It was fun reading it after the trip too. Publisher: Scribner Publication Year: 2014 Format: Trade Paperback Language: English Item Height: 1in. 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. But Kenton Grua, the captain of that dory, was determined to use the flood as a hydraulic slingshot that would hurl him and his companions through 277 miles of some of the most ferocious white water in North America and, if everything went as planned, catapult the Emerald Mile into legend as the fastest boat ever propelled - by oar, by motor . The Emerald Mile crews that set the 1980 and 1983 records were, although very experienced in Grand Canyon, just journeymen commercial river guides attempting our speed run during a break in our commercial boating schedule. According to his obituary he is buried in Flagstaff. Reviewed in the United States on October 19, 2022. 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. He spoke to the BBC about an . Three days later as we approached the Redwall Cavern . First, you cup a hand in the river and run the water over the back of your neck and face to reduce the cold shock of whats coming. By kayaks, definitely! It was truly spectacular! First, high praise for Kevin Fedarko! The popular highlights below are some of the most common ones Kindle readers have saved. The first few chapters stumble a bit but once you get to the beginning of Powell's adventure, Fedarko has found his stride. And he motioned, with his head, towards the river. I deviated from the book to look up the facts of the events of the time periods. By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and that you have read our Privacy Policy. I knew from a friend's recommendation that this book would be exciting, and it was. This resulted in a temporary steady release of 37,000 cfs, which brings us to factor number two: OPPORTUNITY! I highly recommend this to anyone interested in the outdoors or natural history. Three whitewater guides, one wooden dory, and the Colorado River, swollen by record snowmelt and raging with a fury that boatmen hadn't seen since the days of John Wesley Powell. 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. Mountain magazine"The book is at its heart an engrossing meditation on the eternal struggle between man and nature." But. 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. Just reading the account had me on pins and needles and induced tachycardia. Kevin Fedarkos superb book presents the Grand Canyon in a way most people will never see it from the bottom up, with a strong emphasis on the river that carved the Canyons unique features and which provides the most accessible route for the much smaller number of tourists lucky enough to experience the beautiful natural and geologic features of the lower Canyon. I was listening ..and I give thanks to Him for helping me fulfill my desire to pay respect to Kenton Grua. 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. But we were only after the oar-powered record, not the non-motorized nor the human-powered records. Pub Date: May 7, 2013 ISBN: 978-1-4391-5985-9 Page Count: 432 Publisher: Scribner In the midst of this crisis, beneath the light of a full moon, a trio of river guides secretly launched a small, hand-built wooden boat, a dory named the Emerald Mile, into the Colorado just below the dam's base and rocketed toward the dark chasm downstream, where the torrents of water released by the dam engineers had created a rock-walled . 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 deviated from the book to look up the facts of the events of the time periods. This is a story of a super-man deliberately pushing himself physically to his limits, which the Emerald Mile story is not. Fedarko earned a Masters of Philosophy in Russian history at Oxford in 1990. A good friend of mine suggested I read a book titled the Emerald Mile prior to going to the Grand Canyon I did that. As a writer, he'll make you understand it, savor it, and ultimately love it as you never have before. This one is, and Fedarko's book is as inspiring as a dory itself, flying down a wild river. The night sky is so much better than anything I could have imagined. 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. This past August 2018, I had the great privilege to take a 5 day journey down the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. Fedarko earned a Masters of Philosophy in Russian history at Oxford in 1990. Enjoy!! Format: Paperback Publisher: Scribner favorite Add to wishlist 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, no such dory exists, but Kenton did have plans for such a boat. In 1983, following a devastating flood that led to one of the most disastrous dam wreckages in history, a trio of rafters launched a small wooden dory named The Emerald Mile just 15 miles from the failed Glen Canyon Dam. This book is built around a record human-powered speed run in a wooden boat through the Grand Canyon. Then you spit into your palms and twirl your oar blades to confirm that theyre rotating smoothly in the locks. Kenton Grua and Georgie White, first professional river guide. Most of them couldn't conceive of living anywhere else to do what they do. Arrives by Thu, Sep 22 Buy The Emerald Mile : The Epic Story of the Fastest Ride in History Through the Heart of the Grand Canyon (Hardcover) at Walmart.com They floated the 277 treacherous miles along the Colorado River in a blistering 36 hours and 38 minutes. This is a great story interrupted for most of the book by endless meandering. Any of my peeps that are into the outdoors or history -- read this. As I sit in my office and stare out at the Jeffrey Pines in my back yard, in late November as we all wait for precipitation patiently, the big winter this story relies on feels ephemeral, like a thing of the past. Lots of pertinent information. 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. He answered that he had been a good friend of Grua. My only regret is that I didn't read this book before going. And I had no id. He juxtaposes the Glen Canyon Dam engineers' race to avoid catastrophic failures during the huge 1983 spring runoff with what was happen. I want to rate this book higher - the subject matter is exactly what I want to be reading all the time, but I had a couple issues with the book. "The Emerald Mile is the rarest of creations-a 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. Browse by topic or book Browse The Best Books For Authors Follow Our Story . I recently went on a Grand Canyon river rafting adventure. The Emerald Mile | Book by Kevin Fedarko | Official Publisher Page | Simon & Schuster About The Book About The Author Product Details Related Articles Raves and Reviews Resources and Downloads The Emerald Mile The Epic Story of the Fastest Ride in History Through the Heart of the Grand Canyon By Kevin Fedarko Trade Paperback LIST PRICE $19.99 Can an adventure story be as beautiful as it is heart-stopping and exciting? His writing style was just beautiful! Wally quit waiting for a sustained pulse after the 1978 season, whereupon Kenton, silently, took over the watch. Lots of analogies and philosophising that long nights gazing at the night sky from the bottom of the Canyon leads too. 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. . I had no idea all that was happening in the '80's. On the latter trip, the three men took turns on the oars, rowing illegally through day and night on a flood of 72,000 cubic feet per second, the largest the Grand had seen since the construction of Glen Canyon Dam in the 1960s. 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. Expecting a mild adventure read, I ordered this book based on some comments in the Outside book club Facebook group. I often wondered if that was to remind the River Guides to respect the Colorado River in the Grand Canyonas they would be dining there just before embarking on their next trip through The Great Unknown. 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.The Emerald Mile, at one time slated to be destroyed, was rescued and brought back to life by Kenton Grua, the man at . I picked up this book for my teenage son while my husband and I visited the Grand Canyon. 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. In 1983, as we turned the last corner into the open Lake Mead, I remember, as I sat on the EMs stern seat, tears coming to my eyes as a lump lodged in my throat. 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. Expecting a mild adventure read, I ordered this book based on some comments in the Outside book club Facebook group. The Emerald Mile, at one time slated to be destroyed, was rescued and brought back to life by Kenton Grua, the man . A wonderful, satisfying read, and a great job in getting this tale of camaraderie, adventure and courage - beauty and the river culture down on paper in such a though well researched way. Kevin Fedarkolives in northern New Mexico and works as a part-time river guide in Grand Canyon National Park. I would have rated it higher if the first part of the book werent so slow. Specifically, this book is about the 1983 flood that washed down the Colorado Basin into Lake Powell, forcing a massive, unprecedented flood down the Colorado River and through Grand Canyon. The book provided the exploration history of the Grand Canyon, and while interesting, was a struggle to read through. The story telling (based on true events) was fantastic. I decided to go over to the Dory and talk to the guide. For instance, the three of us took turns at the oars, while paddlers are on their own the whole way. -- Bob Shacochis , author of Swimming in the Volcano and Easy in the Islands, put readers inside the adventurers' boats, even if they have only ever imagined the Grand Canyon or seen it in pictures an epic-sized true-life adventure tale that appeals to both the heart and the head." Fedarko has supplied astonishing facts, lyrical, magical atmosphere, and extreme sports all woven into a witty and far-reaching history. The flood Let me count the ways I love this book! Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. One of the most enthralling books I have read in a long time. The fascinating characters are pretty much universally attached to this river and canyon at the hip. Sign up for our newsletter to get the latest adventures, workouts, destinations, and more. Emerald Mile : the Epic Story of the Fastest Ride in History Through the Heart of the Grand Canyon Item Length: 8.4in. Just finished it and I am exhausted - what a beautifully crafted story. , should only brighten his accolades and helps his non-fiction book read like a fast-paced fiction adventureIt isn't necessary to be a history buff or whitewater expert to enjoy this story With meticulous research, notes and epilogue, Fedarko tells a satisfying story that is quite an entertaining ride." To see our price, add these items to your cart. On normal flows, I dont think the extra straight-line speed would have sufficed; on a 40,000 flow the boats extra length would have been a handicap in the turbulence which began to manifest itself at that level. Specifically, this book is about the 1983 flood that washed down the Colorado Basin into Lake Powell, forcing a massive, unprecedented flood down the Colorado River and through Grand Canyon. 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. Do you think a team in such craft could challenge the Emerald Miles time at normal flows or on a 40,000 cfs pulse flow? 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. I really enjoyed that book, especially Kevins deep dive on Glen Canyon Dam and Crystal Rapid. May 7th 2013 Once the book was talking about presen. Do yourself a favor and check out this exciting literary adventure! I also would like to rate this higher. The tale of your speed descents has no doubt inspired new generations to take up the challenge presented by the canyon. The Emerald Mile, at one time slated to be destroyed, was rescued and brought back to life by Kenton Grua, the man . The Emerald Mile Quotes Showing 1-30 of 34. What brought you back for multiple speed runs? A superbly written, well-researched and wonderful book. It makes me want to go back again. We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Emerald Mile Oarsman Rudi Petschek on the Breaking of his Grand Canyon Speed Record. The Emerald Mile by Kevin Fedarko Summary: The Emerald Mile by Kevin Fedarko is a novel about the awe-inspiring Grand Canyon. In his new book The Emerald Mile - the name of the wooden dory that made the trip - Kevin Ferdarko chronicles their record-breaking and illegal run though the canyon. WOW, best book I've read this year (Of course, it is only Jan. 12th), Unlike the record-chasing canyon run recounted in. Read the book last month. Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.Learn more how customers reviews work on Amazon, [{"displayPrice":"$14.19","priceAmount":14.19,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"14","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"19","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"DA893m45iemc18M6I8TdWZ9mwzwwj9Bq6SBWJOc3LV%2FSz2A6CkKToDR2RreZING%2BqlZM162%2FSRasqnEAFMZXRRQxsDJNitNtv%2F9907E5SIvUrV7D2pGYjBW6tZ4BI5m%2FLDP5Utv1aKjH9PRT%2F9wI1w%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW"},{"displayPrice":"$12.76","priceAmount":12.76,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"12","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"76","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"LP7kqmPcrdBJ15ej990abviJoPYNen4L9ueiI9QVBME0FKVMHlQgLbnszsHwi%2BduYh43pcQ%2B11MPi3dVl3SbhJOGxtqgvYvkmTqVx8LSevvHGS2F9%2FCxDG3nZfwE41H%2FtsR2Njro%2F9iiLJoQ7f2CM6IUv%2FaJWsxBL1uaLvlJB9dM9jd91Ya0S3CK4BtYPsiL","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED"}]. There is also a lot of information about dams and the environmental aspect of building them. It looks like WhatsApp is not installed on your phone. The book provided the exploration history of the Grand Canyon, and while interesting, was a struggle to read through. What I didn't expect was the beauty and depth of the writing. This is why you remain in the best website to look the amazing books to have. 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 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. The epic story of the fastest boat ride in history, on a hand-built dory named the "Emerald Mile," through the heart of the Grand Canyon on the Colorado river. So much history and info! A good story but way too much detail. The goal was to nail the all-time record for the fastest boat ever propelledby oar, by motor, or by the grace of God himselfdown the entire length . I do remember the thrill it was to stand on the edge of the Canyon as both of Glen Canyon Dams spillways and all 4 jet tubes were roaring down belowTHE WHOLE CANYON SHOOK! But once I started reading I was enamored by the stories of the history of the canyon and those that experienced and changed it over the years. Both your 1983 descent and Ben Orkins recent run required overcoming some pretty intense swims to go on and set the record. At first it just intrigued me with its promise of crazy adventure, but once started, I was hooked on the whole, incredible story. Most of them couldn't conceive of living anywhere else to do what they do. The entire first half is more of a history and geology lesson about the Grand Canyon and river rafting. I knew almost nothing about the Grand Canyon or the Colorado River watershed when I picked up this book, now Im swimming in information and loving it! The flood caused two states of crises for two groups of people fundamentally at odds with each other - the engineers at Glen Canyon Dam and the river runners in the Grand Canyon. The event I am about to reveal to you CAN NOT be explained away as coincidence. An epic-sized true-life adventure tale that appeals to both the heart and the head. I am very impressed that Matt and Ben succeeded on relatively low-volume fluctuating flows in mid-winter, and Im surprised that the new record was set on an average flow of barely 14,500 cfs. It's also a rare and fascinating glimpse into what could have been one of our nation's biggest environmental disasters everthe failure of the Glen Canyon Dam.
Shipps Funeral Home Obituary, Articles W