Afternoon on the River

Seth agreed to take some friends rafting on the Snake River last Friday. He suggested I come along this trip and leave Mariah in charge of the motel (a kind of trial run for this week while I'm in Tennessee). We pumped up the rafts and gathered up all the other essentials, like life jackets and oars and buckets and sun screen and food and water. He gassed up the truck and replaced a flat tire. I made breakfast and helped clean motel rooms. Together all those coming along (the two of us, Tom Nielson and his family, Jordan and Andrew) loaded the rafts onto the trailer and piled in the rest, strapping it all down for the trip.

We headed north for nearly two hours and up the hill to the best spot to launch, leaving Tom's van at the bottom and piling everyone in the truck for the last eight miles or so. We unloaded everything by the river and parked the truck and trailer nearby to be retrieved later. Most of those with us were new to river rafting. There was some hesitancy, even fear, in their eyes.

Tom, Carolyn, their three kids and Seth and I climbed into a big silver raft we've owned for years (we purchased two of them already well-used from some Grand Canyon river guides). Seth manned the oars. Jordan and Andrew, young and adventurous, opted for the smaller green raft and took up the two paddles, quickly learning how to make their way out into the current. We pushed off and were on our way.

You couldn't have picked a more beautiful day. It was warm and sunny with a nice breeze as we floated along. A cloud would hide the sun occasionally, giving us some relief from the direct sunlight. The water was COLD, but the heat from the sun evaporated it quickly away from the skin after the inevitable showers in the white water.

There were many others on the river in a variety of rafts, boats and kayaks, too. Some were with guides who run the river several times a week. Others were in smaller groups or families. There was a camaraderie among us all. We had common purposes and motives, common hopes and fears, common enjoyment and relaxation.

At one point we stopped for a picnic on the shoreline. The kids jumped in, enjoying the cold water and then the hot rocks. We headed out again rolling with the current and feeling a "rush" at the rapids.

There was a place with a cliff above a very deep spot in the river that was unofficially designated for jumping in. Several boats stopped and a variety of people climbed up and jumped the 15-30 feet (depending on how high you climbed) into the cold water and swimming to shore. Jordan, Andrew, Jessica and Riley all jumped--twice!

The afternoon passed quickly and even Carolyn left her fears behind and enjoyed the time. The take out spot was too soon in sight. We pulled the boats out and waited for Seth and Tom to drive up and get the truck and trailer. The clouds began to roll in. Just as we finished loading up the now deflated boats and other equipment, it began to rain. We piled into the vehicles and headed for home.

The adventure was over. But the memories will forever be with us of a perfect afternoon on the river.