Rolling Cot
After a work friend offered me their cot for my trip down the ditch I vowed to sleep under the stars as many nights as the weather would allow it on our March Trip. My boat mates, a married couple, graciously invited me to third wheel in their mega tent if I wanted to bail on my big idea. Besides one, no good, terrible, very very bad day full of evil eddies and a deluge of rain - I slept on my cot - checking my sleeping bag diligently for scorpions with my black light before tucking in.
Twinkle Lights
We had a massive spreadsheet delineating daily tasks : kitchen, grover, dishes, and even a vacation day. One of the most important tasks though, was ‘party patrol’. They were responsible for setting up the campsite with ambiance, from twinkle lights, to a neon palm tree on the cocktail table they were in charge of keeping spirits high - even on the most draining of days.
Trader Joe’s Hand Cream ($12)
Nothing prepares you for how dry your hands will get on the Grand Canyon. Opening and zipping lifejackets, setting up tents, and even opening an orange turns into a painful activity. In fact, I watched my hand crack open while opening my drybag in the middle of our trip. These little tube sof handcream was liquid gold on our adventure down the Canyon. and I would honestly pack about 5 tubes next time, hiding one in my ammo can, one in my lifejacket, and a few squirreled away or given to friends in need. I Much of the research I did suggested working hands, but we found that a number of people on our trip had allergic reactions to that product. Trader Joe’s was the clear group favorite.
Extra Tough Camera
Having a waterproof camera that fit in my lifejacket pocket was so clutch when it came to capturing those fleeting river scenes. It might not be as fancy as my DSLR, but when it comes to cameras, the best cameras are the ones you use, and this bad boy captured some of my favorite images I’ve taken in my life + lived to tell the tale.