Pushing up to the scout beach, I slow down in the water just long enough to jump up, bounce off the yellow tube and grab my bowline. Feels like I was here just yesterday. I experience déjà vu as I tie up my boat, unclip my throw bag and tell my guests to stay in the boat. I start walking downstream towards the rapid. It’s 9 a.m. and we’re starting off with a bang.  I realize that for me, there’s no better way to begin a day.

The roar of the water grows as I climb higher, finally reaching the point where I can see the complete view of the rapid from top to bottom. My eyebrows reach up and instinctively a grin spreads on my face.

The trip leader begins to motion to the entrance waves as the other guides gather closer to hear. A quick look-see and I realize the water has dropped since my last run. “Hmm,” I say out loud, to myself, knowing I’ll have to adjust my line to this flow. The river has a way of always keeping it interesting.

I spot the entrance, the green tongue so familiar from many past runs, and it leads the way like a smooth slide. The first major feature is a jumble of rocks on the left, obstructing the channel and guaranteeing to get me stuck. The middle is chock full of rocks, and the right side isn’t an option.

I see the slot, the calm water amid the churning whitewater, and I know that’s my line. I’ll need to stay on the right side of the green tongue, waiting til the exact moment where I can sneak through the narrow entrance. This move is all about timing, all about finesse, and all about keeping calm in the heart of loud and fast whitewater. I’ve run this rapid what feels like to be a hundred times but I still feel those nervous butterflies making their way into my belly.

My eyes scan down to the bottom of the rapid, where there’s a massive wrap rock dead center. I shudder, remembering my first year rafting, running right up onto it and stamping my boat on its side for a good hour. Never again I told myself, and this time will be no different.

I find my marker rocks at the top and note the major features to avoid. We decide on boat order, and with one more quick glance at the rapid, we’re on our way back to the boats to run it.

I check in with myself and note that I’m feeling good. Calm. Excited. Focused. Pumped. I know what my line is. I have trained my crew well, and I’m confident we’ll get to where we need to be. I brief them on the Plan, including the Plan B (and C), tighten up PFDs and push off into the current.

Deep breath.

Here we go.

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The post The Play-by-play of Scouting a Rapid appeared first on River Currents.

Much as some might grumble and groan, electronics are sneaking their way onto river trips. Whether it’s a GoPro video or an iPhone photo, river rafters want to document and share their adventure. Trouble is, with the nearest electrical outlet tens (sometimes hundreds) of miles away, how to keep your electronics charged becomes quite a challenge.

Over at O.A.R.S.’ headquarters, the adventure specialists have been receiving plenty of questions regarding portable solar charging units, mostly to ask if they are appropriate for a rafting trip. Because of this, we decided to take a closer look at the Guide 10 Plus Solar Kit made by Goal Zero, one of the most popular portable solar charging units available today, to see how it would fair on a whitewater adventure.

What’s Included

The pack comes with two main components, the Nomad 7 Solar Panel and the Guide 10 Plus Battery Pack. Also included in the package is a USB cable, 12V cigarette adapter, and four rechargeable AA batteries. The solar panel measures 6 x 9 x 1 in., and the battery pack is 2.5 x 4 x .75 in. The battery pack and cables fit nicely into a zippered pocket on the solar panel, folding closed and weighing a total of 1.2 lbs. A complete charge takes approximately 2-4 hours for the battery pack and smart phone, while only 1-3 hours for a cell phone or MP3 player.

Using the Battery Pack and Solar Panel

I found the Guide 10 Plus Solar Kit remarkably easy to use and a breeze to set up.  I opened the panels and allowed it to “warm up” for about ten minutes. My cell phone battery had 60 percent power, and the first time I plugged it into the solar panel charge, I didn’t see the battery charging symbol. I waited an additional ten minutes, and then plugged it in again. Finally it started to charge and after one hour of killing time while soaking up the rays, my iPhone was up to 80 percent. Awesome. A nicely added bonus is a small LED flashlight on the battery pack, which I could see using when looking for my toothbrush on the river at night.

Fit for the River?

The Guide 10 Plus Solar Kit would be a solid option for multi-day rafting trips. For one, we almost always have bright, sunny weather (a never ending supply of energy). Secondly, when we pull into camp in the early afternoon, there’s still plenty of time to pull out the solar panels and get some good ole’ charging done. And lastly, I was impressed with the burliness of the kit.  It is water-resistant and can be tossed into my dry bag without a worry.

Goal Zero Guide 10 Plus Solar Kit can be bought on their website for $159.  It’s an investment, as any outdoor gear can be, but a worthy one for rafting trips and backpacking trips alike.

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The post Gear Review: Goal Zero Guide 10 Solar Charger appeared first on River Currents.

So here’s why a whitewater rafting trip tops any sort of spa weekend and is the ultimate girls getaway:

Reconnect with friends:
Whether you’re paddling together through a major rapid, floating through the canyon or trying your luck in a double inflatable kayak, rafting provides some of the best opportunities to reconnect with friends. We all know that women make better paddlers, and your guide will be stoked to have you and your friends as his crew. Sitting in a chair on the bank of a river, sipping a beverage and watching the roaring campfire under a star-filled sky, you’ll all being laughing about the day’s excitement and saying there’s no better place to be. It’s the perfect setting for catching up with old friends, making new memories and enjoying the great outdoors.

Rejuvenate:
Escapism is what it’s all about on a girls trip. Getting far, far away from boyfriends, husbands, partners, kids and the everyday grind in general. What’s further from the norm than a trip down the river, into the remote wilderness, with nothing but beautiful sunsets, wildlife galore and whitewater? Paddling hard through the rapids, taking in the surrounding beauty and breathing in the fresh air, you’ll find yourself re-energized and re-charged by the end of the trip. The river has a way of breathing life into you in a way no hot tub ever could.

Have fun:
Have you ever punched through a wave? Gotten completely doused by water as you ride high through the rapid? Turning to your girlfriend, grinning widely, soaked to the skin, I can guarantee you’ll throw your head back and laugh with glee. So. Much. Fun.

If you can’t let go of visions of vineyards and the sweet taste of Syrah on your lips, consider taking a wine on the river trip with the gals. Dinner by the river with linens, food by a catered chef and plenty of wine brought by an accompanied winemaker, your getaway will surely be the best girls trip yet.

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The post The Ultimate Girls Getaway appeared first on River Currents.

Let’s face it, rafting can be uncomfortable. You’re made to wear a bulky, tight personal flotation device, clip on a snug helmet, and hold onto a slippery paddle. Then you’re supposed to brace yourself awkwardly in wet rubber boat while (at times) frantically paddling forward.

Thank GOD it’s so much grin-inducing, hootin’ and hollerin’ fun that you completely forget about all of this.

There are ways to be more comfortable though. ExOfficio’s Give-N-Go underwear provide an excellent addition to your boating gear. Advertised as perfect for travel, these undergarments double as a champion choice for first-time and experienced boaters alike.

No one wants to wear a bathing suit for the duration of a multi-day rafting trip. This practically guarantees you an itchy backside by the end of the trip (not a very good way to remember all the fun you had on the river). ExOfficio offers a much better alternative, trust me.

ExOfficio Give-N-Go underwear are well known in my circle of boat women friends and I think it’s time to share the secret. Made of 94 percent nylon and 6 percent lycra, their mesh fabric underwear are highly breathable and dry unbelievably fast—two qualities that bathing suits don’t have. These durable, odor resistant undies are so compact they take up barely any room in your dry bag.

At $18 a pair ($26 for men’s choices), they are an investment, but a worthy one that will surely last you many river trips. There’s a wide variety of styles from bikinis to full cuts for women and boxers to briefs for men. And with color choices from black or white to bright coral, there’s a full selection for a 16-day Grand Canyon rafting trip (or other lengthy adventure).

On the package it reads: 17 days, 6 countries, one pair of underwear. For us river rafting folk, these should be called 17 days, 6 rivers, one pair of underwear!

You can buy ExOfficio’s Give-N-Go underwear at their website here.

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The post To Pack or Not? ExOfficio Give-N-Go Underwear appeared first on River Currents.

Ammo cans are to river guides what purses are to urban women.

We decorate them with paint and stickers, oil their hinges and routinely (or not so routinely) clean them out. Perhaps you’ve seen your river guide reach into their metal handbag and pull out their toothbrush in the morning, or maybe a tube of sunscreen in the afternoon. Here’s an inside peek at what other treasures are hidden inside my trusty ammo can.

Poetry, Books and River Interp

Those of you that have joined me on the river know that sometimes I read aloud to the group in the morning. I prefer to stick with the classics-Whitman, Abbey, Muir-something to get folks completely tuned into a day on the river and tuned out of their everyday life stresses. As for river interp, I like to be able to look up just how deep the river is at any particular mile marker. The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle happened to be my book of choice for my latest river trip.

Personal Hygiene Items

No big surprise here. Considering I sleep on my boat, I think of the frame of my boat as my bedroom and my ammo can as my bedside table. Corn on the cob for dinner? No problem, I can floss from bed (i.e. my sleeping bag). Chapped lips? A quick pop of the ammo can lid and I’m covered. Forgot to put on deodorant in the morning? Mine is just an arm’s length away.

Gloves and Sunglasses

Protective wear is a necessity out on the river. It’s all about shielding yourself from the bright evil oppressor, a.k.a the sun. If my trusty pair of sunglasses aren’t on my face or hanging from Croakies around my neck, they live in my ammo can. Similarly, I always wear gloves when I’m rowing, rigging or washing dishes (during which I sport dish gloves). The constant wet-dry cycle that I’m trying to avoid will quickly lead to the need for this ammo can item.

Crack Repair-New Skin and All Good Goop

As I said, the wet-dry cycle leads to small cracks in my skin, particularly in my hands and on my feet. These tiny cracks which can only be a couple of millimeters wide, can cause a whole heck of a lot of pain. I use All Good Goop by Elemental Herbs to prevent the cracks, and New Skin to seal ‘em up after I have them.

List of Travelers on Roster

Who is allergic to peanuts? Which couple is celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary? What’s the name of the guy who “ran the bull” through Wildcat rapid? All key info to be found on my sheet.

Headlamp

A headlamp is vital on a river trip, especially during those short days on spring and fall trips. You don’t want to trip on your way to the groover in the middle of the night, trust me!

Guitar Picks

I like to bring a ukulele on my river trips, and I attempt to play it. “Attempt” being the key word. When there are more musically inclined folks on the trip, extra guitar picks come in handy.

Compass

In case I forget which way is downstream.

Allen Wrench

I carry one in my Personal Flotation Device (PFD) and another in my ammo can. These are essential in tightening up your stanchions before big rapids.

Here are the final few items you’d find in my can…

Dayquil/Ibuprofen
Emergen-C and Clif Bars
Pens and Sharpie
Band-Aids
Extra batteries
Gum

And last but not least…

Business Cards

Since I’m a professional (a professional who gets to raft down the river every day for work that is). And I want YOU to request ME for your next river trip with O.A.R.S.

The post What’s In YOUR Ammo Can? appeared first on River Currents.