Chapter 2: It's All New River To Me

Good Saturday morning, West Virginia! After hearty breakfast of hardboiled eggs and apples (rafting breakfast of champions) and a cup of mediocre coffee from Eddy's Eatery (hey, I'll take what I can get), we meet our tour guide to watch the 'dos and don'ts' video from 1985 with other rafters. Wow, if we weren't freaked out before, we were really scared now. It became all too clear that we could fall into the rapids and there was lots of different rescue elements that came into play - the direction that you swim, the position of your body, what you should and shouldn't hold on to. Let's see: when I fall into the water, tell me how I DON'T DIE. Oh, and by the way, it's still raining cats and dogs and iguanas and ferrets.

We hopped on the bus, and I become more and more anxious. After a few barbarian knocks on my helmet with my paddle and Ron's paddle, I perked up. It's go time! The rain had let up some as we met our rafting guide, Carla. She. Was. Awesome. And had probably the dirtiest mouth I've ever heard. She was truly a backwoods mama. She heats her house with wood-burning stove and she lived in her Geo Metro and a tent while she trained to be a raft guide. She's one of the senior staff members and we really trusted her. She poked fun at the boys in our boat and made no apologies about her 'city folk' bashing. Actually, after hearing some of the stories she told, we really were city folk. The trip took all afternoon and we took on rapids that ranged from a Class I (tea cup ride) to Class V (Top Thrill Dragster). The rain finally let up - and the water was so warm! I was airborne at least once and poor Amber was the only one who fell out of the raft (she made it back in one piece - go Amber!)...and she made the highlight reel! There was a man who followed the rafts in a kayak and shot video of the entire trip. Of course, you could buy it for a zillion dollars. We had the chance to get out and float along swimmer's rapids, which just take you down a portion of the river. The rocks and the trees and the waterfalls were gorgeous (pictures will be coming soon!). Sarah and I sat in the front of the boat. I don't know why I chose to because you get the first taste of what's ahead and you have to set the rowing pace for the rest of the boat. I wouldn't have had it any other way! It was so exciting - FUCK SNAKE RIVER CANYON! There were plenty of 'oh shit' moments, especially on the Class IV rapids with lots of riding up and down on not-so-friendly waves; Class V rapids are more technical than scary. I will have some pictures (as will Jackie, Emily and Amber) soon - they really tell the story.

After a meal of chicken, baked potato and some sort of cobbler-like desert (which included more drink tickets - BONUS), we retired back to Camp Bruce for some napping, reading, beer drinking and euchre playing. Later that night, Jackie and I saddled up for some kick-ass karaoke with cash and rafting packages among the prizes. We drank our free drinks and, because during the previous evening we had given away the rest of our drink tickets to other fine campers, received more drink tickets from other generous campers. We didn't pay for a beer the whole weekend, except for our two cases of Miller which were gone before we got to the bar that night! We were ready for a night of singing, rapping and the joys of being drunk!

TOMORROW: Jackie and I battle it out on the stage...and the night becomes more drunk!