fall 11 / 24:3 - Grand Canyon River Guides

used to be there, and the miners…and the geology.That, to me—and I think I’ve seen from my guests aswell, it just adds to the place, it makes the experiencericher and deeper. Now maybe they won’t rememberthe age of the Tapeats, or exactly what John Hance wasdoing there, but while they’re there, I think it enrichesthe experience for them. I like doing that, and that’swhat I do with the writing as well—I hope.I’ve just finished the first draft of a new book whichis about the beginning of the age of dinosaurs, petrifiedforest, and the Chinle Formation, the Painted Desert,all that stuff. So it’s not to do with Grand Canyon, butall that stuff was at Grand Canyon—it’s just erodedaway.Steiger: Just above.Sadler: Yup, just above Grand Canyon.* * *Steiger: I want to hear one more river story, andthen I’ll get off of that.Sadler: Oh man, I’m tryin’ to think. Obviously,most river stories that people remember are the calamities.I’ve had a few of those. I haven’t had probably asmany as some people.Steiger: I count the story you just told about theblind guy.Sadler: Yeah, Dave.Steiger: I mean, tell me a guiding story.Sadler: I’m thinking of one in particular that I thinkin a nutshell it maybe helps explain part of why I’vestayed there all these years. It’s not so much about theCanyon, but I guess it’s about what the Canyon can doto you. It was, again, many years ago,and there was a doctor from Montanaand his wife, on the trip. They werejust great folks—young couple, I reallyenjoyed them a lot. Had a reallygood time with them. But I rememberaround day ten something reallyspecific happened—I met Jay at thecoffee table in the morning, and hewas drinking his coffee. I said, “Whathappened to you? You look absolutelyamazing.” And he did. I mean, it’s likeI never noticed it before. It’s not likewhen he came on the trip he was alltense and nasty or anything, but hiswhole face had just softened, relaxed,and his eyes were clear, just incrediblyclear and blue. And he just gave methis huge grin and kind of laughed anddidn’t really describe it. We went ondown the river, and the last day he’s in the ducky, andyou know that little rapid just above 220? Trail Canyon.That real swirly thing up against the wall. He was like,“What should I do here, Christa?!” I said, “Jay, you’vebeen in that thing the whole trip. I can’t help ya’, you’reon your own now!” And he blasted on through. Okay,trip’s over, we all go out to the trip dinner, everything’sgreat. About two months later I received a letter fromhim, and he told me about just all these things that hadhappened to him in the last few years of getting hisschooling and becoming a doctor, and the tenseness. Idon’t want to divulge any details, but basically he saidthat that trip had completely broken him open. It waspartly the Canyon, but what he told me, he said it allcame together when at the very last day I told him, basically,“I’ve told you everything I can about duckying,and there’s not much else I can do. Now you’re on yourown.” And again, I know this happens with every guide,it’s not unique to me—but he said, “You helped heala healer.” I saved that letter, I still have it. This is liketwelve, thirteen, fourteen years later. Again, I realize itwasn’t so much about me, but I was so honored to havebeen present at that transformation for him. Becauseit’s lasted, we’ve stayed in touch and it’s lasted, andhe’s a really happy person now. I was just so incrediblyhonored to have been present in the room when thathappened. And whatever role I played in that, I justfelt really grateful. I think there’s something about thesimplicity of life down there, that allows people to get aglimpse of who they really are, or who they want to be.And whether they stick with it or not isn’t our job todetermine, but to be present when those things happenis really an incredible honor.page 36grand canyon river guides