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chose Meander Canyon, especially Diana. With a shudder, she said, “I’m still worried about those huge crashing waves in Cataract Canyon that I keep imagining.”
    Alex laughed and patted his mother’s hand. “You’ll end up whooping and hollering like the rest of us. I guarantee it! And, of course I choose Cataract Canyon. If there was a way to get there without going through this slow stuff, I’d probably do it.”
    As Mandy expected, the type-A personalities of Elsa Norton and Les Williams chose Cataract Canyon. Alice Anderson, too, who had looked so bored during that day’s float downriver, chose Cataract Canyon.
    Betsy, Viv, and Mo spent a lot of time discussing the choice. They noted their interests in animal tracking, bird-watching, and wildflower identification, respectively, and said they had enjoyed the quiet float and challenging climb that day. However, they all had a sense of adventure, too. They wound up refusing to choose, no matter how much Rob needled them, saying they had chosen the trip for both and thought they would like both equally.
    When her turn came, Amy shyly looked in her lap. “I think Meander Canyon is beautiful, but I can’t wait to see the rapids in Cataract Canyon.”
    That was Mandy’s first surprise. She wondered if Amy was just trying to please her husband and choose the same as him.
    When it was Paul Norton’s turn, he shifted in his seat. “Well, you all know Elsa has a doctorate in geology and teaches it at U of W. But, I also have a Master’s Degree in geology. Elsa and I met while we were graduate assistants together.”
    He put a hand on his daughter’s shoulder. “When Tina here came along, I decided I needed a steady job with health insurance to support my family, so I became a letter carrier with the postal ser vice. I still collect mineralogy specimens for a hobby, though, and I’m finding the rock layers we’re passing through to be fascinating.”
    Paul held up the page on Rock Sequences of the Canyonlands in the copy of the waterproof Canyonlands River Guide he had brought along. “If anyone still thinks the Earth is only six thousand years old after traveling through these hundreds of millions of old layers of rock, they’ve got their heads in the sand. So, I think I’ll choose Meander Canyon, because the slow pace makes for easier rock study.”
    Mandy cringed at his slap at those who took the Bible literally and looked around the group to see if anyone had taken offense. Thankfully, no one was frowning. She tended to feel out river clients about their beliefs on the age of the Earth before going into much detail about the rock layers they were seeing. There didn’t seem to be any creationists in this group. In fact there hadn’t been any mention of religion at all. Mandy hoped they could avoid the troublesome topics of religion and politics for the rest of the trip.
    Coming last, Tina Norton glanced back and forth between her two parents, who had made different choices, as if conflicted about which one she should align herself with.
    “C’mon, Tina,” Elsa urged. “You always liked water slides when you were a kid.”
    Paul set his jaw. “This isn’t a competition, Elsa.”
    “No?” Elsa spat back. “Haven’t you always competed against me for Tina’s affection? Isn’t that why you secretly arranged to come along on this trip?”
    “That’s not true,” Paul said. “I didn’t know about the trip before Tina asked me to come.”
    When Elsa glanced at her, Tina nodded. “I just wanted to be a family again, even if just for a few days,” she said mournfully.
    Most of the others seemed uncomfortable and avoided looking at the Nortons, except for Alex Anderson, whose serious gaze went back and forth between his professor, Elsa, and her ex-husband. Realizing the argument was putting a damper on the evening, Mandy nudged Gonzo, who was sitting beside her.
    He took the hint and leapt to his feet. “Well, now that we know everyone’s opinion