Although no where near one hundred percent, I'm felling much better this morning.  Jonathan and Pete are going to do a side hike a half-mile or so upstream to a feature called the "Emerald Pools."  They leave their heavy gear here and strike out with only daypacks.  Richard and I are having none of that.  He and I eventually leave camp around 8:30 and make our way back to the helipad.  We have heard that the Tamarisks and Acacia are very dense the first few hundred yards and that the going will be slow.

	Leaving the helipad 10-14-2016 @ 8:31

     Right away we find a clear running stream well above the level of the Little Colorado.  This must be runoff from underground water coming down Salt Trail Canyon.  Last night I filtered water from a standing pool of clear water the other side of the helipad, but I wish I had known about this flowing water.  The water filtered from the standing pool tasted awful, but maybe the flowing water would have fewer minerals in it and taste better.

Clear flowing water 10-14-2016 @ 8:40	Clear flowing water 10-14-2016 @ 8:40	Clear flowing water 10-14-2016 @ 8:40

     We had hoped the LCR would be flowing clear, but it is still slightly muddy.  The stories of thick Tammies and Acacia near the helipad were all true.  This is no fun at all.

A muddy Little Colorado River 10-14-2016 @ 8:43	Thick Tamarisks 10-14-2016 @ 8:51	Tough going in thick brush 10-14-2016 @ 9:07

     The going has been pretty tough, so after an hour of hiking, Richard and I take a break.  While sitting, a couple of items fall out of my pant's pocket.  I pick them up, but realize my favorite Buck knife is missing.  This side pocket on my pants has a flap with only one very small Velcro fastener in the middle to keep it closed.  It easily allows stuff to fall out when sitting.  I've got to remember to sew Velcro across the entire flap when I get home.  I look around a little and luck is with me.  A few feet away I find my knife on the ground.

	My lost pocket knife 10-14-2016 @ 9:37

     An hour and a half after leaving this morning, we estimate that we have gone less than a half-mile.  However, it looks like the hiking is going to get easier once we get past this last mound of big rocks.  The Tamarisks thin out and the going indeed gets much better.

Scrambling around rocks 10-14-2016 @ 10:02	Scrambling around rocks 10-14-2016 @ 10:02	Easier going 10-14-2016 @ 10:15

     In just a little while, we reach a good place to cross the Little Colorado River.  The Park Service recommends crossing just up stream and as close as possible to one of the travertine dams.  Apparently, the sediment build-up behind the travertine dams makes for a shallower water depth.  The other guys indicated they were crossing with their boots on, but I take my boots and socks off and put on my Crocs.  I did not want to hike later with wet boots and socks.  Richard does take his socks off, so at least those will be dry on the other side.  I was a little concerned that my footing would be slippery with Crocs, but I have no problem maintaining my footing.  Near the far side where the travertine dam ends, Richard and I hold hands in the deeper water to increase our stability.  This works well and we safely reach the far bank, but I would not want to do this crossing in any deeper water.

Richard crossing the LCR 10-14-2016 @ 10:39	Richard crossing the LCR 10-14-2016 @ 10:39

     We sit down and dry off our feet.  While Richard puts on wet boots, I have the luxury of dry ones.  We come across some covered materials that must be associated with the Humpback Chub project.

	Covered materials 10-14-2016 @ 11:26

     We then find a solar panel on top a boulder and some fish baskets nearby, probably more Humpback Chub stuff.

A solar panel 10-14-2016 @ 11:32	A solar panel 10-14-2016 @ 11:32	Fish baskets 10-14-2016 @ 11:33

     Someone has had some kind of a brush-hog down here because the trail goes right through thick canes that would be pretty tough to get through if a path through them had not been cut recently.

	A path through thick canes 10-14-2016 @ 11:46

     We eventually see the Sipapu on the other side of the LCR.  This is a large rock mound with a hole down the middle and bubbling water below.  Sipapu is a Hopi word which refers to a small hole or indentation.  This is one of the Hopi Tribe's most sacred spots.  The Sipapu symbolizes the portal through which their ancient ancestors first emerged to enter the present world.  They believe it is from this point that the "First Peoples" of the Earth began to divide and separate, creating differing tribes along the first journeys of the first humans.

Hopi Sipapu 10-14-2016 @ 12:37	Hopi Sipapu 10-14-2016 @ 12:40	Hopi Sipapu 10-14-2016 @ 12:40

     In a few minutes, the trail takes us across a flat section of sand.  Since I am a prankster at heart, I'm going to leave a fake message in the sand for Jonathan and Pete.  My motto has always been, "why tell a little white lie when you can tell a real whopper."  Instead of the time in my message being an hour early, I'll just make it two hours early.  Richard and I practice our story, so we can sound believable at camp when they are sure to ask us if this was our real time here.  I learn later that Richard caved after the first question from Jonathan and Pete and immediately 'fessed up.  Geez Louise, I've really got to counsel him about learning to lie better.

	A message for Jonathan and Pete 10-14-2016 @ 12:47

     Later this afternoon we come across a toy rubber ball about half the size of a regular basketball.  A littler earlier we actually saw a real basketball in the sand, but I forgot to get a picture of it.  Apparently, the workers on the Humpback Chub project bring these with them when they are working down here.  The hiking has been infinitely easier since passing the Sipapu and we are making pretty good time now.

A toy ball 10-14-2016 @ 3:08	A toy ball 10-14-2016 @ 3:08	An easy walking stretch 10-14-2016 @ 3:54

     The next monitoring station we come to has quite a bit of equipment and supplies in it.  That box in the first picture has several large cables plugged into it that run out into the LCR.  Apparently, the numerous solar panels in the last picture supply electricity to the box.  I wonder what all they are monitoring here.  My guesses would be LCR depth, temperature, and flow rate.

Monitoring station equipment 10-14-2016 @ 4:00	Monitoring station equipment 10-14-2016 @ 4:00

Fish nets 10-14-2016 @ 4:00	Monitoring station equipment 10-14-2016 @ 4:01	Monitoring station equipment 10-14-2016 @ 4:01

     We climb up onto some ledges, which provide very easy walking.  We have to be getting close to the Confluence.

	Getting close to the Confluence 10-14-2016 @ 4:14

     This next monitoring station has what appears in the first picture to be some kind of sonar.  I wonder what that antenna in the second picture does.  Maybe it transmits data someplace.

Another monitoring station 10-14-2016 @ 4:24	Another monitoring station 10-14-2016 @ 4:25

     We are trudging along with our heads down and almost walk right past Ben Beamer's cabin.  It would have taken a tough person to live alone in this remote spot.  Beamer is one of the few historic Canyon people for whom there is no known picture.

Ben Beamer cabin 10-14-2016 @ 4:44	Ben Beamer cabin 10-14-2016 @ 4:55	Ben Beamer cabin 10-14-2016 @ 4:55

     We finally reach the Confluence, which is the intersection of the Colorado River and the Little Colorado River.  It has been over a week since the last rain.  The Colorado River is flowing a pretty green color while the Little Colorado River is in the last stages of a muddy flow.  Many people do not know that it is usually the LCR that makes the Colorado River below the Confluence muddy.  We are hoping there will not be much silt in the Colorado River water at our campsite about a quarter-mile downstream from here.  That would make filtering much easier.

The Confluence 10-14-2016 @ 5:08	The Confluence 10-14-2016 @ 5:08	The Confluence 10-14-2016 @ 5:08

     We round the corner, make our way downstream a short distance, and take the trail down to the camping area.  After setting up camp, we fix dinner.  I am lucky I got to feeling better as the day went along.  The River water turned out to have no silt in it, making filtering easy.

Richard's tent at camp near the Confluence 10-14-2016 @ 6:04	Richard Erbe's bivy at camp 10-14-2016 @ 6:05

     Surprisingly, Jonathan and Pete pull into camp just as it's getting dark.  I expected their arrival to be much later than this.  Tomorrow we are moving camp downstream to Palisades Creek.

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