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Kids in Canyonlands
Skyler’s swimming ability was questionable, but he loved the water. We ruled out flipping as an option, no matter what. That would surely give Skyler a tainted view of boating. I even considered making him sleep in his PFD, so I could rest easy at night.
In Moab, we met our friend Eric and his two kids, who were joining us for the adventure. Eric is another guide-turned-suburbia-dweller. He jumped at the idea of taking his kids along; unfortunately, his wife couldn’t take the time off from work to join us. We loaded up our vehicles and canoes in Moab, and Bob Jones drove us to Mineral Bottom. After a harrowing switchback descent along vertical sandstone cliffs, where we passed the wreckage of cars that had fallen off the road, we arrived at the put-in. We quickly packed up the boats and pushed off into the slow-moving current. After days of preparation, I finally began to relax and enjoy the peaceful solitude of the river.
“Yeeeeehawwww!” Skyler squealed in a high-pitched scream, so sudden that I literally dropped my paddle.
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Tom Bol The crew roasted beneath Stillwater Canyon sunshine.
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“Nothing, Dad. I just wanted to scream,” he cheerfully replied. “I like being outside.”
“Well, I’m glad that you’re having a good time, but please don’t scream,” I instructed my son.
“Dad? I thought the only place I couldn’t scream was inside the house,” Skyler continued. “We are outside now, and that’s where you said I can scream all I want.”
“It’s true, I did say you could scream outside, but this is different,” I replied.
“How is it different?” he wanted to know.
“Because when you’re in the wilderness, screaming scares the animals and other people,” I patiently explained.
“Dad? What’s wilderness? Is our backyard wilderness?” Skyler’s inquisition continued.
Only 10 minutes into our trip, I was engaged in a losing debate with a four-year-old. Instead of enjoying the river, I was already near my limit. The Sky Factor had struck again.
We continued paddling down the silty river, meandering around bends and oxbows, gazing at the sheer cliffs of Wingate sandstone towering overhead. Skyler and Eric’s kids, Taylor and Morgan, entertained themselves for miles with echoes off the canyon walls. About every two hours we stopped on a sandbar to let the kids run around and, of course, eat. Kids always seem to be hungry, and a constant intake of calories is required to ensure happy campers.
We set up camp on a huge sandy beach—the perfect kids’ camp. A nearby prehistoric ruin dominated the skyline, and the setting sun transformed it from tan to crimson. The surrounding rocks were painted every hue of red before being overtaken by dark shadows that slowly climbed the canyon walls. Ravens croaked overhead.
Cree and Eric were in charge of planning the food, and our first night’s menu featured burritos, followed by cocoa and chocolate bars for dessert. Knowing how important food is in keeping kids happy, I was fairly confident that nothing could go wrong that night. But I’d also learned to never underestimate the Sky Factor.
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