Since the clave is officially underway with 8 of the attendees already in
the north slaying the fish, and I'm willing to bet that no one up there has
any internet access, I'll post a pretrip report from Umea as I wait for the
arrival of Vaughan from Kuala Lumpur. I'm also way out of whack with the
time zone, so this will pass some time until the breakfast buffet opens here
at the hotel.

I flew here from Phoenix over the past two days. Excellent series of
flights; my first flight flew right over the Grand Canyon through clear
skies...I could see all my favorite rapids and identify all the river camps.
Gave me a real wistful feeling, which was enhanced by my emotions of having
just spent a few weeks back in the US for the first time in a decade. I did
some work on my house, saw some very dear friends, got that warm fuzzy
feeling of being 'back among buds', I got to spend a few hours visiting with
my stepmom and nephew at SeaTac, and was seated between two absolutely
stunning 20-something beauties for the flight over Greenland from Seattle to
Amsterdam, and really enjoyed the sights and smells.

But I still can't get over the changes that have taken place in America.We
all know the shock of seeing a friend after many years, and we are all
familiar with the fact that we never see those changes as they take place
day-to-day. Well, that was the overwhelming effect I had after being away
from home for 10 years. When I first arrived in Flagstaff, I was astounded
and floored to discover that the lock on my luggage had been cut and
discarded, and there was an official piece of paper inside by
previously-locked bag informing me that, according to the rights granted the
government by the Patriot Act, my bags had been searched and item(s) may or
may not have been removed to ensure national security. I could not believe
that this was legal; my bags had been forceably opened, my property (the
lock) had been stolen, things may or may not have been confiscated, and this
was done without reasonable cause or justification, a court order, or my
notification or consent! And what's worse, all my friends had a completely
laissez-faire attitude about it. I'm still outraged; I think we're one step
closer to the jackboots at the door at 2am, and Americans don't even care. I
cannot believe that this is legal!

While visiting the Grand Canyon, I was making my way to the bathrooms at the
Desert View Watchtower, and saw a small sign in front of an out-of-the-way
stand of trees. As I was travelling with a couple of botanists, we went up
to see if it described the type of tree it was near. Instead it said "In
order to ensure your Constitutional Rights to Freedom of Speech, this area
has been designated as your Freedom Of Speech Zone. You are welcome to
express your opinion on any matter, personal or political, in this zone." I
looked over the wide expanse of the Grand Canyon, and wondered "Gee, if THIS
is where I get Freedom of Speech, then what does that say about my freedoms
over THERE?"

Just as I was leaving Seattle, the line going through security was very
long. As we wound our way through the maze, a smiling face on a video played
over our head issuing instructions, again and again. "Thank you for your
cooperation in this vital national security process. Please do not attempt
to pass through security with any sharp items, including nail files,
clippers, or pocketknives. Although it is not required, you should remove
your shoes and place them in the plastic bags which will be provided. All
laptops must be removed from their cases. Again, you cooperation in this
VITAL security process is appreciated." I half expected her to continue:
"Place all gold jewelry in the bins provided, do not attempt to hold your
breath as the showers come on. War is peace, Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance
is Strength..." When I got to the scanner, a short, stocky woman stood with
her hands on her hips in the way of an elderly man in a wheelchair. She was
telling him that he could NOT go through the scanner in the metal chair, so
he stood up and with the assistance of a cane, limped his way to the
doorway. Then she said he could NOT go through with the cane, as it was
metal. So, still smiling, he gave her the cane and held on to the frame of
the scanner. THEN she said he could NOT touch the scanner, so grimacing in
pain, and probably for the first time in many years, this very eldery,
wheelchair-bound man had to walk on his own crippled feet through the
scanner. His concerned daughter watched from the far side, and he took three
steps through the doorway and fell into her arms where she had to support
him until the security people were able to find another chair for him. The
worst part of it all was the sad, cooperative smile that never once left his
face....

Anyway, the distaste of the abovementioned aside, the rest of my visit was
wonderful. The flight to Umea was also stupendous, as the light and air here
is just so damn clear and fresh this time of year. (By the way, security at
the airport was polite, relaxed, and very un-paraniod.) I'm in a very swank
hotel until Vaughan arrives tonight, and we are off to the northlands
tomorrow morning, where we catch a helicopter ride to the clave at around
noon. Got my 4wt and 7wt rods, lots of tying materials, and a ton of
optimism. We'll be sure to tell you how it all pans out next week when we
get back online.

From Umea, the top of the world, and on my way to breakfast...
--riverman