May 21st 2016: Kwagunt Rapids – Hitch across the Colorado River – Ford through the Little Colorado River – Beamer Trail till 1 mile past Lava Canyon Rapids – Ca. 10 ml

Bushwhack shit from 5.30 till 8. Type B fun. This is frikkin crazy! I get cactus needles in my shoe and cry out of exhaustion (ya I know, after only 2,5 hours) and frustration. I want coffee and I want a fuckin trail! This kills any hips and any morale. Type B. Fuck type B right now.

In 2,5 hours we only hike (eh ya, we crawl and stumble might be a better way to put it) 1,5 miles.

The first beach we reach we stop. I’m not going on. I am so gonna put my thumb up and wait for a raft. The first one (the white shiny captain with bleached teeth) just passes by and waves. Cheers. Good karma to you!

But then Adam and his crew pass by and immediately pull over. They squeeze us in life jackets and off we go. They take us three miles till the Little Colorado River. We should have walked that? How the hell how? No way! Rafting is awesome and we are as much an adventure to these rafters as this  little boattrip is for us. The men keep telling me how brave I am. They should have seen me crying this morning. I feel more like a wimp but who cares. This is so frikkin cool. Type A is back.

We jump off at the Little Colorado River, say our goodbyes and cross the LCR just above some small rapids. It’s surprisingly easy. And then we hit the Beamer trail. It’s easy walking but it’s hot. We have lunch a little past midway. The winds though are craaaazy strong. A bit further on the trail is so exposed and it’s so damn windy I’m afraid I’m gonna be blown off the cliff and die. “I don’t wanna die yet!” I cry. “You gotta let go of my hand if I fall,” I yell to Daniel, “I don’t want you to die too”. Type C. I haven’t felt so scared for a long long time. I can’t even remember I ever was afraid on an exposed trail or rock. And I’m used to quite a bit. But this time I’m not tied to a rope, and damn I swear you, that slippery trail is right on the fucking edge. It’s the wind that makes it so damn scary! I crouch down, try to hold on to the heaviest rocks, I panic and then I live and the trail goes on like nothing ever happened. But it’s in my bones till we reach camp 1 mile past Lava Canyon Rapids.

I am so tired. Today was so fuckin awesome and nerve-wracking and awesome and… I eat my food while laying down cause I’m too exhausted to sit up. I fall asleep as soon as I lay my head down on my mat.