Few of us are putting our canoes on the water at this point. The cottages are closed and the boats are stored. Out on the Ottawa River there will be people who paddle all year long. They play in the rapids above the flat water sections that have iced over. I will never be that confident with my roll.

When you store your boat for the winter make sure it is in a nice dry, vermin free environment. I say vermin free because I have a Dagger Caption. It is a radical, tandem whitewater boat. After I repaired and replaced a lot of the whitewater outfitting I put it in our shed. My wife made a bonnet for it out of a big blue tarp. I was elasticized all around the edge so that it fit snugly over the boat. I then put the boat on some sawhorses. In the spring I rolled the boat over to find a hole in the bonnet. I ripped it off and found all of the outfitting shredded, the thing full of Raccoon fur and all kinds of disgusting stinking matter. I am sure they had had a litter or two in the boat over the winter.

If you don’t have a garage or shed, get your boat up off the ground, and cover it well with a tarp. If it is a fiberglass, Kevlar, ABS or any other kind of resin boat that has wooden gunwales and fittings, make sure any wooden sections are well ventilated, and that moisture can not get trapped around those parts. The main reason to you want to cover these boats is to protect them from sunlight. Gelcoat is very sensitive to UV rays, and becomes faded and chalky remarkably fast. Canvas can also become damaged to by sunlight. Even ABS can become brittle after prolonged exposure.

If you have been reading this blog, you know I like traditional cedar-canvas boats. I love the way they handle and can be restored and passed from generation to generation. If you have a cedar-canvas boat and a dock you might try to store your boat like the old timers did. Most sheds are damp and mildewy, so they are not the ideal place to store a canoe. What people used to do is sink their boat, with a lot of rock, under the dock. It seems a little counter intuitive. In most instances you want to keep the boat good a dry, but here you are submerging it. The reason that this is a good way to store your boat is, it is cut off from oxygen. Without oxygen there will be no decay or mildew.

The boat has to be quite deep and it has to go under the dock to protect it from ice and wave action. Anchor it to the dock with a good sturdy rope. An added advantage to storing your boat this way is, it stays good and tight. If you have paddled a wooden canoe that has been in a dry shed all winter you know that your first paddle is going to be a leaky one. The boat leaks until the wood soaks up enough moisture to swell up tight.

So now that you have your boat under the dock, go and dig out the snow shoes and wax the skis.

Have you guys been busy the past few weeks? I know I have!

I celebrated my first American Halloween in Australia. It was a crazy night, but so memorable. Okay, I blush a little each time I talk about my costume. I was a “walk of shame.” You know, when you’re in college and you see that person walking home on a Sunday morning after a LONG night. Well, that was me… sort of. I did not have a walk of shame, I am just a great actor. LOL.

Just a couple of days after Halloween, I was jumping around my room hastily packing for my trip to NEW ZEALAND. That’s right, people.. NEW to the Z-E-A-L-A-N-D! I’ve always wanted to go and there is no better to excuse to go to New Zealand than when you are in Australia. At least that is what I told my Dad. So, I didn’t sleep at all before my flight. I left my apartment with my friends, Emily, Enni and Sara, at 2:30 a.m. for our 5:30 a.m. flight… That is right, 5:30 IN THE MORNING. Good morning! We got to the airport super early and boarded our flight on time. We flew from Brisbane to Sydney and landed in Queenstown. WHAT A SCARY LANDING. I’ve never been a huge fan of flying, but I’ve learned to sleep on flights, so I don’t mind. As we were flying into Queenstown, the couple sitting next to me informed me how they used to be nervous fliers, but now that they are older they recognize that “if we go down, there isn’t anything we can do.” Thanks for the comfort… Shortly after telling me that, all of the flight passengers were getting thrown around in their seats. Seriously… If I wasn’t buckled in, I would have been in the aisle. Fear escalated when people started to shriek on the plane. I guess this type of turbulence happens whenever you fly into Queenstown. My friendly couple next to me told me it is because when you fly into Queenstown, the plane goes in between the mountains and often gets caught by the wind gusts in the mountains. Perfect. After we safely landed, I hurried off the plane and onto solid ground. Yes, please.

Shortly after landing, we made our way to the hostel we were staying at, Reaver’s Lodge. It was up a GIANT hill, but the view was totally worth the hike up the hill multiple times a day.

The rest of the night is sort of a blur. New Zealand is three hours ahead of Sippy Downs (where I live) time. So, technically, when I was in New Zealand I was 17 hours in the future. Weird.

The next day, we ventured to the Gondola! We got in a tiny little cab thing and were taking up on a wire! It was somewhat terrifying, but all the views were worth it. One of the coolest parts of the day was riding on the Luge. The Luge is like a go-kart track… But you ride in little plastic go-karts things down a track. You really pick up speed going down the track. Towards the end of the course, the track gets narrow and curvy. You’d think that a person would slow their plastic cart down, but not me. I ran right into the curb and flew out of the cart. No injuries were sustained, just an embarrassing story. A great moment to say “YOLO”– right? Glad you agree.

After a long day of sight seeing, we rushed back to the hostel only to get ready to go back out on the town! For being a smaller town, Queenstown definitely knows how to party! We had a great time.

The next morning, we woke up nice and early and headed on our way to jump off a bridge. I didn’t get a lot of sleep because I could only think of the bungy cord ripping… No big deal, right? Wrong. I’m scared of heights and I don’t like the idea of falling to my death, so why I decided to bungy jump is beyond me. I guess I love adrenaline and the feeling you get after you do something you never thought you could.

Okay, so we get to the Kawaru and before I know it, I am standing on the edge of the bridge with the bungy cord wrapped around my ankles 43 meters (about 141 feet) above water. I hear the guide say, “walk to the edge, look up, put your hands up, and jump.” HAHAHA! YEAH OKAY. NO THANK YOU. But for some mysterious reason I followed his directions and before I knew it I was jumping off the bridge. It is somewhat comforting watching other people jump before you actually have to jump. All what I could think was “I hope I don’t scream like a little girl running away from a spider…” Well, I sounded even more terrified than that. I just remember screaming “OH NOOOOO” and then laughing the rest of the time. I guess, when I confronted my fear of falling and heights, all what my body could do was laugh. That’s pretty normal for me. The scariest part of the jump wasn’t the actual jump… It was after free falling for a few seconds, you expect to feel the cord pull you back up, well, it took a long time for me to feel that. I thought I was going head first into the river… No worries, I survived and I still can’t stop laughing when I think about the feeling!

What a jump! Whew. I couldn’t believe I actually did it! The adrenaline I felt afterwards was CRAZY!

Later on during the day, we went RIVER SURFING! No, I didn’t try to stand on another board… Ha ha! That was rough enough the first time. Imagine white water rafting… Going down grade 2-3 rapids but take away the raft and give all the passengers their own body board. That’s right, I went river surfing in rapids on a body board. I don’t have any pictures of this yet, but when I get them, I will be sure to post! River surfing was by far the most exhausting activity we did, but it was my favorite! It was such an awesome experience to feel the cold, COLD river water rushing over you while getting sucked into a mini whirlpool. I would go back and do it in a heartbeat.

Okay, so after this action packed day, I needed some major R&R… So naturally, I went into the hot tub in the middle area of our hostel. If you sat in just the right spot, you could look out over the mountains. It was the most relaxing spot without a doubt.

The following day was the Shotover Jet. It is a speed boat that zips through the canyons. Again, another adrenaline boost! The speed boat powered through the shallow waters and continued to do 360 spins and cut the corners close making it feel like you were about to fly into the mountain! Again– I don’t have any pictures of this event, but it is your standard speed boat going through the mountains.

Two of my favorite parts of Queenstown: CookieTime and FergBurger

CookieTime is a whole shop dedicated to delicious cookies. I got a warm cookie ice cream sandwich. One raspberry white chocolate cookie, cookies and cream ice cream, and one chocolate chip cookie. Heaven.

Next up: FergBurger… Probably one of the BEST burgers I have ever had in my life. It was a challenge to finish the whole thing, but you best believe I did… I know, it isn’t that surprising. I love food.

Dee.Lish.Uhshhh.

Ahhh, I’m hungry all over again. Darn it.

So, after all of this excitement and week in New Zealand, we needed one way to really rock Queenstown… we signed up for a bar crawl. The crawl took us to six different bars, including the famous ICE BAR. It is a bar that is made completely of ice. The stools, the tables, the glasses, the random ice sculptures, everything. It was so cool.

Sorry about the duck face. Haha!

The bar crawl was the perfect was to end the trip! It was such a fun night out. I was so happy the next morning– I woke up feeling refreshing and brand new… If you’ve ever been on a bar crawl, I know that you understand why I was so happy. Ha! We spent our last few hours in Queenstown sitting by the dock in the grass taking in the scenery.

New Zealand 2012…. What a week.

Okay– flying out of Queenstown– I WAS SCARED. After the first episode of turbulence, I thought flying out would be just as bad. We were even in a baby plane… The one with the propellers on the wings. Surprisingly, it was a nice and smooth ride. We flew from Queenstown to ChristChurch to Brisbane. After all of the traveling and adventures, I was so happy to see my own bed! It was perfect. I got home on November 8 and I turned 22 at midnight (November 9). I spent the night with a few good friends and I couldn’t be happier about it.

The following day, I spent the day celebrating with great people. Hillary and I went to Hungry Jack’s (Burger King) for lunch followed by McDonald’s for dessert. It was a perfect birthday! Thank you to everyone who made it special! I am definitely thankful for everyone in my life. I have never been more grateful for all of my friends and family.

Well, that is how the story goes… pretty crazy, right? This is my fourth attempt at writing this blog… Each other time I somehow deleted the post and could not recover it.

Guess what? It is FINALS WEEK(S)… I have one final on Wednesday, one Thursday and one next Wednesday! I’ll be blogging a few more times as I start to get sentimental about my experiences here in Australia. I cannot believe I only have 10 days left.

Wow.

I am once again amazed that I scored a honorable mention in Wild Weekly Photo Challenge, the pictures there are wonderful.

I am really taken by this mention, have a look at the other winners at: http://www.letsbewild.com/photo-challenge-winners/challenge-4-water/

The Commando Memorial, Spean Bridge.

The memorial commemorates the 20000 Special Forces soldiers of the Second World War, who trained in the surrounding glens and mountains. We were staying nearby for a week of much milder adventure, paddling the local whitewater rivers and squeezing in a bit of mountain biking to boot. All of the most intense and best paddling tended to take place in gloomy pouring rain in the half hour after sunset…this is always the way with UK river trips…so there are just a few mild daylight photos here. Thanks to my friend Steve for the last pic, showing myself.

]]> http://sillarit.wordpress.com/2012/11/06/wild-weekly-photo-challenge-water/ Tue, 06 Nov 2012 12:44:20 +0000 Ritva's ART / Ritva Sillanmäki http://sillarit.wordpress.com/2012/11/06/wild-weekly-photo-challenge-water/ In this week’s Wild Weekly Photo Challenge, we’re challenging bloggers to photograph what they feel best represents water!

the following photographs are of white-water

I’m participating in the LetsBeWild.com Wild Weekly Photo ChallengeThis week’s Challenge is: Water

Name -  Kate Devine

Years at TRU – Fall 2006-Spring 2008 Adventure Guide

Interests – Ski touring, whitewater kayaking, rock climbing, running, biking, yoga, reading and creative writing, travelling, and cooking.

Employment – Yamnuska Mountain School, Selkirk Tangiers Helicopter Skiing, Revelstoke Mountain Resort

Contact: kd.selkirk@gmail.com 

KATE DEVINE: Reflection’s from the female perspective

Like most women, I have too many pairs of shoes.  Unlike most women, mine is an arsenal of ski boots, climbing shoes, mountaineering boots, kayaking booties, Chacos, running shoes, hiking boots, approach shoes, flip flops, sorrels, down booties, and not a single pair of high heels in the mix.

My name is Kate Devine.  I started the TRU Adventure Guide Diploma program in September of 2006 and completed it in the spring of 2008 at the ripe age of 20.  I would like to share my experiences from the program, what I have done since, where I am heading now, and what it was all about from the female perspective.

I was raised in Revelstoke, BC under rather unique circumstances.  My parents began building a helicopter accessed ski touring lodge in the Selkirk Mountains near Revelstoke in 1986.  The construction began in 1986, I was born in 1987 and the doors opened for business in January of 1988.  Amidst all the excitement and happiness of dreams being built, tragedy found us, and blew down our house of cards.  My father was killed in an avalanche on January 17^th, 1988 while guiding heli-skiing. 

This story is one of strength, persistence, and the power of the heart.  My young mother could have cut her losses and walked away from this project that had been a shared dream with my father, and I have no doubt that this thought crossed her mind.  Her decision to carry on with the lodge was a pivotal moment in her life, and ultimately, in mine as well.  She finished building the lodge, and has been operating it ever since.  This winter will be Selkirk Lodge’s 26^th year of commercial operation and my mother is still at the helm.  I won’t tell you how old she is, but she works as the caretaker and cook all winter long.  The self proclaimed “Queen of the Selkirks” ski tours at least 5 days a week, and it would come as no surprise to one day discover that she is, in fact, superwoman.  I suppose it is no wonder that I have never accepted the so-called limitations that this world would have one believe are par for the course of being female.

“I suppose it is no wonder that I have never accepted the so-called limitations that this world would have one believe are par for the course of being female.”

Being a woman in the outdoor industry is fantastic.  People always ask me about breaking down barriers and representing a small percentage of outdoor professionals.  The truth is, I am a generation behind in the barrier breaking.  I will make no claim of busting through glass ceilings. Perhaps I am just smashing out a few more bricks, making the path a little wider for those who may follow behind me, but most of the work was done by the time I got here.  The limitations of being female are an illusion. We are every bit as strong and talented as the men in this industry, and it has been my experience that the majority of the men in the guiding world have nothing but respect for us.  I have never been made to feel that I was at a disadvantage. 

When I arrived at TRU I was as green as they get.  I was 18 years old, and it was my first time living away from home.  I was seeing the world with great big eyes, hungry for adventure and new experiences.  I was eager to prove myself in the macho industry that is the outdoor world. Lucky for me, I didn’t have to learn the hard way that the mountains are not an arena for proving yourself and that egos have no place out there.

My time at TRU taught me plenty of hard skills that have proven invaluable in my pursuit of an outdoor lifestyle.  I arrived at the program young and inexperienced, mostly devoid of bad habits and unsafe practices.  I absorbed the information and techniques taught to me like a little sponge.  At the risk of sounding cliché, I also learned a lot about myself.  I was discovering my personality, and how it might fit into the guiding world.

“The limitations of being female are an illusion.”

As a skier and climber, I came to the program with no water experience whatsoever.  I fell in love with white water kayaking and all of its challenges.  It was a steep learning curve for me, and I was quite tragic at it but I just couldn’t give it up.  I persisted and now I paddle more than I climb, and I work as a kayak instructor on a seven-week contract with Yamnuska Mountain School at the Rocky Mountain National Army Cadet Summer Training Center.  I have also had three summers of employment as a white water rafting guide.  This work has been available to me thanks to completing the swift water rescue, kayak and rafting courses offered at TRU.

“Lucky for me, I didn’t have to learn the hard way that the mountains are not an arena for proving yourself and that egos have no place out there.”

 Since completing the program I feel like I have been chasing down one project after another.  I have taught kayaking to beginners, rafted and kayaked the Chilcotin River and the Grand Canyon of the Colorado, and paddled countless days in BC and Alberta for my own entertainment.  I have ski toured in Kyrgyzstan, the Bugaboos and Mt. Waddington areas, as well as at numerous ski touring operations and countless day and overnight trips in the Rockies, Selkirks, Monashees and Coast Mountains. I tail guided for a season at Selkirk Tangiers Helicopter Skiing, worked as a professional ski patroller, completed my CAA Avalanche Operations Level 2, and my Apprentice Ski Guide certification. I have done several rock climbing trips with friends to places such as Thailand, Oregon, Utah, California, Washington and of course places in BC and Alberta such as Skaha, Squamish and the Bow Valley.  I have done a small amount of alpine climbing in the Rockies and the Roger’s Pass area as well.

Heiress of the Selkirk’s, daughter to Superwoman

This past winter I passed my Apprentice Ski Guide Exam and became a member of the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides.  This program consisted of three training courses and then a 9-day practical exam.  Needless to say, it consumed my winter.  Being accepted into the apprentice ski guide program was certainly helped by my time spent at TRU, but truthfully, I had to do most of the work on my own time.  TRU gave me many of the hard skills needed for the program, and also helped keep stress levels down because the courses are formatted with many similarities.  It did not seem like too foreign a venture to me after having completed similar courses during my time at school.

This winter I will be working for Selkirk Tangiers Helicopter Skiing here in Revelstoke.  I also have some ski touring work lined up with some smaller guiding companies.  I hope to spend a few seasons working at a variety of operations in order to gain experience.  Eventually I would like to do the majority of the guiding at Selkirk Lodge.

I am off to a good start so far in following the path of my heart and trying to live with less so that I can afford to chase passion rather than cash.  In my eyes, I am rich beyond belief, but my bank balance would tell you that, conventionally speaking, I am far from it. If you do what you love, you can become a master at it, and eventually, someone will pay you something for that skill and in the meantime, you have not wasted your time doing things you don’t like to do.

There it is, a reflection of what it’s like to be a female in Adventure; a great writer, professional and master of her trades, Kate Devine.

You can contact Kate at kd.selkirk@gmail.com

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to email them to submission.adventure@gmail.com

Don’t forget to check TRU Adventure studies at http://twitter.com/TRUAdventure, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/TRU-Adventure-Studies-Department/33425528843?fref=ts and the world wide web: http://www.tru.ca/act/adventure/our_programs/adventurediploma.html

Pretty impressive drive for a flatlander Florida native!

On the way to the rally in Cherokee, I didn’t take any photos.  Mainly because it was my first experience with twisty, winding, steep, two lane roads bordered on one side by mountains and on the other side by white water churning just feet from my window.   I was a nervous wreck!

However, since I knew what to expect, the drive back was simply awesome.  Unfortunately, the white water was on Ron’s side and I didn’t get any good photos through the windshield.  But the mountain scenery was glorious!

We are at Lake Allatoona again this evening.  It is so beautiful and so peaceful.  We’ll be here for 7 nights, then head back home until we leave for Florida in November.  I’ll post pictures of the campground tomorrow.

And, as promised, I’m posting a photo of Scott and Allison and family with their new Parkliner.  It is so much fun to see a young family with a new camper and think of all the camping experiences and memory-making adventures that lie ahead for them.

I hope we see them at other rallies.  It was so nice to see little ones being exposed to camping and hopefully a lifetime of enjoying the outdoors.

Scott, Allison & Family with their new Parkliner at the Cherokee rally

Mullingar Kayakers Compete in Liffey Descent

Last Saturday 29^th September, 14 members of Mullingar Canoe Club (MCC) competed in the 53^rd annual Liffey Descent Canoe/Kayak Marathon. Already an important event on the international kayaking calendar, this year’s descent was also a part of the ICF Classic Canoe Marathon World Series. The race took place over a grueling 28km course, taking in 11 weirs and challenging white water rapids.

Each year the ESB release 30 million tons of water from upstream reservoirs to facilitate the race, bringing the river levels up to competition standard. This turns seemingly innocuous weirs into punishing walls of foaming white water. The race on Saturday was no exception, with levels running at the highest seen in recent years. Weather conditions were also perfect, with the sunshine and light breeze adding a further feel-good factor to the already buzzing occasion.

Shortly after the start-line at the K Club, competitors reached their first obstacle, the infamous Straffan Weir. This early stage can be the make or break point for many racers, as various types of craft from fast K1 racing kayaks to open Canadian style canoes, plunge over the weir and into a maelstrom of broken boats, swimmers and debris remaining from previous unsuccessful weir-runners. All MCC paddlers/equipment survived intact with varying degrees of success and some impressive paddling or indeed swimming strokes being displayed…

Buoyed up by a cheer from the crowd at Straffan Bridge, or humbled after their first pummelling by the Liffey’s torrents, paddlers continued on to ‘The Jungle’, a series of rapids strewn with over-hanging trees and fallen branches. This section had to be negotiated carefully as the narrow channels available were fiercely contested by the still relatively condensed boat traffic at this point .

Next up were Temple Mills and Vanessa weirs, then under the bridge at Celbridge, followed by a fast rocky stretch of water called Castletown rapids. The river then widened out to form Leixlip lake and there was a long flat paddle across open water to the portage at Leixlip dam.  At this point competitors had to pick up their boats and run 500m around the dam to get back onto the faster flowing river at Leixlip bridge. Care was required here as the current at the re-entry point can often push boats against the bridge, resulting in an unexpected capsize and possible swim.

At this stage competitors began psyching themselves up for ‘The Sluice’ where a decision had to be made to shoot the weir by the safer option on river right, or the faster option of the old sluice gates on river left.  Kayakers choosing the latter option were rewarded by an exhilarating surge through a 12ft gap followed by a large standing wave encountered at the bottom of the run. Shortly after this, another decision had to be made regarding the options presented by Lucan weir: a straight run on river right, the technically challenging ‘fish boxes’ in the middle or, for the longer boats and thrill-seekers, the ‘High –Drop’ on river left. Lucan is one of the more popular spectator vantage points and the heroics of MCC paddlers, in particular the high-droppers of the ‘touring kayak doubles’ teams,  were rewarded by great cheers from the enthusiastic crowd.

Further down river from Lucan was Anna Livia weir, which could be ran by taking the shoot of water down the wall on river right. Then it was time to gather breath and consider the next two major weirs of the race, the show-stopping V shaped-weirs of Wrens Nest and Palmerstown. These are arguably the most feared or looked forward to features of the Liffey Descent depending on each paddlers perspective. The object here was to shoot each weir by hitting the centre point of the V and riding the wave train to the bottom of the drop. On the day, the huge stopper waves to the left and right of each V were waiting to suck in any paddlers unfortunate enough to have strayed off the centre line. Most après race analysis by all racers, including MCC members, involved various outcomes and war stories relating to these weirs, but the wave train at Palmerstown was generally considered one of the highlights of the day.

After Palmerstown, the comparatively easy but still to be respected weir at Chapelizod still had to be negotiated before another long flat paddle to the finish line at the Garda Boat Club near Islandbridge. Exhausted paddlers were greeted with food and drink in the marquee where the afore-mentioned war stories of the day were exchanged. The final consensus was that this had been another great episode to add to the history of the classic event that is the Liffey Descent.

As always, the rescue teams stationed at each weir did a commendable job and deserve huge thanks for contributing to a safe and successful race. Special congrats are also due this year to MCC’s first time descenders Aisling Ly, Ita Lumsden-Ly, Maeve Wright, Enda Wright and Padraic Dardis. Well done all and hope to see you back for Liffey Descent 2013!

Mullingar Canoe Club members who competed this year were as follows:

GP Kayak: Aisling Ly, Ita Lumsden-Ly, Maeve Wright, Enda Wright, Padraic Dardis, Caroline O’Connell, Shane Nugent, Stephen Dunne, Brian Staunton.

Touring Kayak Doubles: Pat Nugent & Eamonn O’Reilly, Pat Clifford & Niall Killeen, David Corcoran & Trevor Ebbs.

Click Here For Liffey Descent 2012 Results

Montana Death March

For our Honeymoon, Jenn and I traveled to Montana to meet our good friend John Zunski. John built the hockey rink that Jenn and I eventually met each other at, and he was also our “Priest” during our wedding.

The trip there was pretty rough. The night before our flight we went to our friend Ben’s 30th surprise birthday party. We left that party directly to the airport and flew to Washington state. I ended up being awake for around 4o hours straight. From Washington we had a 4 hour drive to Montana to meet our friend John at the Bar he owned.

The scenery on the way to Montana was very impressive but I just couldn’t appreciate it too much. Even if my eyes left the road for 2 seconds, by the time they returned to the road I was driving in the middle of two lanes. It took every bit of consciousnesses that remained in me to drive the car without falling asleep or crashing.

One thing that surprised me was the speed limit. I think it was either 75 or 80 mph. This is unheard of in Pennsylvania. So I was so excited the ride would go faster than expected. But the funny thing was… everyone was doing like 60 mph. As an east coast driver this resulted in my raging the fuck out. In PA everyone goes over the speed limit…praying for the limits of Washington and Montana. And over here, everyone loves driving 20 under. At least the rage helped wake me up.

After about 4 hours of driving my GPS tells me to finally turn off the highway as I was only about .5 miles from John’s bar. So I turn off this road and was doing about 35-40 mph. For the last 2 hours of driving 90 mph on cruise control I was just use to driving fast, but I had a gut feeling I might have been driving too fast on this road. So I say to Jenn, “I wonder what the speed limit is here?” Just as I am getting the word “limit” out of my mouth I see the lights…. ugh! I just traveled across the country, I have been awake for 40 hours straight and driving for 4 hours and I could literally throw a baseball and hit John’s bar. And now I am getting a speeding ticket 100 feet from the start of my vacation.

Cop tells me its 25 mph. Now in Pennsylvania you would get fist-fucked for speeding in a 25 mph zone. Factoring in that I am out of state, I am sure the rape will be harsh. Cop writes me a ticket and says to me, “You can either fight this in court, or you could pay me the money right now.” I asked how much the ticket was…. $25 dollars. You couldn’t punch the smile off my face, I actually ended up thanking the cop several times. Definitely the happiest person in the history of the world to get a speeding ticket. No points either! So I paid the guy and parked.

Now many of you reading this know John. But for those who don’t, John is… unique. Easily one of the best guys you will ever meet. Life of the party type guy. If there was anyone to ever own a bar it was this guy. Well as we arrived at the bar it happened to be one of his “topless” nights. How can I say this politely… there were about 10 “Montana” type women at the bar. Playing different games, maybe wrestling? I don’t remember, this happened over 5 years ago and I was half asleep. Definitely an interesting night. We headed back to John’s place and crashed around 9 pm.

The whole week was a lot of fun in Montana. John got us tickets to white water rafting which I loved. Explored his huge property. We also ate at one the best restaurants I ever had the pleasure of eating at.

The big moment of the trip was when John took us to the Glacier National Park. There was a trail by the name of “Highline” that he wanted us to hike. On the drive down we actually got lucky and caught a family of bears crossing the street. We hopped out of the car and watched them run off. John told us that we were VERY lucky to witness that.

Shortly before going on this trip I suffered a severe shoulder separation. At the time I was regularly taking Percocet for the pain, which would often make me loopy. Before our trip we spent the day in NY City, and just from walking a couple miles, my shoulder was in so much pain that I had to sit on a bench for an hour to just get moving again. Oh yeah… I have a fear of heights.

Now begins the story of the Death March. So we get to the trail that John wants us to hike and informs us that it would be a total of 12 miles. Now I don’t know if I wasn’t paying attention to the details of the hike, or John was withholding information so he could enjoy the punishment that was about to be laid upon me. But I said at the very least I was willing to try and do all 12 miles. Little did I know… there was no trying. You either did it, or died.

First I think I should describe the trail that you are hiking for 12 miles. It felt like the trail was made with grenades and dynamite. If you weren’t constantly looking at your feet for every step you took, you would probably trip and fall. Now this is bad because unbeknownst to me, a lot of this hike is spent walking along a cliff edge. Imagine this if you will. The path is only 2-3 feet wide. If someone wants to pass you, you need to lay your body flat against the mountain so people can walk by. Now there is a rope going along, but its between you and the mountain, not between you and your inevitable death. And I really do mean that, if you take one step over, you will fall down a cliff, and you will die. There is no, “ehh, I think I could survive that fall.” 100% death. The entire path has sharp rocks sticking out of them, as if the person that designed this trail was intentionally trying to kill people. So being forced to look down a cliff side while being afraid of heights was a lot of fun. John also informed me, that if you get hurt there is no helicopter. No rescue crew. Leg is broken? Suck it the fuck up and drag it behind you.

Now the entire hike wasn’t all just jagged death trail, there were many parts where you actually had to climb up some rocks and sharp inclines. About 2.5 miles into our hike, one of these spots was nice enough to tear the living shit out of my groin. At the same time my shoulder is in horrible pain. Now you might be saying, “Ryan, just take your Percocet!” Well reader… I can’t. Since Percocet made me loopy, I wasn’t able to take any because a single slip of my foot would result in my death, so I had to be as clear-headed as possible.

Now that my groin is torn to shreds and continually gets worse with every step I take, and each rock I climb, I allow John and Jenn to pass me by in the event that I start to break down and cry, they wouldn’t see me. Just before the tears start to flow and while I’m imagining blood flowing out of torn lacerations in my crotch, and experiencing shoulder pain that makes me wish my arm was amputated, I was lucky enough to experience Altitude Sickness! I could barely breathe, eat, or drink. As I laid there on the path, my morale took another hit. Why? Well an approximately  85 year old woman with one arm in a FUCKING SLING and a CANE IN THE OTHER PASSES US! I just got fucking lapped by geriatric cripple!

Eventually when I am able to breath again, we continue our march. Oh yeah… we’re about 6 miles in. John tells me to cheer up because there is a rest stop at the 8 mile mark. I cannot explain how happy this made me. Because in my mind this rest stop was near the road and I could take a bus back to the car and let John and Jenn finish the last 4 miles. Well, after another 2 miles of hell, we reach the rest stop. Its in the middle of a fucking mountain. The food and water that was sold here was backpacked in by employees. I immediately start searching for a rock that was heavy enough to crush my skull, and light enough that Jenn could lift it. Before my mental breakdown started, John told me the last 4 miles were not near any cliffs and it would be the easiest part of the hike. After 5 Percocets and an hour of laying down I was ready to go! I was shadow boxing, that crippled woman was there and I was tempted to knock her down and talk shit. The last 4 miles I spent skipping and running. It ended with a really nice stream and small pond that we got to rest a bit at and put our feet in. We made it to the parking lot to get the car and there were Rams all over, it was pretty cool.

In the end I am happy we did the hike because it makes a great story, but that first 8 miles was a living hell.

If you like Ryan’s take on life, you can visit his website at www.madhookup.com.    Now if you’ll excuse us, Ryan and I are going to dress up in bras, wear tinfoil caps, and play Sarcastoball.  We both know how to lay down a compliment.  (If you’re not a Southpark fan you won’t understand our complimentary behavior.)

My venue was the  National Watersports Centre near Nottingham and was a first visit for me but had often seen it on t.v.

Whilst getting these photographs was great, if you ever get the chance to go to see canoe slalom live it is  well worth it but  one other moment was priceless…..

It was the chance to get my hands on and feel a Olympic Gold Medal courtesy of Olympic Gold Medalist Etienne Stott who won Gold in the C2 class.  The medal was unbelievably heavy and what a lovely guy Etienne was to talk too.

Jan with Etienne and his 2012 London Gold Medal for the C2 slalom class.

Dear class four rapids,

How scary could you possibly be?

5:00 a.m., only a few hours after I went to bed. Also the time in which it is to wake up for the adventure that awaits us. Did my best to open my eyes, stand up, and grab my gear for the white water rafting trip that Steve, Dakota and I would be embarking on. We headed out the door, walked a few blocks down the street to apartment of the fellow who would be guiding our boat, and then hit the road.  We then met up with the rest of the crew, and drove to the spot in which we would end our expedition.

Thirty long minutes later we arrived at the put in spot on the Middle Fork of the American River. Let me begin with saying, this trip was not, one bit at all, simple. Once we finally reached the put in spot we started unpacking all of the gear and the boats. We inflated these huge, in around 12’ by 5’ rafts, with a hand pump. Yes a hand pump. We took turns inflating, but by the end I was using my entire body to continue pumping air into the boat. Not even on the river yet, and my arms already feel like I’ve paddled the Grand Canyon (which by the way is 277 miles long). Yes I feel like I put a paddle through 277 miles of water. Anyways, after we inflated the boats, went over safety, packed in all of our food and beer, threw on our life jackets and helmets, we grabbed a paddle and walked the boats down to the river.

What have I gotten myself into? The thought came to my head for a split second, but I immediately convinced myself, “Nah, it won’t be too bad. It’s only water, right?“.

“Alright, first things first, we’ll be jumping into the fun right from the start, well at least 45 feet or so from the start.  The first rapid will be coming up in a few seconds” are the words that came from our guide.  Just listen to the guide and I’ll be fine I told myself. Paddle through this rapid. Wheeeeew!! That was intense, but so much fun. Once we got through the first rapid I was feeling a little more comfortable about the fact that I would be floating down class four rapids, sitting on the edge of a huge raft, holding on only by my feet.

Going through the rapids felt like being on a rollercoaster, but without the comfort of being strapped in and connected to a track. Water splashes in every which direction, making it nearly impossible to see where you are and what you’re heading towards. Everyone’s yelling with excitement. Paddle, paddle, paddle, was one of the many commands given. Once we got out of the rapid the river mellowed out, we did a few easy paddles, and continued down the river. “PffChht! Perfect time to crack open a beer. There we were, sitting back, relaxing and sipping on a cold delicious Sierra Nevada, with warm sun rays beaming down upon us. It felt like being in paradise. “If I could get a few easy forward paddles that would be appreciated” our guide said. Stuffed the cans inside the tops of our life jackets and paddled forward. “Ok, take a break.”

As we sat back and relaxed the seven of us in our boat got to know each other a little bit more. But a little while later the pace was beginning to shift. “Alright, now might be a good time to finish up those beers,” was the advice given by our guide, partially because we had been drinking beer for the past twenty minutes or so, but mainly because we were approaching another section of rapids. Finished our beers, threw the empty cans back inside the cooler, grabbed our paddles and locked our feet in for the next section. Left turn, forward paddle two, back paddle one, paddle, paddle, paddle! We had made it through yet another rapid.

The sun moved across the sky, and we kept moving through the water, taking on rapid after rapid. About halfway we decided to make a quick stop just before our encounter with one of the most anticipated sections. The tunnel! We pulled the boats onshore and ran up along the side of the river in order to get a close look at the crazy, rocky, fast-moving section we would be paddling through. It looked pretty gnarly. Just above the very technical spot sat a photographer catching shots of the many rafters that would make their best attempts to successfully paddle through this area. We were able to watch a few different groups take on these rapids. After observing I was able to draw the conclusion that this would be fun! “Who wants the front seat?”

“I do!”I then hopped in the very front of the raft, and held on for dear life. The plan was to stay right, angle the boat to the left, paddle hard, and at the last second right before the super fast section……… pull in your paddle in front of you and jump down into the boat.

Ok so far so good. Oh no, but wait, this doesn’t quite feel like the plan we went over. We were at the point in which we all got down into the boat but before I knew it all I could see was the water in my face, and I found myself practically on the other side of the boat. A few seconds later the water was calm, I looked around to see where I was, and where everyone else was. Somehow, our entire group had managed to cling on and not get flung out of the boat. We had made it. The next boat of friends had made it as well. All I’ve got to say to that is mission accomplished. What a fun trip this was turning out to be. The adventure continued, paddling hard through the rapids, and floating through the mellow sections, beer in hand. It was the perfect combination of activities.

There was one area we went through that managed to toss out a few of the guys that were in the other boat. We pulled a couple of them into our boat as quickly as possible so they didn’t hit any rocks that were approaching. Once it all mellowed out we returned them to their boat.

The trip was coming close to an end, but there was one more interesting, yet dangerous section in which we needed to pass through, only this time we would not be inside the boat. The process described in order to get through this next part sounded like something you see in movies. Our guide quickly laid it down to us. Ok so here’s the plan. We will paddle into an eddy at the edge of the river, and step onto the shore. Next we will tie a long rope to each of the boats. Someone will hold on to the boats and the ends of the rope, making sure the other ends are tied to each boat. A few members of the crew will bring a set of paddles with them. Once they are on top of a tall, about 15 ft. high rock that sits next to the river’s edge, the first person will jump down into the water, making sure they land in the small eddy created by a smaller rock that sits just ahead in the middle of the river. (An eddy is the swirling of a fluid and the reverse current created when fluids flow past an obstacle). Everyone will then climb up onto that rock in which sits only a few feet above water level. The next person will do the exact same thing, and before the last one makes the jump, they will toss down the paddles to the guys on the low rock. Once all of the paddles have been carefully and strategically tossed and caught, the last one standing above will meet the others below. The one securing the raft upstream will release the first raft while being sure that he is holding on to the end of the rope, and everyone on the rock will then be ready to jump into the boat as it passes by. Whoever jumps into the raft will then paddle it off to the side so the remainder of the crew waiting at the bottom can get back into the raft and continue the venture down the river. Got it?

Well god dam I hope we’ve all got it. This sounds awesome and terrifying at the same time. The first boat was released, headed quickly down the river, to the right of the rock in which a few guys stood on, and then was caught in between the two rocks. A couple of guys jumped in and brought it over to the side. Ok one down, one to go. Second boat takes off, but this time, instead of slowly passing by the rock in which the two other guys stood, it got caught sideways in front of the rock, quickly took on water, and then flipped over. “And that is why we secure every little thing we own, to the boat,” were the words that immediately flew out of one of the guy’s mouth. After about 40 minutes of a few of the guys trying to flip the boat back over, we had finally made it back into the boats, and continued on. At this point we were just about back. From here on out it was pretty straight forward, easy paddling.

About six hours later we had reached the end of our ride. We took our last paddles towards land, and brought the boats to rest along the shore. After deflating the rafts and organizing the gear, we loaded everything into the shuttle vehicles and began the thirty minute drive back to the vehicles at the put in spot. It felt like it took hours to get there, but once we were all packed up we headed home.

The three of us, Steve, Dakota and I had made it back, alive and in one piece. What more could I ask for? We had the time of our lives out there. I was extremely happy that I had managed to get the day off of work for this once in a lifetime experience. I then made my last push home. Biked the 4 mile route back to my final destination for the evening. Walked through the door, and headed straight for my bed. Exhausted, and still in awe I fell asleep, thinking class four rapids, I hope we meet again. Until next time…

Sincerely,

Bernadette Dangelo

We passed over several smaller surf spots in favor of Hungry Mother. Running this surf spot third we watched one boat lose four of the six clients and another boat not make it in. After setting up for the run we slipped into the ideal spot and were promptly flipped, capsizing the boat, and spilling all six of us clients and Richard into the water. Pillow Rock once again delivered as a great ride and we won among our trips boats for getting the most paddled on the rock. Insignificant and Lost Paddle were just as fun as last year and I remembered the exact spot during Hawaii 5-0 where my friend Kevin muttered an, “Oh shit!” the first time through. As we approached the end of the big water a distinct rock face loomed ahead. I knew Sweet’s Falls was coming and got giddy. 14 feet is a pretty big waterfall.

As always, ACE Adventure was fantastic and I’m glad I made the drive down. Next year I’m getting in a four man raft and requesting Richard. He’s made some promises of really showing us a good time.

We set off with great expectations! The weather was co-operating with us: deep, blue sky filled with fluffy, white clouds, soaring above the beautiful pine trees along the sheer banks of the river.

We had our cooler in the middle, ready for snacks to keep us going throughout the afternoon, a camera in the pocket for those special moments we were looking forward to, and to commemorate this special day together.  We enjoyed stopping from time to time to pull up to a bank or sandbar and appreciate the beauty around us.

About an hour and a half into our journey, we hit one of the S curves in this winding river at a deep spot, where the water was churning.  Our canoe bumped into a batch of trees that had fallen into the water, and we quickly realized that we were not going to be able to keep from overturning.

The picture above had been taken earlier, never realizing that the same kind of churning would nearly kill me.  I have no memory of anything after seeing the canoe swaying -  I knew we were going over.  I don’t know if I passed out, or if on the way over hit my head on the fallen trees, but when I came to, I had taken in a lot of water, was under water, trapped under the canoe, mouth full, nose full, unable to breathe, unable to find the air space that is supposed to be under the canoe.  My life jacket restricted me from diving down and out from under the canoe, and the attempts to find the edge of it and try to lift if up enough to get out just did not work.  The rapids kept swishing me around, dunking my head over and over again, and due to the depth of the spot, there was no way to get my feet on anything. I do not know how long it all took.  All I know is that I finally realized that for some reason, no one was coming to help me, I didn’t know what had happened to my husband, I couldn’t hear anything but the swirling water around me and I couldn’t get out from under that canoe – I was not going to last much longer.

My entire life, my worst fear of how to die was to think of drowning. Now here I was, realizing that the end was about to come.  A peace came over me, as I realized that for one thing, it would happen quickly and the torture would not be prolonged, and secondly, that as I realized I was about to go be with Jesus, that I was ready to meet Him!  What comfort in knowing that!!

All of the sudden, the boat was flung off of me, and my husband was shouting, “Grab the tree, Barb, grab the tree!” But, even though I bobbed up into air, I had so much water in me that I could not get any air!  My head started to drop back under water, but my husband, with one hand, grabbed my life jacket and lifted me out of the water to the tree.  We hung on for dear life, and I was able to get a little air into my lungs!  I asked him, “What do we do now?”  He said, “Just hang on until we figure it out.”

Meanwhile, behind us, a large group of canoers and kayakers were all stopped, and one of the kayakers had flipped over and she was screaming for help.  Across the river, not knowing it was more than just a normal flipping of the canoe, our kids were busy rescuing everything they could – the canoe, the paddles, the cooler, etc.  It was total chaos!  My husband told me that we were going to have to get up on the trees, climb across them to land.  How we ever did that, I do not know.  We had both lost our glasses, my sandals were gone, items in our pockets weighed us down, but he got up on the trees and waited for me.  It was so scary, walking, scooting, crawling across those trees over the churning water below, after the traumatic experience we’d just come through, but we made it!  We got to the bank, and walked down to shore, thankful that we weren’t at a sheer bank, that we had a place to climb to…  My son was there, having rescued my shoes,  to help me.  However, that left our daughter-in-law across the river alone, with 2 canoes to get over to us.  My husband tried to swim across to help her, and he got caught in an undertow that started taking him down river!  That terrified me, thinking that after all of this, he’d end up smashed against some rocks!  A shallow spot stopped his descent, and he came back over to the shore.  Our new, very brave daughter-in-law was able to get both canoes over to us.  We got back in, accessed the damaged, then when I didn’t think I could do it and was ready to call and ask for rescue out, found out that there was no rescue, that we’d have to paddle our way down the rest of the river for another hour and a half! Somehow, with my being near-sighted and my husband being far-sighted, we managed to do it. He would tell me on which side to paddle, would calmly tell me to stay calm while going through a rapids, or if we bumped and the canoe would begin to tip, and he kept me going.  We stopped and my son gave me his shirt and hoodie to wear for warmth – without those, I’m not sure I could have functioned.

We lost many things: 2 pairs of prescription bifocals, some of our food, due to water damage we lost the camera, but the SD card still worked, providing the pictures above! My husband, who is diabetic, had 2 glucometers in his insulin kit, (which the kids had miraculously saved!) that were waterlogged and ruined, and my husband’s cell phone was ruined.  What we kept? My cell phone was in a Ziploc bag, and totally fine, the SD card in my husband’s phone still worked, his wallet stayed in his pocket, as did his keys!!!  Some of the other boaters found our Rubbermaid container of carrots, which he munched on the rest of the journey, and then, wonder of wonders, at the very end of the journey, the kids rescued our bag with medication and carbs, that had made it through so many S curves and rocks, and had landed on a fallen tree and attached itself! My husband was able to eat some soggy chips for the carbs he was needing before tossing them, but all of the meds were fine!

When we got to shore, we were able to go change into dry clothes, then head to where the kids were staying.  We put everything into the dryer while our son cooked us a warm supper and our daughter-in-law got us afghans and pillows to keep warm, and kept her father-in-law supplied with fruit until dinner was ready.

Afterwards, we still had a 4 hour journey home.  The horror of what had nearly happened was the topic of our conversation in the car.  I found out that my husband had been thrown behind the fallen trees when the canoe went over.  He saw that I was in trouble, but had to get out of there before he could grab the canoe and throw it off of me!  He also rescued me by grabbing my life jacket and getting me to the tree, all with one arm!  As we discussed it, he told me that if I had been under for 20 more seconds, I would have been gone.  I told him that I knew that, under the canoe – that it was going to be over very soon.

That happened 5 days ago.  I have a bruise on my head, one on each upper arm, and more bruises keep appearing, who knows from where.  We talk about how we think they might have gotten there.  We both have dizzy spells, and those tend to freak me out, as it feels like I am back fighting the current under water again.  My husband’s shoulder is hurt from hurling the canoe and lifting me. My back is in rough shape, and today, I am not much good for anything.  However, we realize how fortunate we are for things to have turned out the way they have, and that it will just take some time for the bruises to go away, the pain to heal and the emotional part of it all to settle down again.  We are thankful to be together, and more appreciative of each other, too.  I am grateful that my son did not have to see a different scenario take place that day.

God was with us through it all.  We stopped on the way home and picked up a pair of reading glasses for my husband and a new glucometer.  (My glasses were my sunglasses, so my other ones were in the car.)  The next day, he was able to get his replacement phone, and when he called the eye doctor, who was booked up into October, to see when he could get in, they had a cancellation that very morning!!! When putting everything back together that had been laying out to dry, my husband put one of the glucometers back together, and it worked, too!  God has been in it, showing us His tenderness, His concern, and His care.  How I love Him! How I serve Him!  How much He means to me!!!

Let me leave you with these thoughts:

- Always be as safe as you can. I’m not sure if I would have been able to get under and out from the canoe if I hadn’t had my life jacket on, but it probably helped save my life, since somehow I got knocked unconscious. Never be afraid to look ridiculous – put it on – wear it!

- If on the water, please use consideration for others.  We were upset with kayakers who thought they owned the river, and would not move out of our way on that fast river, making us afraid of going over again.  We were thankful for those who found our carrots and tossed them to us to fortify us for the rest of the journey downriver.

- Have a plan. I was so thankful for the dry clothes and 2nd pair of glasses in the car!  Only take on the boat what you absolutely can afford to lose if you’d end up losing it.  We take more than most, due to my husband needing food to keep him going.  (Some of it floated, due to packaging – a good tip to remember when choosing those items for your trip.)

- Lastly, be prepared to meet your Maker!  I do not intend to live the rest of my life in fear, or not experiencing things, worrying about death or dying.  However, it is obvious that accidents can happen, that’s why they are called, “accidents!”  Your life could be snuffed out in an unexpected moment and you need to be ready for eternity. That peace that ran through my mind and heart as I realized that I was about to see Jesus face to face, proved to me that what I believe is real.  I am ready to go whenever He calls me home.  I do not live for the here and now, but for what comes after.  I’d like you to join me there when your day comes, too!

The main activities on Don Det are as follows:

1. Rent a bike to explore the scenery. Although Don Det is small, to tour it on foot in the heat of the sun would be a bad decision. Plus, it got me to grips with how to ride a bike again after a few years. Amusing for my little French cyclist.
2. Rafting and kayaking in the river (which Emma and I did the first time round) extremely fun, especially upon capsizing after hitting a tree.
3. Relaxing in a hammock. This is the main activity in which we immersed ourselves. Everyone needs a hammock in their life.

On the first night we decided to delve into a spot of Don Det nightlife (if you can call it that) and so we tried to find where the other backpackers were drinking – in low season, this was not that easy. Instead we chatted with some highly drunk, extremely high locals. Nice, but intense. After bucket number 1 we left the bar, indulged in a spot of hammock time, and then bed.

On the second day after breakfast we began exploring the island by bicycle. After the first couple of hours I got the hang of it and we were on our way.

We managed to explore almost all the sites on the island, including south east Asia’s biggest waterfall (in terms of the volume of water, which in wet season is A LOT.)

We also found a little ‘beach’ just by the waterfall where we shared a beer with the locals and chatted about travel and culture. Very fulfilling.

After an excellent lunch overlooking the river, we continued our little bike tour around the island to try and find the second waterfall. Somehow we managed to get lost (of course)

and soon enough we were in the middle of rice paddies and farmland with mean looking water buffalo eyeballing us.

On the approach to yet more fields we stop to rest and drink some water by a little farmhouse. I notice in the corner of my eye that one of the scrawny looking chickens outside has something in its beak; a mouse. A half dead mouse. Fascinated by this carnivorous chicken I alert Adeline to this newly discovered phenomenon. We both stood staring at it run around and peck at it for quite a while.

Having noticed that darkness is closing in, and we are still lost we move off homeward bound. I get a little tap on my leg and hear a tiny little voice say “pen, pen!”

“Pen” is the universal term that begging children say to mean “do you have anything at all to give me?” but it actually refers to giving kids pens and paper for writing and schoolwork.

The only thing I had on my person that I could give to her was the elastic band for my hair. She seemed extremely pleased with this, and in return also gave me a “pen”; the half dead mouse. This she presented to me like a proud cat accosting it’s owner at 5am. She placed the mouse in my hand and trying my best not to be impolite I gratefully accepted it. And then laughed a lot. At least it wasn’t dangerous or poisonous.

After offering her the mouse back ‘to feed the chicken’ she took it and then placed it in my handbag where it ran around a lot until I could fish it out (or take a photo). Sadly this little escapade was documented in ‘mind camera’ form only. Open your eyes and ‘click’. Otherwise I would have posted an image.

Later that night we had some additional hammock time and prepared ourselves to enter a new country on the following day.

We were crossing the boarder into Cambodia! Exciting!!

This trailer gave me chills for a couple days straight. Awesome footage, stoked out adrenaline junkies, epic soundtrack a recipe for a killer movie. Try not to die!

“This is ‘the obsession’: to release yourself by accomplishing the goal or being stopped by something outside of your control,  but once you start this journey – even if you dont want to go – you have to.” Boom!

REO Rafting is located on the shores of the Nahatlatch River in the Fraser Canyon, about a 3-hour drive from downtown Vancouver.  Tip: pick up some farm-fresh blueberries in the Fraser Valley to eat on the journey — bears love berries!

And be warned. The last 8.5 km is on an active, gravel logging road so drive very carefully. Logging trucks always have the right of way.  Press on and you’ll come to a giant REO sign.

Before long we settled into our tent right beside the river

 REO has been rafting for more than 30 years and is the only resort outfitter on the Nahatlatch — one of the best rivers for white water rafting in BC because the rapids are near-continuous. And they are terrific for all abilities and all ages …… as well as adventurous Spirit Bears.

With REO Rafting you get to ride The Classic section featuring 25 rapids (Class 2, 3 & 4) over a 10 km stretch, finishing right at the secluded river’s edge resort itself.  What an adrenaline rush. Far better than X-Box reality any day.

 The Nahatlach River originates in the Coast Mountains, and flows from a series of three lakes: the Nahatlatch, Hannah and Frances lakes.  It is 20 km upstream from joining the Fraser River north of Boston Bar.

The river lies in the heart of one of BC’s newest protected areas, Nahatlach Provincial Park – 1,695 hectares of scenic mountain peaks and glaciers, old growth forests, and a lake and river system like no other. Nahatlatch protects one of the largest intact wetlands remaining in the Lower Mainland.

Safety is paramount and these folks take it seriously and have an impeccable record. But oh my, how to find a life jacket that fits a small bear like me!

It’s good to buddy up with a fellow paddler!

   and find yourself in a fun crew.  We called ourselves the Bella Babes.

REO doesn’t skimp on anything when it comes to safety from head-to-toe equipment to lessons on the lovely calm lake before the real action begins.

We practiced falling into the water and pulling each other back on board as well as learning how to paddle as a team.  With wetsuits and lifejackets, we didn’t feel the brrrrr of the water at all.

REO even has safety kayakers who scuttle around the rafts, ready to rescue any bear that might have a mishap.  A lot of rafting companies don’t take this extra step.

Then it began. Gently at first. And then ….

With rapid names like The Eliminator, The Meat Grinder and Lose Your Lunch, I wondered what mishap might be coming my way.  But look at the photos.  I’m there, right in the middle of the raft.  And I’m still here to tell the tale.

But I’m also quite small so thanks to REO owner Brian Fogelman who was at the helm, I got a captain’s view of the WOWeeeeeee excitement.    

High-Five for the Bella Babes

In addition to rafting, you can try rock rappelling, archery, zip lining,  hiking forested trails, and singing around the campfire.  I chose the hot tub.

And a little river side R&R with a friend, catching a few rays.

FUN is an understatement.  Geesh, if a Spirit Bear can raft, so can you and your family.

Check out www.reorafting.com.  Tell them Bella Bella sent you because Brian tells me I was one of his most memorable passengers!