Ed

[Today's Photos] You knew it was coming: boatblogging. We're sitting on the top deck of the Nonne Zoshi, Navajo for Rainbow Bridge. Rainbow Bridge is was formed by running water, so it's technically not an arch... but it sure looks like one.

We boarded the Nonne Zoshi after breakfast. Sometimes it doesn't pay to be a nice guy: I brought up the tail end of the boarding line, and watched in dismay as the top deck filled up. How I wanted to be up in the sun instead of in the enclosed lower deck! "Get used to disappointment", the masked man told Iñigo. I've been working hard on that for years, but every so often the tiniest and simplest thing can be so crushing. It was a long, long three-hour trip to our destination; made ever so pleasant by the cigarette smoke wafting in from the occasional smoker at the stern. It gave me time to reflect on how much I have left to learn. "Get used to disappointment". I'll keep working on it.

On the ride up we slowed down and met a Boston Whaler from Dangling Rope Marina. That's a landlocked and isolated marina far up the lake. They meet the Nonne Zoshi once a day for mail service. Even today, even in the lower 48, there are isolated pockets.

Rainbow Bridge is a 1.25-mile hike, or so the sign says. I don't believe it, and neither does anyone else I asked. We got there in no time flat, much quicker and easier than Short Deer Trap. The formation looms into view after one bend, then reveals itself in full glory after another bend, and then you hike to its base. It's magnificent, etc etc. So many feet tall, so many wide, the U.S. Capitol would fit underneath if someone felt like moving it (not a bad idea, IMHO), and all the rest of the usual Fun Facts. Go Google for more if you're that curious.

The Canyon leading to it is beautiful: scallopped sandstone, many bushes and plants and flowers, and some marshy areas in a wide but stagnant end of the lake. I've seen photos of the bridge in 1983, and there was water right underneath it. At right is what the stream looks like today: that's probably more indicative of the canyon in its natural state. A state many would like to see again.

On the trip back, we lucked out: Ginger got back early and saved us seats on the top deck. I don't feel badly, though, because it has emptied out up here: we're moving at a good clip, and there's a cold wind, so lots of people have moved below. Carlton is probably the oldest person on our tour: he turns 79 this year. He and I were the only ones in t-shirts up here -- everyone else is wearing at least a sweater, some people coats and mittens. It got bitterly cold ten minutes ago, cold enough to make me eat the lunch sandwich that I had wanted to skip. That made me generate enough heat to handle the cold, but Carlton doesn't have the body fat that I do so he's back downstairs.

Update: 8:30PM (7:30 AZ time): the above was written on the boat, but it was too bright on the top deck for me to be able to even see the photos. I was typing blindly. I've reviewed and added today's selection of photos, and made slight adjustments to the text. And consider yourself fortunate: there was one photo I briefly considered posting, of a monster doing Urdva Dhanurasana in front of Rainbow Bridge. But no, I couldn't do that to an unsuspecting and unprepared audience.