Getting ready to be on the river.

Today, I was taking a group out rafting; I was the shuttle bus driver. After the heavy rain the roads kicked up little dust and it was a pleasure to drive through the foothills out to the base of the Rockies. There is always so much to see, the winding river below or the front range of the Rockies ahead. I wasn’t lucky enough to be going on the river while the water was higher and the skies were clear, but someone has to drive shuttle bus. For the bus ride to the raft launching site, the rafter’s excitement and anticipation becomes infectious. It makes me wish I was going too.

At the put-in point they listened to my safety talk and paddling instructions as well as they could, trying not to fidget, as their thoughts raced off into the dangerous situations I was describing for them. I know when I’m nervous I’m not a good listener, but who is when facing imminent, certain death? It’s hard to see the reality of the adventure when bombarded by the sensationalism that TV presents to you. No, we don’t carry guns on the river like shown on TV.

Thirty years of paddling has rewarded me with few battle scars to show for the dangerous life I’ve chosen. An injury I had, I blush to describe it, was I fell on some rocks and hurt my hip. I was not even on a raft yet. How can you brag about that? Another time I got hit with a paddle in the face requiring two stitches in the nose. At least that one I can attribute to my life of adventure and tell with some swagger.

But, at the end of the talk when I summarize my safety talk to my attentive listeners I remind them of the main three dangers that everyone is exposed to. The sun’s rays giving a bad sunburn or the opposite, a much more serious Hypothermia. Second - falling on the wet, round, river rocks as I know well. And thirdly, when you fall into the bottom of the boat, get up right away. You never know what the raft might run into that’s hidden under the waters surface or if others will unceremoniously fall and land on you. It’s not everyday that you might have a total stranger fall on you and laugh about it. It’s one of the ways to meet new people when you go rafting.

So you see, there is so much happening even before pushing the raft out into the raging river. In fact, it’s a day you’ll always remember just getting ready for the adventure.