Taos Box

Wow!  That was a blast. 1200 cfs.  Numerous intense moments.  My new favorite run knocking Browns Canyon out of first place. The scenery coupled w the rapids was amazing.  Granted our guide seemed to make a pt of putting us into the thick of things.  

In Love With The Taos Box

I am officially in love with the Taos Box section of the Rio Grande. It has everything going for it: Challenging Rapids which become more closely spaced as the trip progresses, spectacular, other worldly scenery, relatively inaccessible and so unspoiled. The water temperature was perfect. The company with Los Rios was great. I just can't get enough of it. I want to go again next week. Some folks followed the Dead or Phish. I want to follow the Taos Box.

Airstream alighting in the Gorge

Reading a delightful book on hermits. Makes me long all the more for the Gorge. What if I slipped the Airstream down into the Gorge. That would be a first. Hmmm.

A Hermit's Hut-building material trip

Tomorrow another trip to the Gorge laden with Home Depot Lumber and Wal-mart Tools.  Much to be trolleyed to the bottom including 500 lbs of cement pier blocks.  

Have conscripted JD and Bea into service.  Both have mixed feelings about coming.  I understand.  Despite my efforts to reduce the amount of toil that goes with the property, there is still much work to be done.  It is my vision to build a shed/kayak/sleeping structure that we can sleep in when we are there and use as a secure lockup for our belongings when we are not.

Looking at 8 x 15 which is within the county's non-permit required structure size.  I am building on removeable concrete blocks because all is ephemeral.  There is a remote risk of flood so I will design a high water platform escape place.

We will discuss stairs later.  Right now we need a shelter wall so we don't have to contend with the SW wind and snapping tarp sounds.

Longing to Return to The Rio Grande

O dry, prickly gorge. Surrounded by bandits and highwaymen. I long for you once more. Got a string of days. Hoping to make a trip out that way. See if the airstream is still there. If things have been stolen. Hoping to erect a basic fence like wall down below where we can sleep sheltered from the wind and cold. There is no such thing as a warm summer night in the San Luis Valley. The river has picked up at bit from the anemic 150 cfs it was running at Lobato earlier this month. 300 cfs might do the trick as far as a float trip. Wonder if I can convince the kids to accompany me on such a venture. Perhaps I can purchase and transport one more strong box for my belongings. Kind of itching to get down to Taos again as well. An interesting crime ridden place. A swirl of wealth and impoverished desperation creating a whirlpool of conflict. Always fun.