Summary: The kitchen will become the major hub of activity once you get off the river for the day. It can also be the most likely place for illness to be spread. You guessed it. Wash your hands before doing anything in the kitchen. Try to set up in the low tide zone. This will wash away any spilled food. Use a tarp under your table in any area. Setting up in the low tide zone will also make straining dirty dish water into the river more convenient. Remember to use a screen to remove the large food chunks and only return water to the river. One of the most important areas of the kitchen will be the dish washing station. We recommend a set up that has worked well in the past: The Four Bucket System. The first bucket is a pre-wash or slop bucket with just cold water. The middle two buckets need to be hot water. One is for washing, one for rinsing. The fourth will be cold water, sterilized with a capful of bleach and the dishes will soak in the bleach water for several minutes. Air drying is the best final step as the dishes will stay in connect with the bleach longer. It’s a good idea to put your dishes away at night to reduce mice and the effects of blowing sand. As with most activities remember to crush cans and scrub pots in or at the water’s edge in the low tide zone. The dishes are washed and the trash has been sealed away, but a distinct odor still hangs over camp. This odor is probably you and your companions. The Colorado River offers a convenient bath tub, soap up in the low tide area and go into the river feet first, no diving. There are large hard rocks just under the surface. If you’re like most people you’ll make short work of it in the cool water. When the river turns brown after a rain bathing in a clear side stream will look mighty tempting. But please don't. The rule is no soap in any side stream. After bathing several times in the river, you may become a firm believer in the solar shower. The warm water will feel great. Just set it up so it drops into the river water so the soap doesn’t end up in wet or dry sand in your camp.
