So it is a great boon of Fedarko's book that he tells the story of the dam, and of the engineers and techinicians who built it with as much respect and homage as he gives to the dorymen." Once the book was talking about presen. Rapid snowmelt in June of 1983 created the highest water in the Grand Canyon in 25 years, the likes of which hadn't been experienced since before Glen Canyon Dam was built. The saga of The Emerald Mile is a thrilling adventure, as well as a magisterial portrait of the hidden kingdom of white water at the bottom of the greatest river canyon on earth. His descriptions brought every scene to life for me - even when (or especially when) he goes off on a lyrical tangent - e.g., " And peeking over the cliffs like a Chinese lantern was a swollen, yellow globe that draped the folds of the surrounding plateau in moonbeams" sigh. Enjoy! It was truly spectacular! That these came as a bonus and lasted a third of a century was truly unexpected. He juxtaposes the Glen Canyon Dam engineers' race to avoid catastrophic failures during the huge 1983 spring runoff with what was happening on the river with the many commercial trips caught in big water. At normal flows, definitely not. The guide, his back to the river, looked me in the eye. Whats one of the best memories from your speed runs? Discover why The Emerald Mile by Kevin Fedarko is such a great book to read. The Emerald Mile is the exhilarating true story of that epic attempt to capture the speed record for the fastest boat ride through the Grand Canyon ever. This book takes me right back there. Reviewed in the United States on September 12, 2022. The book provided the exploration history of the Grand Canyon, and while interesting, was a struggle to read through. Well written, one of those kinds of books that I couldn't wait to get back to, and I didn't want to end. This past August 2018, I had the great privilege to take a 5 day journey down the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. His descriptions brought every scene to life for me - even when (or especially when) he goes off on a lyrical tangent - e.g., " And peeking over the cliffs like a Chinese lantern was a swollen, yellow globe that draped the folds of the surrounding plat. Emerald Mile : the Epic Story of the Fastest Ride in History Through the Heart of the Grand Canyon Item Length: 8.4in. Enjoy the rides! It was an. Wasnt that like comparing apples and oranges, or, as river historian Tom Martin put it in a comment on our website, apples and pasta? The Emerald Mile, at one time slated to be destroyed, was rescued and brought back to life by Kenton Grua, the man at the oars, who intended to use this flood as a kind of hydraulic sling-shot. Safe and Secure Mailer. Best book about a true story that I've read in a long time! For me, because I grew up in Page, Arizona and witnessed this great event, the story starts off a little slowbecause I had already lived that part. Let me start, I am not a boating person. Not everyone will want to invest the time necessary to fully appreciate this exquisite work of narrative nonfiction. His 2013 release, The Emerald Mile: The Epic Story of the Fastest Ride in History Through the Heart of the Grand Canyon, won a NOBA- a National Outdoor Book Award. Most of them couldn't conceive of living anywhere else to do what they do. I didnt expect it to be so dense looking! I deviated from the book to look up the facts of the events of the time periods. It makes me want to go back again. This book is a kind of love letter to the Colorado River and its Grand Canyon. The Emerald Mile is the best combination of journalistic reporting and eloquent storytelling. The Emerald Mile, at one time slated to be destroyed, was rescued and brought back to life by Kenton Grua, the man . Let us know whats wrong with this preview of, Published The night sky is so much better than anything I could have imagined. This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt. Your email address will not be published. Kevin Fedarko is a painter - he just uses words instead of paint. For many boaters, Im sure hearing about Orkins swim puts him in a super-human category, but swimming Crystal Rapid at 72,000 cfs sound equally terrifying! The event I am about to reveal to you CAN NOT be explained away as coincidence. In 1983, Petschek, along with fellow river guides Kenton Grua and Steve Wren Reynolds, traversed the canyons entire 277-mile length in just 36 hours and 38 minutes, besting a time of 47 hours Petschek, Grua and Wally Rist set in 1980. The last time I rowed was back in Boy Scouts. I find this impressive beyond words, especially compared to us with our 200+ trips of combined Grand Canyon experience at the time of our record run. That spring, a massive snowmelt sent runoff racing down the Colorado River toward the Glen Canyon Dam. The saga of The Emerald Mile is a thrilling adventure, as well as a magisterial portrait of the hidden kingdom of white water at the bottom of the greatest river canyon on earth. In the tradition of Kon Tiki or Touching the Void, The Emerald Mile is a story of adventure that transcends most writing of extreme exploits. This is almost a perfect book it combines the story of an event (a speed-run through the Grand Canyon in a dory) and backstory, both near and old in an extremely readable way. No Import Fees Deposit & $12.57 Shipping to Malaysia. And I had no idea we narrowly missed what would have been probably the greatest national disaster of the almost failing of the Glen Canyon Dam in 1983. We small talked for a while and I learned he was working for Oars Grand Canyon Dorys. Just finished it and I am exhausted - what a beautifully crafted story. The book provided the exploration history of the Grand Canyon, and while interesting, was a struggle to read through. Once I get my mind into that mode, I then try to make myself believe that this is only my second or third trip, and my admiration for Bob and Jim Rigg goes up another notch. Do yourself a favor and check out this exciting literary adventure! Fedarko has supplied astonishing facts, lyrical, magical atmosphere, and extreme One of the most enthralling books I have read in a long time. On the other hand, the physical demands on a record-breaking kayaker on a continuous 277 mile run through Grand Canyon are such that they require a top-rated athlete in peak condition performing at 100 percent. This is a fantastic combination of storytelling and research. The Emerald Mile is so much more than the epic tale of the 1983 dory speed run through the Grand Canyon, though that adventure is brilliantly told. Wow, Fedarko is a superb storyteller. In addition to his travel narratives in Outside, where he worked as a senior editor, Fedarkos work has appeared in Esquire, National Geographic Adventure, and other publications, and has been anthologized in The Best American Travel Writing in 2004 and 2006. Just got off the river last week at mile 225. According to his obituary he is buried in Flagstaff. by Scribner. So much history and info! Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. What brought you back for multiple speed runs? The List Price is the suggested retail price of a new product as provided by a manufacturer, supplier, or seller. In fact, it would not be overblown to say The Emerald Mile deserved a spot on the bookshelf alongside such enduring classics as Cadillac Desert, Desert Solitaire and Encounters with the Archdruid. I have been hugely privileged enough to do the trip 3 times in my life as a passenger on the big rigs, so it brought me right back there. , rarest of creationsa magical convergence of words and paper, wood and water, rock and sky, human character and cosmic caprice, . document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. While some visitors undertake back-country hikes, most people are content to enjoy the views from the South Rim, and do not venture much below the rim. We see Dorys all the time here in Flagstaff, but this one is special, it's the Emerald Mile, the boat used by Kenton Grua (who was also the first person to walk the entire length of Grand Canyon), Rudi Petschek and Steve Reynolds in 1983 to make the historic "speed run" through the Grand Canyon. The climax of the story revolves around a speed run through the Grand Canyon in wooden dory in an attempt to break the record for how fast a boat can go through the canyon. This one is, and Fedarkos book is as inspiring as a dory itself, flying down a wild river. No Hassle Return. And on one of the biggest rapids on the river, boats were being torn apart and people were dying. Well-told, deeply-researched, engaging to read book. The last time I rowed was back in Boy Scouts. Kenton Grua was born and raised in Vernal, Utah. If you are lucky, you might even feel some of the magic of the Canyon! Fedarko was a staff writer at Time magazine from 1991 to 1997, where his work helped garner an Overseas Press Club Award for a story on the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin. I sent an email to my party promising to find the Emerald Mile and to visit the grave of famous river guide Kenton Grua. The saga of The Emerald Mile is a thrilling adventure, as well as a magisterial portrait of the hidden kingdom of white water at the bottom of the greatest river canyon on earth. Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout. Kevin Fedarko is a painter - he just uses words instead of paint. I also told him that I had intended to pay my respects at Grua's grave but could not find it. The Emerald Mile $19.99 Qty: Quantity in Cart: None Required reading for 12th grade English elective, River and Rock In the winter of 1983, the largest El Nino event on record, a series of superstorms, battered the West. I was further interested when the group pulled up on the beach. The authors writing style was very cumbersome and he seemed to take two or three sentences to say what could have been said more simply with one. Reviewed in the United States on September 19, 2022. Most boaters will be familiar with the bare bones of the record-breaking run, immortalized in Kevin Fedarko's 2013 bestseller, The Emerald Mile. In the midst of this crisis, the decision to launch a small wooden dory named "The Emerald Mile" at the head of the Grand Canyon, just fifteen miles downstream from the Glen Canyon Dam, seemed not just odd, but downright suicidal. Kevin Fedarko lives in northern New Mexico and works as a part-time river guide in Grand Canyon National Park. The Emerald Mile, at one time slated to be destroyed, was rescued and brought back to life by Kenton Grua, the . It was truly spectacular! The only reason I didn't rate this book with five stars is because it is LONG. ${cardName} unavailable for quantities greater than ${maxQuantity}. I have no doubt it will become an instant classic, a timeless chronicle of what can still be legitimately called the American spirit." I live in Page, Arizonaand was in High School during these eventsso I watched it all happen and took my first Whitewater rafting trip in 1985 with Western River Expeditions. The Emerald Mile is so much more than the epic tale of the 1983 dory speed run through the Grand Canyon, though that adventure is brilliantly told. The article was originally published on Canoe & Kayak. - NY, USA | October 4, 2021 Dear Friends and family, The event I am about to reveal to you CAN NOT be explained away as coincidence. This book is a kind of love letter to the Colorado River and its Grand Canyon. Thou shalt not is soon forgotten, but Once upon a time lasts forever. comes the thrilling true tale of the fastest boat . Some of it, like the struggle for protection of the grand canyon itself and how it almost got turned into a reservoir, was v. This is my first book ever listening to, and I think listening to some of the names rather than being able to see them on paper might have helped keep track of some of the names, but that's largely unimportant. It's a story about how the El Nino event and the inherent wildness of the Colorado River fought against man's attempts to tame the river and almost won, almost causing a huge disaster. But Reality check: many (though by no means all) of Kentons hair-brained ideas turned out to be not only feasible but also practical. Format: Paperback Publisher: Scribner favorite Add to wishlist From one of Outside magazines Literary All-Stars comes the thrilling true tale of the fastest boat ride ever, down the entire length of the Colorado River and through the Grand Canyon, during the legendary flood of 1983.In the spring of 1983, massive flooding along the length of the Colorado River confronted a team of engineers at the Glen Canyon Dam with an unprecedented emergency that may have resulted in the most catastrophic dam failure in history. Then you spit into your palms and twirl your oar blades to confirm that theyre rotating smoothly in the locks. This book is built around a record human-powered speed run in a wooden boat through the Grand Canyon. Kenton Grua, Rudy Petschek, and Steve Reynolds, https://www.amazon.com/Emerald-Mile-Fastest-History-Through-ebook/dp/B00ALYY6W8/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1613844144&sr=8-1. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in the outdoors or natural history. While some visitors undertake back-country hikes, most people are content to enjoy the views from the South Rim, and do not venture much below the rim. The saga of The Emerald Mile is a thrilling adventure, as well as a magisterial portrait of the hidden kingdom of white water at the bottom of the greatest river canyon on earth. Just barely. This book. A must read if going on a white water river rafting trip!! It was there, less than fifty miles southwest of the present-day city of Gallup, that the explorers stumbled upon Hwikuh, a pueblo of the Zuis, whose adobe abutments Coronado immediately prepared to storm in the belief that he was about to pillage the first of Cbola's great cities. Brilliant! Long story short, in 1983 Kenton and two friends secretly launched their boat at midnight during a historical 'superstorm' and went on to successfully set a new Grand Canyon speed record. The people rafting downriver through the Canyon (out of touch with the rest of the world) were receiving warnings about high water levels from park service helicopters. This book announces Fedarko as a major writing talent and at last sets forth the full story of an American legendthe legend of The Emerald Mile. This book announces Fedarko as a major writing talent and at last sets forth the full story of an American legend--the legend of The Emerald Mile . In the spring of 1983, massive flooding along the length of the Colorado River confronted a team of engineers at the Glen Canyon Dam with an unprecedented emergency that may have resulted in the most catastrophic dam failure in history. What are your thoughts? It takes almost 3/4 of the way into the book to actually get to The Emerald Mile water run, but it is so worth the wait! Kevins book should be required reading for anyone taking a Colorado River trip. I've loaned Emerald Mile to my brother, but it's a keeper! For those who are not able to travel the Colorado River through The Grand Canyon, this book will take you there and show you great adventure, some incredible history and the stories of many people who have traveled there before you. It's that goodFedarko will have you posied on the edge of your seat like a high-sider at in Lava Falls." This was a book that told the story of an incredible 36 hours by backing up and providing as much context as humanly possible to make it into the length of a novel. No doubt the drama of that ride is exciting, but the book also provides a deep look into the discovery of the Grand Canyon, the origins of the Glen Canyon Dam & the Hoover Dam, the graceful wooden dory, and how the famous Colorado river silt changed the landscape of Southern California including the creation of the Salton Sea. We are sorry. In the midst of this crisis, the decision to launch a small wooden dory named the Emerald Mile at the head of the Grand Canyon, just fifteen miles downstream from the Glen Canyon Dam, seemed not just odd but downright suicidal. At age 12, Grua was enthralled by a whitewater rafting trip taken with his father on the Green River, a tributary of the Colorado River. My only regret is that I didn't read this book before going. It appealed to two of my interests: engineering, with its descriptions of how the personnel at the Glen Canyon Dam dealt with the huge water inflows from the El Nino event and the damage caused to the spillways, and whitewater rafting, with its descriptions of the fastest ride and how rafting companies, their customers, and the river rangers dealt with the dang.
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