Their first summer in Colorado in 2001, Betsy, Joe, Sara and Kristen went on a rafting trip down the San Juan river in Utah. Cousin and experienced guide Stewart Aitchison organized the trip with his wife Ann, daughter Kate, and some other friends. Betsy sent a bunch of photos of the trip and thoughtfully captioned each one, so I’ve included them all here. They may not be in exactly the right sequence, but you get the idea…and maybe someday one of the travelers can correct me and expand on the details.
Before the trip: Kristen after getting her balloon horse at a nearby restaurant
Photos from August 9, 2001
Grand Junction, CO – Across from this limestone-looking mountain is a valley with vineyards, green grass, orchards…really bizarre! 
A pueblo in Utah 
Utah near the border of Colorado 
Passing the Colorado River on Rt 128 between Cisco and Moab, Utah 
Fisher Towers is in the distance. Area is called Castle Valley, Utah 
Fisher Towers has been the location of recent Jeep commercials and movies like Geronimo and Commancheros 
Fisher Towers…and Sara and Kristen 
Neat landscape in Castle Valley, Utah 
The Goosenecks and San Juan River. We camped on the plateau above this at Gooseneck State Park 
Our camp at Gooseneck State Park with rainbow dipping into the canyon
August 10
Area above the Goosenecks – part of Goosenecks State Park 
Goosenecks and San Juan River 
Goosenecks and San Juan River
Kristen and Sara with the 3 teens and one of Stewart’s friends 
Camping out for the evening, awaiting on spaghetti dinner 
Sara and Betsy 
The tent we borrowed from my friend Anne. Joe and Sara posing.
August 11
Stewart and Ann 
Stewart taking Betsy, Ann and two of the girls down “Government” – one of the bigger rapids 
Joe and Sara with Stewart’s friends after they ran the rapids 
Betsy looking like a beached whale (her caption, not mine) 
Betsy being transferred from the big boat onto the canoe 
Kristen buried in sand! 
Kristen and the gang in a water hole with much clearer water than the river! We’ve just hiked a mile off the river through tiered waterfalls.
August 12
Stewart, Sara, Kristen and one of the friends of Stewart 
Joe, Kristen, Sara and Kate canoeing 
Ann and Kristen paddling their canoe 
Joe and Kristen with her movie star glasses
Ann canoeing near a waterfall 
More views of the waterfall 
Waterfall 
Waterfall 
A canyon we passed on the river trip 
The view from our campsite the last night on the San Juan River
August 13 (and some other time)
Twin Rocks in Bluff, Utah 
A neat arch we passed in Utah on our way home 
Our trip to Vail with Aunt Leona and Uncle Larry. Kristen took this picture!
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