Summer Times

Summer is like the Rainbow Rim Trail on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. You never know exactly what is in store, but there is always enough light and beauty to keep pushing you on around the next bend or over the next hill. You gain energy and strength as you go. You want to bomb down the trail again, climb over the pass again, ford the creek again, float down the river again, descend into the canyon again. As summer takes hold of you and the people you love in the forests, on the rivers, inside the canyons, ontop of the mountains, and amidst the storms, you realize just how much we are meant to be 'out there' and not 'in here'. The energy becomes so great and euphoric that going back inside just seems disgusting.

Rainbow Rim Trail, North Rim: 36 miles of pure single-track fun through the ancient ponderosas and along the rim of The Grand Canyon. One of the top three mountain bike trails I've ridden---definitely "Primo".


The myth, the man, the legend Tom Riggenbach along with students from Lukachukai and Teec Nos Pos and math teacher extraordenaire Ed Leonard on the South Rim after completing a Rim to Rim. The 26 mile adventure from North to South was just one of the many adventures for Rez kids on this year's Tour de Rez led by "Riggs".
I hiked down seven miles with them from the North Rim then back up to do the RR Trail. I then met them on the South Rim before heading to my Wilderness First Responder Class.


Kafeer Chen and his wife June bask in the shade and silence of Canyon de Chelly next to White House Ruins. Kafeer and I became Wilderness First Responders together during a 10-day course at the Grand Canyon through the Wilderness Medical Institute. He grew up near Tibet and has offered to take me on some expeditions there in return for me taking them to Canyon de Chelly---what a deal!

Tracy, Holly, and Brian enjoy the Telluride Bluegrass Festival in front of the brotherly love of Blaine and Kent. We saw the likes of Sam Bush, Bela Fleck, Emmylou Harris, and Counting Crows---"...I wanna be someone who believes, yeah, Mr. Jones and me..."

We also took a wild ride down the San Miguel River in our double ducky and Brian in his Kayak. Brian is one of the best all-around athletes I know and a great spritual confidant.

I hooked up with Riggs and the Tour de Rez again for a mountain bike trek from Buffalo Pass to White Ash Peak in the Chuskas. It was the hottest, sandiest ride I've ever been on, but the little fifth graders from Red Valley kept keepin' on.

Here we take a break at "Sim Jim's Chair", named after native flute artist Jimmy Keith who has been known to sit and play tunes here.

My collegue, Brian Herndon, and his summer school students finish what my 8th grade science classes started, a community garden at Lukachukai with the majestic red cliffs as the backdrop.

Doesn't it make sense to combine all school disciplines with outdoor and environmental education? It must make too much sense because...nevermind. It's summer, politics and negativity are not allowed!


Newman can't bear to look as I gaze up at what is left of the climb up Columbine Pass (12,800 ft). Tracy and I plus our two backpacking dogs hiked up Vallecito Creek, up Johnson Creek, and over into Chicago Basin. We had planned on conquering a couple fourteeners, but there was too much snow on them and we did not have our crampons. With or without the fourteeners, this is an amazing backpacking trip in the heart of the Weminuche Wilderness of the San Juan Mountains. We covered 33 miles, about 15,000 elevation gain and loss, forded creeks, and dodged fires. It was an epic trek.

Tracy and Outdoor Mike feel the stress and anxiety lessen as the final preparations have been made for the put-in for the San Juan River trip.

This was the highlight of the summer as my parents, my brother and sister-in-law, and David and Sue Johnson came out from Indiana to experience the San Juan's upper canyon, as well as Canyon de Chelly, Monument Valley, and The Swingin' Steak.




I man the oars as Dave and Sue take to the river like ducks to water.

They later tried the inflatable kayak (ducky) and liked it so much they never wanted to get back in the oar raft. All the Hoosiers did an amazing job navigating around islands and through rapids. We stopped and observed petroglyph panels and also hiked to Anasazi ruins at River House. The total river trip was 27 miles during our two day, one night trip.

Julia and Zach find out that meals on the river aren't too bad.

This was at our camp at about river mile 13. We weathered a desert monsoon as we setup camp then enjoyed the food, fellowship, and stars late into the night. We were also fortunate to see several desert bighorn sheep earlier in the day, as well as an exotic looking snake that was way too close to camp.

Julia and Zach are expecting their first child in November, and we are all really excited.

Zach and Julia take the Aire Tomcat downriver on day two toward the Raplee Anticline, aka Navajo Blanket.

The San Juan does not have huge rapids but calls river rats from all over to enjoy its wonderful geology and history.

Claudia is shaded by both her river hat and Mexican Hat in the background.

The take-out of the river trip was Mexican Hat, Utah. After loading all the gear up we stopped in for dinner at The Swingin' Steak restaurant.

Everybody enjoyed the duckies on the trip and found the single duck to be very fast and responsive. This was especially true for Judge Johnson as he took the duck down the left side of Ledge Rapids and looked like he was in a pinball machine. We were both frightened and amused with his wild ride, to which he dryly stated, "I've been livin' on the right my whole life, I guess it was time to try the left."

Outdoor Mike was once known for his bird hunting videos. Then he became an expert sailor. Here he tries his hand at yet another outdoor endeavor as Mexican Hat rock drifts into the distance.

We piled up the gear on the back of the raft, and it was a good thing we rented a cargo net to keep it all in place.

When we began the trip the river was low, about 650 cfs, but by day two it had risen to about 900 cfs due to summer monsoons.

On the rim of Canyon de Chelly it is always nice to be away from the edge with a railing close by if you are scared of heights. Here some of the Hoosiers prepare to do the White House Ruins hike, which takes you down to the bottom of the canyon.

This hike is a favorite for people coming out to visit us. It is very doable for all ages and abilities, so what are the rest of you waiting on?

In the southwest there are no dog days of summer. We hope you all are having an enjoyable one with the ones you love doing the things you love. -Jesse