularly Terry and Andrew, get unnecessarily defensive about YEC, and quite
harsh toward even potentially dissenting positions that are expressed. That has been a bit disappointing. It is not
disconcerting that they hold their position strongly – that’s healthy and
expected. But YEC (and OEC and TE)
proponents could learn some gentleness in dialogue!
That said, I am extremely
grateful for the opportunity we’ve had this week to learn from leading YEC
scholars. There is more by way of
scientific reasoning behind YEC than I realized. Their flood catastrophe models are persuasive
to some degree, especially with the evidence from the Mt. St. Helens eruption,
where vast canyons were carved very quickly by massive mudslides. Furthermore, the type of conditions necessary
for fossilization was persuasive – animals that die normally decay or get
scavenged – they are not left for sufficient time for the fossil layers to
represent ‘millions of years.’
So there’s lots I’ve
learned already, and lots more yet to learn.
Tonight … I have a
tent. Kevin offered his up, and after
protesting mildly, I gratefully accepted.
It will be warmer, but more familiar and comfortable. I left the doors open to cool it off, and
unfortunately let hundreds of little gnats in.
But they are better than rain!
Praying for a good sleep, for me and my family.
Friday, July 13, 2018 12:50
P.M. – Lunch at Bass Canyon (mile 108)
It’s been a busy morning
thus far. I slept a lot better last
night with the tent. I did best after
midnight, when I opened both doors fully to let the air flow through. I still didn’t sleep all that long, but it
was the best sleep I’ve had thus far.
 |
| Tall Canyon Wall - River Day 4 |
We had worship and a
devotional session this morning after breakfast. Launched at 8:15. We had 2 stops before lunch. Starting at mile 76, we stopped directly
below Hance Rapids (mile 78) for a quick geology lesson – that’s the point
where the “basement” quartz and granite emerge.
Massive rock formations, and then to realize that those formations go
another 25 miles or so beneath the surface!
Amazing. It’s a whole lot of
rock. I feel like the walls of the
Canyon are magnificent and massive, but there’s even more under the surface.
We then stopped at the
Phantom River exchange and boat launch (mile 88). There’s a helipad there, so some groups will
switch out at that point. There is a
fresh water spigot at Phantom Ranch – we refilled all of our empty water jugs,
so we’ll have enough drinking water for the rest of the trip.
Now we have stopped for
lunch at mile 108, Bass Canyon.
In between, we traversed
a pile of sizeable rapids!
Hance Rapid – mile 77,
“8-9”, 30 foot drop
Sockdolage Rapid, mile
79, “7-9”, 19 foot drop. Sockdolager was
a 19th-century word for a “knock-out punch”
Grapevine Rapid, mile 82,
“6-8”, 17 foot drop
83-Mile Rapid, mile 84
(oops), “3-6”, 7 foot drop
Zoroaster Rapid, mile 85,
“5-7), 5 foot drop
85-Mile Rapid, Bright
Angel Rapid, Pipe Springs Rapid, all small, between miles 88-90
Horn Creek Rapid, mile
91, “8-9”, 9 foot drop
Granite Rapid, mile 94,
“8-9”, 18 foot drop
Hermit Rapid, mile 95,
“8-9”, 15 foot drop
Boucher Rapid, mile 97,
“4-5”, 13 foot drop
Crystal Rapid, mile 99,
“10”, 17 foot drop. People SAW this
rapid created overnight as a result of a debris flow down Crystal Creek in
1966.
 |
| With Paul Brushaber: hat is hanging in there; not so white, a bit droopy |
Then a bunch of smaller
ones: Tuna (mile 100), Willie’s Necktie (mile 100), Nixon Rock (mile 100),
Angel (mile 101), Sapphire (mile 102), Turquoise (mile 102), 104-Mile (mile
104), Ruby (Mile 105), and Serpentine (mile 106).
We took turns sitting in
the front of the boat, which provides the most exhilarating view and experience
of the major rapids. I was up front for
Granite and Hermit, and it was an absolute blast! Roller coaster on water – that’s the best way
to describe it. So exciting that I
forgot to keep my mouth shut, and got a pieful of silty water for my troubles!
There’s been so many
rapids, and the water is so dirty, that my white socks are almost brown!
Apparently the silt will go all the way
downstream with us because of all the rain our 2nd night.
Physically, I am doing
pretty well. I continue to sunscreen
every 90 minutes. A bit harder today due
to lack of dry patches. But I’m doing
all I can to avoid burning. Body feels
pretty good, especially considering my lack of sleep. Poop has been regular and reliable, which is
encouraging. I’m drinking a TONNE, which
means I have to pee very frequently. So
far today, four full water bottles and a big Arizona Iced Tea. Trying to keep healthy. Nose has been a bit crusty and stuffy, I
think due to all the sand. I have a bit
of a headache today, probably because I’m using the other sunscreen, which has
an unpleasant (to me) aroma. Tomorrow
I’ll bring both, and use the unscented for my face, and the scented for the
rest of me. Thus far, the Lord has been
gracious in preserving my health.
 |
| Gorgeous view from River level Note the storms in the distance |
Emotionally, I’m hanging
in. I miss my family most at night, and
in quiet moments of the day. But for the
most part, our days are full of experiences, new sights, new ideas, and good
conversation and fellowship. It’s hard
to get distracted or lonely during the days.
Plus, it has been such a gift and blessing getting to know the other
Christian leaders on this trip! Lots of
interesting personalities, fascinating life stories, and diverse
ministries. David, from South Africa;
Rick Griffith, from Singapore; Tom Drion from London; Martin Zhang from
China. I’m thankful for the friendships
being formed, and the incredible memories I’m gaining.
Friday, July 13; 8:15 P.M. – Camp at Big Dune (mile
119.5)
It is getting dark, so
this will be short. We had a good
afternoon – after lunch it strongly threatened rain, so I put my Frog Toggs
jacket on. Ended up sitting in the front
of the boat over several rapids, and it was cloudy, and a bit cool, so I was
thankful for the warmth and relative dryness!
The coolest thing this afternoon was a 400-foot waterfall. It is not a normal waterfall – it is only
created by immediate rain. The rain came
before us, feeding water through the limestone, emerging in the middle of a
cliff wall and tumbling down in two cascades.
Most of the thin waterfall evaporated or misted out before reaching the
River, but it was a very cool sight!
 |
| Long downstream view - River Day 4 |
We also saw a few places
where rock formations have folded or bent under extreme heat and/or
pressure. One of the young-earth
arguments is built on the observation that when solidified sandstone formations
are melted and folded, they undergo metamorphosis – their chemical composition
changes. But with these folded Grand
Canyon sandstones, there has NOT been any chemical change, hence no
metamorphosis. That suggests that the
folding occurred while the formation was initially being formed. Difficult to explain over millions of years
of the sediment progressively laid down into the layer; much easier to explain
in a sudden catastrophic (i.e., flood) deposit.
That’s a good scientific argument I had never encountered before. Food for thought.
Headed to bed. Very sad to be not at home tomorrow. This will be the first birthday apart since
Vanessa and I started dating, and I am not happy to be missing it. I’m gone too much, especially this summer,
and I miss my family. Lord, remind
Vanessa of my love on a day that I can’t.
Remind Mataeo, Alethea, and Keilani to make it an extra-special day for
Mom.
 |
| Panorama at Big Dune camp (Mile 119.5) |
Saturday, July 14, 2018 6:35 A.M. (Big Dune camp, Mile 119.5)
Well, today I feel pretty
thoroughly lousy. I’m still really
grateful to be here, and am enjoying this opportunity. But I really can’t believe that I am missing
my love’s birthday. Had a terrible sleep
– it was a warm night, and I was both lonely and guilty, missing my family
terribly. I wish I could talk or Skype
with Vanessa and the kids. I worry about
anything bad that could have happened while I’ve been gone. There’s a sharp headache this morning – lack
of sleep, I believe.
 |
| Blacktail Canyon (Mile 121) |
The only physical issue
I’ve had is canker sores. I bit my lower
left lip twice at our first meal on Sunday night, and that has led to a massive
canker sore which is making eating (and smiling) difficult and painful. But if that’s the worst I encounter, I will
be thankful.
Most of yesterday’s
float, and most of today’s, is in the “Inner (or Upper) Gorge.” That’s where the “basement” rocks rise up
starkly from the River, and there are very few riverbanks. Because of that, you can’t really avoid the
rapids (in the old days) – they had to run them. Often, the view is entirely just that Inner
Gorge – you cannot see the rest of the Canyon (up to the rims) from the River
surface.
After yesterday’s long
river day, I anticipate a shorter ride with more and lengthier stops
today. I’ll be praying for the birthday
day, and thinking of my family, constantly throughout today.
July 14, 5:15 P.M. (camp at Football Field, mile
137.5)
Been praying for Vanessa
all day long – wishing her a happy birthday from a distance. Missing everyone terribly, and yet it has
been an amazing day here on the river.
We only did 20 miles today, but had three incredible stops along the
way. We packed our lunches before
launching, so that we’d have more flexibility for stops.
 |
| River Day 5 - about Mile 123 |
Our first stop was less
than a mile downstream, at Blacktail Canyon (mile 121). Andrew and John gave a great lecture on the
Great Unconformity, the “ledge” in the geological formation that has been swept
entirely clean – with the Tapeats Sandstone usually sitting on top. Walking further up the Canyon, the Tapeats is
beautifully carved, and the Canyon ends at a pure, clean pool of water with a
trickling waterfall cascading into it.
Waterfalls will be the theme of the day!
The time in Blacktail was fairly meditative – John and Bill also shared
their testimonies with the group, particularly how they came to embrace
YEC. More food for thought.
After Blacktail, we went
through a series of minor rapids in beautiful weather. We stopped at Stone Creek (mile 132) for a
hike and lunch. There were clear
thunderstorms in the three valleys around us, so the leaders were a bit
concerned about weather and flash floods.
Nonetheless, they let us do the ½ mile hike (easy) up Stone Creek to the
“cascade” (waterfall) at the top. We
were able to take a quick shower in the waterfall before heading back down to
the boats. We broke out our lunch bag
and ate our sandwiches.
 |
| Refreshing shower at Stone Creek |
Just as we were finishing
eating, the storms caught up with us, and the skies opened up. It had been very warm and steamy at Stone
Creek, so the rain was a relief. But the
skies REALLY opened up! The wind came
blistering from down-river, so we were rafting into driving rain. It really
whipped the face and legs, and for the first time all day I wasn’t too
hot! Almost everyone else was bundled up
in their rain gear; but the heavy rain was actually quite refreshing.
The rain continued for
about half an hour, and we made very slow progress downstream. Rapids aren’t quite as much fun in the
driving rain!
 |
| View from Day 5 camp |
About mile 135, the rain
lightened up considerably, and we entered “Granite Narrows” – the beginning of
the “Middle Gorge.” Granite Narrows is
the narrowest point of the Colorado River – only 76 feet across. The boaters cut the motors through Granite
Narrows, and Tom Drion (London Tom) read Genesis 1 in full silence, with rain
and occasional thunder punctuating his reading.
It was, again, quite moving.
The heavy rainfull – not
just on us, but in the valleys around us (I spotted at least four major storm
systems) – resulted in several run-off waterfalls in the Canyon. Most, unfortunately, were seen but not
photographed, because of the driving rain.
When the rain finally stopped, I was able to capture one on film, which
looked like it tumbled about 500 feet directly down the Redwall Limestone –
again, just amazing.
July 14, 8:00 P.M.
 |
| At Deer Creek hike (Mile 136.5) Hat is holding up OK ... now cream-colored |
I felt today that I was
running out of adjectives to describe what we are seeing and experiencing! Around every bend of the river is another
beautiful vista. Up every side Canyon is
another mind-blowing sculpture. Words
(or pictures) really don’t do it justice.
As the rain stopped, we
pulled in at Deer Creek (mile 136.5), one of the favorite hiking points in the
Grand Canyon. It was a bit difficult
getting from the boat to the trailhead, where I changed into my running shoes. Deer Creek runs from about 1500 ft up the
Canyon, beginning as a freshwater spring that flows out of the layer of
limestone. We hiked all the way up! It was a bit dicey, with lots of (to me)
difficult climbing sections and narrow ledges to traverse. Apparently, this was the first time that all
24 members (and 4 leaders) on a Christian Leaders’ Trip have gone on the Deer
Creek hike!
The hike switchbacks
along a carved canyon in the Tapeats Sandstone – at the bottom (nearly river
level), there is a 100-ft waterfall, which remained just outside the scope of
my camera. At the top of the hike, however, were some amazing picture opportunities
of the pools that flow into the waterfall.
Again, just amazing – I’ve not got the adjectives to do it justice.
 |
| Deer Creek hike - incredible canyon! |
The hike back down was
just as dicey as the hike up, but I’m sure glad we took it. I am again overwhelmed with gratitude to have
been invited and funded for this trip.
We set up camp at
Football Field, one mile downstream from Deer Creek – a nice big campsite that
gets shaded early because of the high canyon wall below. I’ll tent again tonight – I don’t sleep great
in the heat, but it’s better than outside!
I had to switch back to
the digital camera this morning. For
some reason my iPhone won’t take normal pictures anymore. It will do selfies, but not the other
way. I must have gotten some sand or
water in there. Unfortunate – but then I
expected to need to use the camera all the way along, so I’m happy for the
iPhone use I got.
Had a lot more good
conversations today – with Patrick Schreiner (Tom Schreiner’s son), Lloyd
Pulley, Tom Storm, and Jason Wilson (pastor in Florida). Jason, like me, is missing his family. His wife and daughter are supposed to be returning
from a mission trip to Haiti. The
country has had significant civil disorder recently, and there was some concern
about the team’s ability to get home safely.
The not knowing is most difficult.
That helped put things in perspective for me – yes, I miss my family
terribly, but at least I can have relative confidence that I know where they
are and that they are safe.
 |
| Upper Falls at Deer Creek |
I am wondering how
everyone is doing at home! It is so
different and difficult not knowing, not being able to talk to anyone at home
for so long. As awesome as this trip is,
I hope to never go a week+ like this again.
How was Mom’s birthday? How has
work been for Mataeo? Is Alethea
enjoying time with friends? How many
episodes of Blue Bloods has Keilani motored through? Is anyone missing me like I’m missing them?
Then I think forward, and
realize how little time I will have with my kids before Vanessa and I leave for
London. I won’t even see Mataeo at
all! And just one night and morning with
Alethea and Keilani – and I’ll need to do my laundry and repack in that time
frame! What on earth have I gotten myself
into?
I pray that my family
does not pay a long-term price for the outings and adventures in the Grand
Canyon and London. Lord, my kids are so
much more valuable to me than these opportunities – but my time this summer does
not reflect that. Help me, moving
forward into fall, to re-orient my time and energy, and to be more intentional
about finding family time and outings
and adventures. Let this lesson not only
convict, but transform me. Lord, you
have blessed me with a wonderful family – every time I’ve been able to share
about my family I am reminded anew how blessed and fortunate I am! I’m able to share about a wife who still
loves me and wants to talk every day – who understands me and encourages me in
all my endeavors and opportunities. I pray
again for Vanessa’s comfort while I’m gone, for a great end to her birthday
celebration.
 |
| Lower Falls at Deer Creek |
I tell my new friends
about an almost-18-year-old son who is smart, forward-thinking, making positive
long-term plans; a young man who not only wants to live at home for college,
but who we’re happy to have at home!
My middle child who seems
to me (and to ancestry.com) to be the spitting image of me – beautiful (well,
not like me in that sense), bright, cheery, sociable, smart, opinionated,
talented. A girl who can do anything she
sets her mind to – the world at her fingertips.
My baby, my itty-bitty,
who’s not so itty-bitty anymore. Her
laugh and smile that light up a room – her heart always worn on her
sleeve. A girl who is so much smarter
and more talented than she realizes.
Telling the guys about my
family fills me with pure joy and love.
Sadness to be away, but joy for the love we share. Hard to believe there’s only one full day
left on the river – but a long one, almost 50 miles! Only 20 today, then 50 tomorrow?!? It’ll be a crazy day. Continue to keep us all safe, Lord. And be with my family. Thank You for who You are, what You have
made, and all that You have done for Your children, including my family.
Sunday, Jul 15, 2018 7:30 A.M. (morning at Football
Field, mile 137.5)
 |
| Canyon Waterfall - rain-fed River Day 4 |
Last day on the River …
last full day before I get home. Praying
that my family has a precious time in worship and Sunday school this morning.
Last night was a glorious
night! I slept just OK, but better than
most nights on the trip. The night
cooled off much more – eventually, I had to actually use my sheet as a
cover! I even closed to doors to my tent
and just left the windows open. So the
coolness of the night was a pleasant relief.
Even more glorious, by about 1AM (when I got up to pee in the river),
the sky had totally cleared, and was FILLED with stars. It looked just like the sky in the
planetarium – it was absolutely stunning.
It was enough to fully wake me up – I just gazed upon the night sky for
probably 10-15 minutes, totally mesmerized and awe-struck. I got my camera out and tried to get some
pictures of the night sky. None of them
turned out, but it was a magical moment.
We’ve already loaded the
boats, and will have a short session before launching. It’s going to be a long day on the boat, with
not much opportunity to journal. Until
bedtime, then …
July 15, 12:30PM – lunch @ 161.3 Mile Camp
 |
| Starting River Day 6 - serene downriver view |
We’ve stopped for lunch
at a shady little spot, mile 161.3.
We’ve covered about half our distance for the day – so we’re making
pretty good time.
I’m sitting in the very
front of the boat today, which is a more exciting (and wet) experience. We’ve had a handful of fun rapids thus far –
Fishtail (Mile 140, “5”, 10-ft drop), Kanab (Mile 144, “5”, 12-ft drop), Upset—named
after Emery Kolb, whose boat capsized in that rapid (Mile 150, “6-8”, 15-ft
drop), Havasu (Mile 157, “4”, 3-ft drop).
In the middle of Havasu Rapid, we stopped at Havasu Creek – a very
popular hiking spot. The boatmen had a
difficult time landing us – we parked alongside sharp-edged cliffs. After parking, we clambered along the cliff
edge to get into the creek canyon. The
hike up was, again, stunning—hopefully the pictures do it justice. At the top of our hike, we rested at a pool
with gushing small cascades pouring in.
We swam and played in the water for over half an hour. Great times!
The current was really strong in the creek, as it is pouring down quite
an incline, and there has been a
good bit of rain the past week. There was a big rock in the middle of the
creek at the bottom of one cascade where, if you could wade out to the rock,
you could grasp a little ledge on the upper inside of the rock, hang on, and
allow the powerful creek to cascade over you – it was a wonderful massage! If I were braver, there was also an air
pocket directly under the rock – but my mind played scenes of me getting stuck
under there and drowning, so I kept my head up.
 |
| Upriver - shadows in the Icebox (Miles 145-152) |
About half of our river
mileage today was through “the icebox,” a section of the Canyon where the river
turns (basically miles 145-152) and the Canyon walls entirely block out the
sun. In the shade, the air temperature
drops about 15 degrees (Fahrenheit), and any dampness results in a slight
chill. Being at the front, I got the
most wet AND the most cold! It was the
first time on the trip that I have been legitimately cold! But it didn’t last long.
Lunch time!
July 15, 8:15PM – camp @ Whitmore’s Wash, mile 188.5
The end of a long river
day! It was, of course, glorious. I sat up front the whole day, all 52
miles. It was a very wet afternoon – I
was thoroughly soaked the whole time!
The most spectacular sight today was the lava flow from Vulcan’s Throne
– a fairly recent volcanic eruption in the Canyon. The
lava flow came over the rim and poured over
all the layers of rock, coating them.
Apparently, when the lava reached river level, it flowed both upstream
and downstream, and piled up to form massive dams that blocked the River. The water pressure built as the lava cooled
and condensed. As water filled the
resultant cracks, some dams eventually burst, sometimes changing the course of
the River into a newly-cut channel.
Fascinating!
 |
| Stop at Havasu Creek |
Seeing all the lava
filling the hillside again is just a good reminder of the forces involved in
God’s Creation. God’s power is
incomprehensible! The two coolest parts
of the “lava gorge” portions of the river … (1) Vulcan’s Anvil – a 20-tonne
(15x15x40 or so) deposit from the volcano that rests in the middle of the
Colorado River – it’s quite a monument to the massive eruption. (2) Lava Falls, a 10-rated rapid at mile
180. At the front of the raft, it was
quite a “moving” experience – I was thrown around a bit, but loved the ride! We had an absolute blast!
 |
| Playing in Havasu Creek cascades - that's me and my hat hanging on to the rock! |
We are camped at the
helipad at Whitmore’s Wash (right after Whitmore Rapid), where we will take an
8-minute helicopter ride in the morning to take us up to Bar-10 Ranch. Our campsite is “Whitmore’s Wash” – the
helipad itself is about 8ftx10ft – hard to believe the copter will land
there. It is surrounded by rocks and
bushes, so not much room for error.
It’ll be interesting!
The suppers on the trip
have been very good – some were close to gourmet fare. Tuesday: salmon steaks & rice pilaf. Wednesday: lasagna and garlic bread. Thursday: stir fry steak & veggies. Friday: pork chops & rice. Saturday: chicken fajitas. Tonight: steaks & mashed potatoes – the
steaks made to order and cooked to perfection.
Really impressive job by the boat crew from Arizona River Runners.
I’m exhausted. It’s after 9pm now, and I’ll certainly be up
by 5. Time for bed … I pray, Lord, that
you keep us safe on all the travels tomorrow.
Keep Mataeo and the Bandy’s safe while camping in Colorado. Be with Vanessa and the girls, flooding them
with Your love.
Monday, July 16, 2018 6:15AM
(morning at Whitmore’s Wash)
 |
| Sunrise at Whitmore's Wash |
So it was relatively late
in the afternoon that we arrived at our campsite – almost 4:30. Usually we camped between 3-3:30. As soon as we landed, a light rain started. I managed to get my tent set up before the
rain got heavy – and then the skies really opened up. So we all sat and chatted in the rain. I had been soaked all day, and then soaked
through the rain – I was a bit of a drowned rat!
The rain eventually
stopped, so I had a quick bath in the River and put dry clothes on. I unfortunately had to put on my last pair of
clean underwear – which means I wear them overnight and all day today! I put all of my rain gear on – pants, jacket,
and even rain shoes (over my socks – because both shoes and sandals were disgusting). Bright side – kept me fully dry during all
the evening rains! Downside – made
packing today harder.
Last night during circle
time everyone shared about their experiences this week. It was quite encouraging and
informative. Later today, maybe on the
bus, I’ll write a bit about each person on the trip.
Up early this
morning. The camps was bustling by
4:30. We were to be all packed up and
ready for the copter by 7AM. I managed
that no problem. I had to keep my shower
stuff (clean shirt, soap, deodorant) “handy” to get a quick clean at the Bar-10
Ranch. And my duffel bag weights
probably 10 pounds more than it did on the way here – all of the accumulated
water and sand and dirt and sweat has made my clothes very heavy and stinky!
So today … the copter
will take us up, an 8-minute copter ride to Bar-10 Ranch on the North Rim of
the Canyon. There will be 5 or 6 people
per ride, so probably six convoy trips.
Then we have a charter flight on a small prop plane from Bar-10 to
Tusayan, the main Grand Canyon village on the South Rim. Our charter bus will meet us at the airstrip
in Tusayan to drive us back to the Radisson in Phoenix. We’ll have a quick debrief, then I’ll catch a
shuttle to the airport. 4:40 flight to
Denver, then the flight to OKC, then drive home. Helicopter – shower – small prop plane –
charter bus – shuttle bus – plane – plane – drive. Busy day of travel – quite overwhelming to
anticipate! I can’t wait to see Vanessa,
Alethea, and Keilani tonight when I get home!
It has been TOO long.
July 16, 3:20PM
Crazy travel day, but I
made it to the airport gate on time!
Hooray!
Our helicopter ride from
the campsite started at 8AM. I’d never
been on a helicopter before, so it was quite a thrilled! I was in the 4th of 6 groups of
five to take off. Feeling the blasts of
air on the ground as the helicopter landed and took off was pretty cool! The copter ride was amazing – very different
view of the Canyon and River.
Pretty neat to be in such
a small, manoeverable craft. Landed at
Bar-10 Ranch on the North Rim – Bar-10 has a working ranch, a gift shop, lodge,
SHOWERS, a heli-pad, and a small airstrip.
I had time for a quick shower – the sweet feel of running water! – and
cleaned all the sand off my body, out of (all of) my orifices, and out of my
sandals. Nice feeling of
clean-ness. The way things worked, I
wish I’d packed one more pair of underwear – but at least these only went on at
6PM yesterday. Still, it wouldn’t been
nice to feel totally clean after the shower.
 |
| At Bar-10 Ranch: Showered and Clean ... Ahhhhhh! |
After showering, our
charter plane was about ready to leave.
Our aircraft had some (unexplained) mechanical issues which lowered its
weight capacity, so two of our group (trip leaders) had to take a helicopter
(55-minute ride) to Tusayan instead of the flight (35 minute ride). The flight gave another set of amazing views
of the Grand Canyon and Colorado River.
The adventure ended, for
all intents and purposes, when our plane landed in Tusayan. We waited for the last of our group to
arrive, used the bus wifi to Skype Vanessa – how sweet to see her face after a
long week apart! Then a 3.5 hour drive
back to Phoenix, a rushed airport shuttle from The Radisson, cleared security,
and here I am at my gate with 30 minutes to spare.
The Christian Leaders Trip Team
Time to write a bit about
my fellow adventurers and trip leaders.
 |
| With Paul Brushaber |
Paul Brushaber – about
53, married with grown children. Senior
Pastor at Christ Community Church in Rochester, MN, but transitioning to a new
ministry this fall. Paul is a tall
(6’3”) broad-shouldered man, powerful, loyal, and hilariously outgoing. The clown of the group, the life of the
party. I grew to love and appreciate
Paul – definitely a life-long friend. We
shared cot space at camps and were boat buddies quite frequently.
Tom Drion, aka “London
Tom” – about 40, married with 8-year-old daughter (Charis) – Senior Pastor of
Grace Life London. True outdoorsman,
devout family man, serious about his theology.
I look forward to visiting his church while we are in London! I also look forward to getting his pictures –
he took a lot of great photos. Life-long
friend.
B. J. Eason – Youth
pastor, Ph.D. candidate, and Admissions Director at Mid-America Baptist
Theological Seminary (Tennessee campus).
B. J. was my reliable spelunking buddy, always eager to explore around
camp and side hikes. We had some great
adventures climbing Castle Rock (at Marble Canyon) and exploring sandstone
ledges above Neville’s Camp (Day 3). B.
J. is a younger guy, about 30, with a 2-year-old girl and a baby on the
way. They live in northeast Arkansas,
and we plan to keep in touch and visit one another. Life-long friend.
 |
| B. J. Eason, spelunking buddy extraordinaire |
Rick Griffith, aka
“Singapore Rick” – 65 years old or so, Bible professor at Singapore Bible
College and School of Theology. Very
outgoing, very friendly, always talking about his online courses and lectures
and videos. Also very adventurous –
loved sitting at the front of the boat.
Grew on me over the week.
 |
| l to r: Clayton Schultz, "Military" Mike Haggard, Ivan Yu |
Michael Haggard, aka
“Military Mike” and “Ranger Mike” – Director of the Northeast (New York) campus
of Mid-America BTS. Great guy! Desert Storm (Iraq 1990) vet, 20 years in the
military. Quiet, stolid, and immediately
trustworthy. At sketchy parts of hikes
on thin ledges, Mike was the guy I wanted at my back. Encouraging and inquisitive. Someone I would continue to contact and
maintain relationship with. About 55
years old, grown kids.
Timothy Hughes –
Assistant to the Vice President at Bob Jones University. Didn’t get as much time to get to know
Timothy. A very kind 40-ish-year-old
guy.
Adam Huff – Rim tour
guide with Canyon Ministries. Adam was a
last-minute fill-in for someone who canceled.
He used to run Guest Services at the Creation Museum in Kentucky – just
now transitioning here to the Grand Canyon.
Four young kids, he’s about 35.
Used to be a mechanic. I got lots
of opportunity to chat with Adam and got to know him quite well. Top-drawer young man.
 |
| Tom McCall (r), Martin Zhang, Captain John Dunn in background |
Jason Lee – Professor of
Theological Studies, Dean of Theology at Cedarville University (Ohio). One of 3 guys from Cedarville, where YEC is
part of the faculty statement of faith!
Quietly funny. Pretty short, but
really tough and a true servant heart.
Jason was always the first to volunteer to bring “appetizer trays”
around to the group at circle time. Four
kids (I think), ages 12-20; about 45.
Really nice.
Thomas McCall, aka
“Brooding Tom” – Professor of Biblical and Systematic Theology, head of the
Genesis Project at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, IL. Had lots of opportunity to talk in-depth with
Tom, including a lot of in-depth theological conversations. He was the only other (known) old-earther on
the trip. He’s also one of the few
people I know who has traveled the Stewart-Cassiar Highway in BC! We had lots of fun talking about northern BC
and Alaska. Great guy! He’s “Brooding Tom” because he was frequently
in deep thought during teaching times and Q&A, and could have a “brooding”
look about him when he was thinking things through. Would love to continue to build this
relationship. Potential life-long
friend.
Randy McKinion – Assistant
Dean of Theology at Cedarville. Very
nice and kind – we had a few conversations, but I didn’t really get to know
Randy very well.
|
| With California Cliff McManis |
Cliff McManis, aka
“California Cliff” – Professor of Theology and Apologetics at Cornerstone
University, Senior Pastor at Grace Bible Fellowship, both in California. Cliff is quite tall, with a very serious
demeanor. He is quiet, and was always
interested in learning from and about others.
We had lots of great talks about philosophy, philosophers, and
apologists – including talking about his published apologetics textbook. Great guy – lifelong friend.
Kevin Oberlin – Bible
& Theology Professor at Bob Jones University. Kevin arrived at the Phoenix airport at the
same time, and we shared a shuttle to The Radisson. We had many more good conversations over the
week. On night 3, he graciously offered
me his tent, insisting that he wouldn’t use it anyway. The tent made a big difference to my sleep
ability, so I am very grateful for his generosity. He is young-ish, maybe 35, with 5 kids.
Lloyd Pulley, aka
“Naughty Lloyd” (a play on words with ‘nautiloid’ fossils) – Senior Pastor at
Calvary Chapel in Old Bridge, New Jersey, and owns a radio station in the NYC
area. Great guy! Four kids, about 55 years old. Great lifelong friend.
Patrick Schreiner – New
Testament professor at Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon. About 33 years old, 4 kids (8, 7, 4, 2). Tom Schreiner’s son. Really interesting and intelligent young
man. A bit of a fence-sitter when it
comes to OEC/YEC, so he was really interesting to talk with! Another one (like me) who absolutely loved
being on the boat!
 |
| With Jason Lee |
Clayton Schultz –
Director of The West Institute in Laramie, Wyoming, a 1-year Master’s
Program. Tall, athletic, big smile, a
real cowboy! I like Clayton all right,
but didn’t converse or connect a whole lot with him.
John Scott – Assistant
Professor of History at Corban University in Portland, Oregon. Probably the most interesting and interested
guy on the trip. A bird and botany buff;
older – probably 60-63. A bit tentative
with some of our outings, but always game in the end. Had really good chats about philosophy,
history, and philosophy of history. John
was a bit eccentric, but truly lovable.
If we didn’t already have family to stay with in Oregon, I’d want to
stay with John and his wife! Absolutely
delightful. Short-ish, pepper-gray hair
hair and beard. Life-long friend,
colleague, and collaborator.
Tom Short – “Stormin
Normin Tom” – a campus evangelist and minister known as “Tom the Preacher.com.” Tall, about 55, clean-shaven, outgoing, a
natural leader.
 |
| Daniel Simango, Terry Mortenson (on r) |
Daniel Simango –
Principal and Old Testament Professor at The Bible Institute of South
Africa. A medium-height, heavy-set, very
dark-skinned African with a beautiful accent, winsome smile, and fascinating
thoughts. We chatted a bit about the
imago Dei, his dissertation topic. Good
guy to know – maybe 35 years old, younger kids at home.
Larry Tyler – Chairman of
the School of Bible and Theology at Piedmont International University … I think
in North Carolina? The oldest member of
our group (69 years old), with kids ranging from 35 to 18! A native of Augusta, Georgia, with the accent
to match. I really loved and appreciated
Larry, and tried to watch out for him and help him when necessary. Probably the sweetest guy on the trip;
impossible not to like him.
Brett Williams – Provost at
Central Baptist Seminary in Minneapolis.
Great fellow! About 40, my
height, a bit broader. Three kids:
Evelyn (Evie), 13; Lilian (Lily), 11; and Lucan (Luke), 8. I learned a lot about Brett during the trip,
and really enjoyed talking with him throughout the week. We have lots in common, and a very natural
bond almost immediately. Families would
get along well, I think. Life-long
friend.
Jason Wilson – Senior Pastor
at Journey Church in Sanford, Florida.
Swell guy, really interesting, huge heart for missions and
evangelism. About my age, a bit shorter
and thinner. 5 kids. His wife and daughter were trying to return
from Haiti while we were in the Grand Canyon – he was quietly concerned about
them.
 |
| Ivan Yu |
Ivan Yu – English Pastor
at the Chinese Christian Church of Greater Albany (New York), and Apologetics
Ph.D. student at Liberty. The youngest
(26) on our team. Pleasant, outgoing and
likeable. We chatted a lot about
ministry in Chinese Churches, and I’ll be interested to follow his trajectory.
 |
| Martin Zhang |
Martin Zhang (Zhang
Yeung-Le) – Old Testament Ph.D. student at Southern (Louisville). We roomed together at The Radisson in
Phoenix, and got to know one another quite well. He is training to be able to go back to his
house-church-network seminary in Wenzhou.
Wonderful, quiet, not
outdoorsy at all! Everything was a
brand-new experience for him. On Day 2,
he was looking dehydrated and unwell. I
was sitting beside him and kept prompting him to eat and drink more. He came around and did much better the rest
of the trip. Life-long friend.
Our leaders on the
Christian Leaders’ Trip:
Bill Barrick – “Uncle
Bill” – our tireless overall trip leader, retired Old Testament professor from
The Master’s College (California) – where Ferris Smith is studying. 72-years-old, but the most energetic person
on the trip. Servant-leader. Gentle and humble in spirit – he was the most
intentionally accepting of non-YECers.
My favorite leader, and a wonderful Godly man.
Terry Mortenson – Speaker
and Researcher (historian) with Answers in Genesis. About 63; a real mix in personality and
presentation. The first night he was
generous and accepting of diverse creation viewpoints, but his later teaching
times were very negative toward and critical of old-earth positions. We spent a lot of time talking together on
the bus back to Phoenix. I did share how
that critical spirit came across (to me) very negatively, and helps to keep me
somewhat turned off from the YEC position.
I would consider us friends and healthy intellectual dialogue partners –
lots of really interesting and challenging conversations for me to consider.
 |
| Dr. Andrew Snelling |
Andrew Snelling – “Aussie
Andrew” – Director of Research (and head geologist) with Answers In
Genesis. Like Terry, a bit too shrill in
his critique of OEC. Both of them characterize
OEC as rejecting the authority of Scripture, which really rubs me the wrong
way. Had tremendous knowledge of Canyon geology,
and presented it very winsomely and persuasively.
John Whitmore – Geology Professor
at Cedarville University. A bit shorter,
grey-bearded, about 55. 6 kids. Loveable man.
Great teacher, very winsome presentation of the scientific evidence for
YEC. He was the most convincing team
leader – he brought new scientific evidence to the table for me, and did so
with a kind spirit.
 |
| Cliff McManis, Bill Barrick |
The four trip leaders put
together an incredible 9-day experience in the Grand Canyon. The structure of the week was impeccable,
with good balance between teaching time, river time, side explorations, and
camp times. Their material and
perspective is presented thoroughly and fairly.
What an absolute privilege to be part this once-in-a-lifetime,
life-transforming, memorable week in the Grand Canyon. I still have lots of intellectual and
spiritual processing to do – but the trip definitely succeeded in causing me to
rethink my strong commitment to OEC.
Lots of food for thought.
Our Boat Crew
John Dunn – “Captain John”
– Trip lead. I was on John’s boat 5 out
of 6 river days. Enjoyed his river
stories and hearty laugh very much. He’s
36, single, native Arizona boy. Very
friendly and interactive – not a Christian, but a great fellow. Terrific sense of humor. He allowed us increasing freedom on the boat
as we got and demonstrated our “river legs.”
Before one significant rapid, I asked if I could stay sitting on the
outer pontoon. His response: “You should
be OK, if you hold on tight.” I did, and
I was! Another rapid, same
question. Response: “Yeah, I guess … you’re
Canadian, so you’re less likely to sue.”
John is a hockey fan, so we talked hockey some.
Sean Futch – Second Boatman
– captained the second boat. Maybe 28
years old, dark hair, clean-cut and trim beard.
Engaged. Pretty nice, but subtly
mocked our group’s faith at a few points on the trip. When we were reading Genesis 1 and singing a
hymn in the Inner Gorge, he first pretended to smoke a cigarette, then pulled
out a pair of earplugs in jest. But …
not unexpected, I guess.
Matt More – Swamper. He was responsible for jumping off whenever
we stopped, and tying up both boats. Fun
guy, talkative, great cook. He did the eggs
(and omelettes) and steaks.
 |
| River Day 6 |
The crew always slept on
the boats at night – sometimes under an umbrella, sometimes just under the
sky. We all worked together to load and
unload the boats each morning and evening – cots, tents, overnight bags, lawn
chairs, kitchen stuff. Usually took 15
minutes of team-work.
Scoping out a tent or cot
site was crucial to a good night sleep.
I usually preferred a bit more privacy away from the beach, but the
breeze was better on the beach. The last
2 nights, I pitched my tent right on the beach – a bit cooler and easier to
relax. I never did have a good night’s sleep – the best I could do
was adequate.
I am so thankful, Lord,
for this trip. I’m grateful to have been
invited, thankful the timing worked. I’ve
learned so much, and formed some great lasting relationships. I praise You for keeping me healthy and
upbeat, even through the rough nights and the lack of sleep. I had my first ‘soft’ bathroom trip at the
airport in Phoenix – so glad that never happened on the River!
Thank you, Lord. Now I pray You bring me home safe tonight,
and help us launch for London tomorrow.
Keep my girls safe.
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