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Dividing California and Arizona, is a section of the mighty Colorado River. It is more than a recreational oasis in the desert.
Within the gorge was a sacred place, an earthly trip I wanted to make.
It lays along the Colorado River in Arizona. I had a great expectation, thought its destination might feel like rapture or some intense light to be found there.
The gorge, are remains from ancient volcanoes dormant and ominous, spikes and ragged
rock resembling the look of a dragons back and where the blue river color turns turquoise green.
The only way there is by boat, a two hour trip riding down the river's current.
Departing Bullhead city, I noticed the houses of wealth, lined in neat rows and yet felt so vacant.
Then past the Indian reservation of tribal farming lands, nourished by water from the river which once belonged to them before the west coast population claimed rites to it and damned various sections to control its flow.
The river then passes the wildlife sanctuary of exotic birds and cattail marshes, the river is preserved in its natural state, where native wildlife could escape unharmed and find a habitat to exist.
The river is a place where your skin turns darker and your hair turns lighter and the wind blows hot and arid. Though a party place for weekend watercraft warriors, and college students on spring vacation, during midweek it is a more peaceful river.
Floating the gorge, there is an appreciation of the power of nature, the sigh of great landscape is sculpted through this terrain, and provides a moment of tranquility. Exciting me further was just off the river and on the rock wall. Petroglyphs, symbols left from indigenous tribes 1000 years ago designating the area sacred.
Mid way up the rock was a circle and a vertical line, my first thought was a symbol of a man. Below it was a horizontal feather, cryptic yet recognizable. I felt a tingle viewing it. Last to see from the river itself, was a sunburst, just above the water line. It glowed as clear as the day it was painted, surviving flood and drought, wind, and desert heat.
Is was not the instant rapture, nor brilliant light, I had anticipated, But I left there feeling something sacred.
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Reader Reviews for
"on the Colorado river"
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| Reviewed by Regis Auffray |
7/30/2011 |
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Thank you for sharing the place and the experience, Debby. Love and best wishes to you,
Regis |
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| Reviewed by Linda Law |
4/2/2009 |
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| Debby...this is not "like awesome" when traveled down the Colorado but it's that "feeling" of actually seeing something so raw and steeped in age and wondering....Well written of course my friend! About 4 yrs ago, Joe and I and my granddaughter Meghan who was about 12 at the time took a 5 hour boat trip along the Colorado beginning around Blythe CA, and on up ... the water is shallow in several spots, and we had to manuever around the sand so we wouldn't get stuck... It was hot as you know, and we stopped overnite in some little town and there were no rooms, so Joe spent the nite with some guys camping, and Meghan and I slept on the boat which was very nice...We had such fun, but...that trip was plenty...no "want" to do it again! hehe... hugs, lindalaw |
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| Reviewed by MaryGrace Patterson |
5/6/2007 |
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| I was anticipating what you would find and how you'd react. I could see the river with its flowing water and canyons... Good write!...M |
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| Reviewed by m j hollingshead |
7/11/2006 |
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| well done! makes me lonesome for home... displaced Californian |
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| Reviewed by Poetess of The Soul Sheila G |
8/20/2005 |
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| I was moveeeeeeeeed by this Debb~~~ quite quickly too- This is a keeper I hope I am blessed with the sites you and Ed *( as I read earlier) have had the pleasure to step on and feast your eyes and senses on...Wow! Me- here in Massach. little country town- Yea, oK... in another life- but, I will be there- and I will keep this - to travel by- Thank you - you write so well : ) I do mean this- WArmly,Sheee |
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| Reviewed by Karen Lynn Vidra, The Texas Tornado |
5/11/2004 |
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May see that very thing when we go to California in July..that is IF we go to Colorado! Don't know which way we are going as we travel to California by Greyhound bus until we get our bus tickets! (A friend is paying for our trip; and she is the one we are going to visit when we go to California. This is going to be exciting; we have never been to California, and now we also get to meet a fellow author here at the Den!! We will be on vacation for two glorious weeks, and we are reallllly lookin' forward to gettin' out of Texas, even if it IS for a few weeks!)
Wonderful travelogue; enjoyed much!
(((HUGS))) and much love, your (soon to be California bound) Texas friend, Karen Lynn. :D
Recently wrote a series of stories about Alaska; had a lot of positive feedback. Not bad, considering I have never been TO Alaska! LOL (I HAVE been to Tennessee, Kentucky, Texas, Ohio, Missouri, Mississippi, Arkansas, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Rhode Island, New Jersey, and Oklahoma. Now I will add California and several more states to this list come July!!) |
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| Reviewed by Mr. Ed |
5/11/2004 |
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Debby, I absolutely loved this. You do travel well!
I, too, have been on this river, and it is a marvelous journey, as you so eloquently describe.
I also happen to love the name of this town - Bullhead City - it's often featured on national weather forecasts as the warmest spot in the nation. |
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