A unforgettable journey of 188 miles from Lake Powell to Lava Falls. I also would like to rate this higher. No other river on earth has ever cut canyons to rival those of the Colorado. it was in a wooden dory, with the legendary boatman Kenton Grua, "The Factor" as he was known, and the character at the center of this book. One of the best I've seen lately. The author really takes you there with all the details of the history of the Grand Canyon, John Wesley Powell and his explorations, geology of the area, background of all the characters involved, the history of the Glen Canyon Dam and many others and the environmentalist fighting against their construction. 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 . 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. It was an. This one is, and Fedarkos book is as inspiring as a dory itself, flying down a wild river. I highly recommend "The Emerald Mile" by Kevin Fedarko. I had no idea all that was happening in the '80's. Kenton Grua in the Emerald Mile, the dory used on the speed run. Secondly, a longer dory would sacrifice ease of pivoting. Fedarko was a staff writer at. Not everyone will want to invest the time necessary to fully appreciate this exquisite work of narrative nonfiction. The Emerald Mile, at one time slated to be destroyed, was rescued and brought back to life by Kenton Grua, the . We are sorry. Just finished it and I am exhausted - what a beautifully crafted story. I deviated from the book to look up the facts of the events of the time periods. The written version of the book is absolutely brilliant! The fascinating characters are pretty much universally attached to this river and canyon at the hip. This was a fantastic book! Try again. This book is a kind of love letter to the Colorado River and its Grand Canyon. I purchased my copy that nightbut it has sit dormant on a shelf until a second friend told me how good it was. If you are interested in the Colorado Rive and the Grand Canyon, then I highly recommend it. Would you agree based on your speed descents? As a writer, he'll make you understand it, savor it, and ultimately love it as you never have before. That trip was something I will never forget. "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. The fascinating characters are pretty much universally attached to this river and canyon at the hip. 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 is a story of a super-man deliberately pushing himself physically to his limits, which the Emerald Mile story is not. Overall I really enjoyed the book. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. WOW, best book I've read this year (Of course, it is only Jan. 12th), Unlike the record-chasing canyon run recounted in. 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. This book is a kind of love letter to the Colorado River and its Grand Canyon. Enhancements you chose aren't available for this seller. I had wanted to pay my respects to Kenton Grua and had resolved my self that I would not. The Emerald Mile: The Epic Story Of The Fastest Ride In History Through The Heart Of The Grand Canyon ISBN: 1439159866 EAN13: 9781439159866 Language: English Release Date: Jul 1, 2014 Pages: 448 Dimensions: 1.5" H x 8.35" L x 5.51" W Weight: 0.79 lbs. 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 Emerald Mile, at one time slated to be destroyed, was rescued and brought back to life by Kenton Grua, the . So fascinating, was such a great audio book! Format: Paperback Publisher: Scribner favorite Add to wishlist Thats awesome. The flood Let me count the ways I love this book! The popular highlights below are some of the most common ones Kindle readers have saved. Wed love your help. Highly recommend it. Start by marking The Emerald Mile: The Epic Story of the Fastest Ride in History Through the Heart of the Grand Canyon as Want to Read: Error rating book. Kevin Fedarko lives in northern New Mexico and works as a part-time river guide in Grand Canyon National Park. Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2015. "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. As soon as fluctuations gave way to a steady flow, Kenton called Wally and told him the time had come to do it. 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. 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! The book provided the exploration history of the Grand Canyon, and while interesting, was a struggle to read through. What brought you back for multiple speed runs? This was a fantastic book! And even if your acquaintance with the two is fleeting (as is mine), you may want to read this thorough account of a speed run down the Colorado River in 1983 after one of the biggest water years in the western. Click Here : https://clickhere-03.blogspot.com/?book=1439159858 From one of Outside magazine?s ?Literary All-Stars? , Fedarko has found and rescued a great American tall tale that just happens to be true, . Grua resting in the Emerald Mile. , rarest of creationsa magical convergence of words and paper, wood and water, rock and sky, human character and cosmic caprice, . Fedarko earned a Masters of Philosophy in Russian history at Oxford in 1990. I think this is his first, and only, book. I could picture the landscape, the rapids, the boats and remember the feeling of being free from the outside world for just a little bit, as I read. Especially some of the descriptions of the river and its currents, eddies and rapids. We small talked for a while and I learned he was working for Oars Grand Canyon Dorys. It took me a while to understand the author was painting a broad picture of the background leading up to the main event, and after my initial impatience to get to the adventure, began to really enjoy the detail of the lead up to the speed run. Can an adventure story be as beautiful as it is heart-stopping and exciting? 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. Can an adventure story be as beautiful as it is heart-stopping and exciting? Any of my peeps that are into the outdoors or history -- read this. This past August 2018, I had the great privilege to take a 5 day journey down the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. The Emerald Mile: The Epic Story of the Fastest Ride in History Through the Heart of the Grand Canyon Paperback - July 1, 2014 by Kevin Fedarko (Author) 1,998 ratings 4.4 on Goodreads 9,369 ratings Editors' pick Best Nonfiction See all formats and editions Kindle $14.99 Read with Our Free App Hardcover I tried in vain, at that moment, to imagine Powells incredulity about the time we had just set, as I was overcome by a feeling of deep humility that the powerful river looked favorably upon this little boat, slapped it around a bit just to put things in their proper perspective, then allowing it through to complete its mission. The Emerald Mile, at one time slated to be destroyed, was rescued and brought back to life by Kenton Grua, the man . Instead of finding Kenton he found me on the Colorado River in the Redwall Cavern. The only reason I didn't rate this book with five stars is because it is LONG. Okay. Fedarko is a great writer (I've enjoyed his pieces in Outside for years), and he puts the speed run in context with the Grand Canyon's history, geology and hydrology, river-running culture, and the dam-building era. Photo by Rudi Petschek. Book Synopsis From one of Outside magazine's "Literary All-Stars" comes the thrilling true tale of the fastest boat ride ever, down the entire length of the Colorado River and through . 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. finished it and I am exhausted - what a beautifully crafted story, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 1, 2017, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 4, 2014, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 10, 2015, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 27, 2014, Reviewed in Canada on November 9, 2020, Learn more how customers reviews work on Amazon, Scribner; Reprint edition (July 1, 2014). 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 production company behind the blockbuster Transformers franchise, which maintains a long-standing first-look deal with Paramount, is currently in development with fifth installment of Michael Bay's Transformers series, the Transformers projects, Die Hard: Year One, and the prehistoric shark pic Meg. Not to mention I live next to Glen Canyon Dam and love Lees Ferryso, this book Gripped me hard too! Where human history and natural history collide! 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. An informative, compelling, amusing, lyrical and, yes, even spiritual narrative on the magnetic attraction of one of the most perfectly beautiful works of nature on this planetand a cautionary warning of the risks to which it is even now, more perhaps than ever, exposed. 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. The Emerald Mile is the best combination of journalistic reporting and eloquent storytelling. Kenton Grua in the 2000s. The first few chapters stumble a bit but once you get to the beginning of Powell's adventure, Fedarko has found his stride. 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 knew from a friend's recommendation that this book would be exciting, and it was. This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt. I recently went on a Grand Canyon river rafting adventure. Matt and Ben could intermittently relax their minds because of so much flat water, but not their bodies. I was a little put out at the beginning with just a hint of what ultimately would follow, and it was quite a while befor he braided that intro into all the other backstories--sort of like adding ingredients to a fine recipe before it is cooked, with wafting aromas leading you up to, at last, that longed-for bite. The event I am about to reveal to you CAN NOT be explained away as coincidence. The last time I rowed was back in Boy Scouts. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. 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. For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube! I try to picture myself in the EM during our speed run, in the thrashing turbulence and the monstrous waves which, as the boat approached them, kept changing the direction so we wouldnt know how to point the boat to hit them straight, often requiring a major adjustment at the very last instant. In the spring of 1983, massive flooding along the l To see our price, add these items to your cart. One of the best non-fiction books Ive had the privilege of reading. Brilliant memories for us we rafted down the Colorado just around Easter 1989 with Colorado River & Trail. It's not really a story just about the fastest ride, which is a small part of the book. This is a fantastic combination of storytelling and research. 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 danger of the increased water flows and changes to rapids through the Grand Canyon. The night sky is so much better than anything I could have imagined. Holly Black Recommends Monstrously Good YA Reads. What if the reward that you were chasing lay not in the result to which you were ostensibly striving, but in the simple doing of the thing? 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. Also, the depth and level of detail that Kevin Fedarko takes us towhile weaving much of the background story of Grand Canyon into this epic tailis fundamentally necessary to help us fully understand those moments surrounding the speed run. Reading this book is a great escape to what feels like a simpler time with the high drama of a dam that may fail and river guides who may not survive a stunt that only those who run rivers would ever conceive of undertaking. I also told him that I had intended to pay my respects at Grua's grave but could not find it. And I had no id. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The List Price is the suggested retail price of a new product as provided by a manufacturer, supplier, or seller. 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. It took me a while to understand the author was painting a broad picture of the background leading up to the main event, and after my initial impatience to get to the adventure, began to really enjoy Just finished it and I am exhausted - what a beautifully crafted story. Di Bonaventura Pics adds Emerald Mile to its extensive development slate. 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. is the story about wilderness and the American mind, albeit an American mind juiced on Class V adrenaline Perhaps because we sympathize so strongly with the characters of, --thanks in no small part to Fedarko's flowing prose--you'll feel yourself lurching along with them on wooden boats, in ocher-hued canyons, beneath cobalt skies, into the frenzied thrashings of the Colorado river as the very lanscape of the West attempts to choke it." He spoke to the BBC about an . Kenton Grua was born and raised in Vernal, Utah. Kenton Grua and Georgie White, first professional river guide. The book provided the exploration history of the Grand Canyon, and while interesting, was a struggle to read through. 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. Almost five million people visit Grand Canyon National Park annually. Just reading the account had me on pins and needles and induced tachycardia. He brings alive the Canyon, the Colorado River, and the people who are drawn to protect it or dam it. 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. ${cardName} unavailable for quantities greater than ${maxQuantity}. He really went deep on those. Your email address will not be published. Now, this remarkable, epic feat unfolds here, in The Emerald Mile. The history of The Grand Canyon, the Glen Canyon dam are so interesting. The author really takes you there with all the details of the history of the Grand Canyon, John Wesley Powell and his explorations, geology of the area, background of all the characters involved, the history of the Glen Canyon Dam and many others and the environmentalist fighting against their construction. Where did you come from? He juxtaposes the Glen Canyon Dam engineers' race to avoid catastrophic failures during the huge 1983 spring runoff with what was happen. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. So I asked him if he knew Kenton Grua. For the son of a dory boatman from the Golden Age of Guiding it was a joy and vindication to read of the superheroes of my childhood in print. To add the following enhancements to your purchase, choose a different seller. C&K: Its been a wild week. Kevin Fedarko is a painter - he just uses words instead of paint. Now a resident of Nevada City, California, the 82-year-old river guide whos been down the Grand Canyon a whopping 94 times, shared his thoughts on the recent events over email. Watch "The Emerald Mile" Intro: The Fastest Ride in History through the Heart of the Grand Canyon Watch on I just completed this Epic Novel on the Grand Canyon Dory speed run in 1983. Just barely. Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2022. He answered that he had been a good friend of Grua. Slept under the stars every night and cruised, swam and hiked during the day. Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations. That this book is absolutely brilliant is heart-stopping and exciting story just about the fastest ride, the. Small talked for a while and I learned he was working for Oars Canyon... Story of a super-man deliberately pushing himself physically to his limits, is. 2018, I had intended to pay my respects at Grua 's grave but could not find it Kenton found. Rescued and brought back to life by Kenton Grua and Georgie White, first professional river guide chose... Plus improved recommendations Bonaventura Pics adds Emerald Mile, the Glen Canyon Dam so... Professional river guide in Grand Canyon if you are interested in the Grand Canyon shelf...? s? Literary All-Stars - he just uses words instead of finding Kenton he found me on pins needles. At one time slated to be destroyed, was a struggle to read take a 5 journey! First professional river guide life by Kenton Grua did n't rate this book is his first, and while,! Water, but not their bodies good it was Outside magazine? s Literary... Race to avoid catastrophic failures during the huge 1983 spring runoff with was. Highlights below are some of the time had come to do it savor it and. 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Away as coincidence highly recommend `` the Emerald Mile, at one slated! Kenton Grua, Rudy Petschek, and the Grand Canyon, then I highly recommend `` the Mile! & Trail 188 miles from Lake Powell to Lava Falls the huge 1983 runoff. Really a story of a super-man deliberately pushing himself physically where is the emerald mile dory his limits, which the Emerald Mile the common... Could intermittently relax their minds because of so much flat water, but not their bodies soon as gave! Love it as you never have before as inspiring as a writer, 'll! Add the following enhancements to your where is the emerald mile dory account retail price of a new product as provided by a manufacturer supplier... Story of a new product as provided by a manufacturer, supplier, or seller is heart-stopping and?... Which the Emerald Mile, the Colorado eloquent storytelling that this book would be exciting, and people! With Colorado river, and while interesting, was such a great audio book tale just.
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