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Back in 1988, a group of river guides created
an organization designed to give the river
community a unified voice for the protection
of the Colorado River through Grand Canyon.
They became Grand Canyon
River Guides, Inc. (GCRG), a non profit
organization formed to educate, inform, and
provide cohesion for the river community.
Today the membership consists of 756 guide
members and 878 general members. Members act
collectively under the guidance of GCRG in
protecting Grand Canyon,
setting the highest standards for the river
profession, celebrating the unique spirit of
the river community, and providing the best
possible river experience for all river runners.
In the past few years GCRG has worked on
projects such as the Adaptive Management Plan
and the Adopt-a-Beach Program. More recently,
GCRG has been involved with overflight and
uranium mining issues. GCRG also publishes
the Boatman's
Quarterly Review featuring news,
commentary, art, creative writing, history,
science, and humor pertaining to the Colorado
River, Grand Canyon and the river running
community. AzRA is proud to have several
guides on the Board of Directors. A special
thanks to Nikki Cooley, Laura Fallon, Jed
Koller, and Fred Thevenin for volunteering.
To learn more about GCRG and how you can
contribute
or get involved, please visit www.gcrg.org.
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Beverly Caifa has been a Grand Canyon guide
for 21 years and has been working for AzRA
since 2004. Her incredible smile and kind
heart are recognized and appreciated by both
guests and
co-workers. She has a terrific personality
and is known for bringing
along costumes, decorations, and party
favors. However, her famous trademark is her
talent for painting toenails. She brings
along a nail painting kit including
multiple colors and specialized paint brushes
for creating art no bigger than the size of a
postage stamp. Toenails become a canvas for
miniature
sceneries, flowers, petroglyphs, and holiday
themes. Guests enjoy the creative custom artwork
on their toes for weeks after their river trip!
In the winter Beverly is a dive
instructor at Off
The Wall Dive Center and Resort located
on an unbelievable
private island off the coast of Belize.
Off The Wall Dive Center and Resort is an
eco-resort offering all-inclusive vacation
packages including a variety of sports such
as diving, snorkeling, fishing, or just good
old relaxation. Even though
Beverly works in Arizona and Belize half of
the year, her
heart is in St. George, Utah, where she loves
spending time with her husband
Mike. Repeat passengers might remember Mike
as he is also a Grand Canyon river guide.
Mike has not guided a trip for AzRA lately
because he is fulfilling a career as an ER
air flight nurse
in St. George. (Photo submitted
by Rob Elliott)
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We receive many requests from guests for
copies of the recipes made on river trips.
There is a basic list of ingredients but many
of the
guides spice up the recipes with their own
twist. Therefore, flavors may vary!
A few years ago we printed the recipe for the green chili casserole and dutch oven cooking tips (see The Wave Archives September 2007). In this issue of The V Wave, we share one of the most requested lunch recipes: the chicken salad. There are two chicken salad recipes on the AzRA menu depending on what trip you were on. This is the recipe for the regular chicken salad lunch. The ingredients are as follows:
Find shade. Mix chipotle hot sauce and cream cheese. Add remaining ingredients. Fold into wrap item of your choice. Enjoy by the water's edge. (Photo submitted by Laura Fallon) |
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In 2004, AzRA began running hard shell kayak
support trips with the Otter Bar Lodge Kayak
School from California. Started in 1981,
Otter Bar is a family-owned kayak school
located in northern California on the Salmon
River. Otter Bar Kayak School offers all
skill levels of whitewater kayak instruction.
Whether you are a first-timer or an experienced
paddler, you can choose from Otter Bar's many
trip
options and instructional courses.
Every September, the Otter Bar Kayak School
charters a 15-day full canyon motor supported
trip with AzRA. The trip is designed for
experienced kayakers with class 3/3+ skills
and a strong river roll. Kayaking is the
emphasis of this trip although raft-only
passengers are also welcome as the trip is
balanced out with AzRA's river adventure
itinerary. To learn more or inquire about
reservations, contact Otter Bar
or call 530-462-4772. (Photo submitted by
Otter Bar)
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AzRA started a 'bike to work' incentive program in 2007. The main goal of the program is to reduce consumption of non-renewable fossil fuels and production of greenhouse gases by encouraging employees to ride bicycles between home and work. Flagstaff is a bicycle friendly community and the intertwined urban trail system makes commuting convenient for many people. Although it is difficult for guides to commute, some of the office and warehouse staff participates in the program. An employee who rides a bike at least four days a week receives a $15 bonus for each week completed. Warehouse employee Erik Kellerup said, "I
like biking to work because it is faster than
driving and I enjoy the exercise and fresh
air." Owner and General Manager Alexandra
Thevenin
says, "I think it is important to support our
employees who already ride bikes and
encourage others to ride if they can. The
benefits to the environment and employee
personal health are ideals AzRA believes in.
It's an easy program for a small business
to initiate and the costs are low." (Photo:
custom bike rack built by local
Sinagua High School welding class.)
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Dear AzRA, I think you might enjoy this picture taken 70 years ago of my mother (fifth from the top) when she participated in a horseback trip down into the Grand Canyon back in 1939. I'm assuming the photo was taken to be sold to tourists after their ride. My mom passed away last week but she was an adventurer almost right up until her passing. Now she's off on the greatest adventure of them all... Cheers! Jim D., Repeat passenger, September 2008. Jim and Patti - Thank you for sharing this amazing photo with everyone at AzRA and The V-Wave. We hope your mother's adventurous spirit will live on through you and your family! |
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We are available for free Skype to Skype international phone calls! Once again we would like to thank you for river seasons full of wonderful memories and for taking time to read our newsletter. We hope you will choose to continue receiving this publication so we may stay connected. In fact, we appreciate input and if you have suggestions for future newsletters or have stories or photos to share, please drop us an email. (Arizona Raft Adventures and Grand Canyon Discovery are concessioners under contract with the U.S. Government and administered by the National Park Service.)
See you downstream!
Arizona Raft Adventures and Grand Canyon Discovery
email:
info@azraft.com
phone:
toll free at 800-786-7238
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