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	<title>River Currents &#187; camping</title>
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	<description>The authoritative source in adventure travel by O.A.R.S. River Currents.</description>
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		<title>The Ultimate Camping Experience</title>
		<link>http://www.oars.com/blog/infographic-the-ultimate-camping-experience/</link>
		<comments>http://www.oars.com/blog/infographic-the-ultimate-camping-experience/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 15 Feb 2013 16:02:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Cari Morgan</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Advice]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[camping]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.oars.com/blog/?p=2684</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Camping can be a ton of work.  But what if it didn't have to be? Here's how to camp in comfort minus all the heavy lifting.</p><p>The post <a href="http://www.oars.com/blog/infographic-the-ultimate-camping-experience/">The Ultimate Camping Experience</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.oars.com/blog">River Currents</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h4>Camping in comfort without all the work</h4>
<p>Camping is a way for so many of us to unwind.  Yet, let&#8217;s be honest, it&#8217;s a ton of work for only a few days of outdoor bliss.</p>
<p>First, you have to hunt down all your gear, and make sure all the parts and pieces are in order.  Where the heck did you put the tent again?  Then you have to stock up on all the essentials for while you&#8217;re away (plenty of snacks, &#8220;adult refreshments,&#8221; S&#8217;mores fixings, and games, of course).  And finally, you have to figure out a way to cram it all into your car.  All that and you haven&#8217;t even arrived at your destination yet.</p>
<p>We all know what happens from there&#8230;the set-up.  Best if you arrive before dark, right?</p>
<p>A few days later it&#8217;s time to pack it all up again and bring your grimy gear home.  Which leads to about another week of post-camping bliss clean-up.</p>
<p>We&#8217;re with you though.  It&#8217;s so worth it.  We don&#8217;t mind all the work involved because we know all that packing, unpacking, and cleaning comes with big rewards.  Beautiful views, fresh air, great hikes, quality time with friends and family, good stories, campfires and so much more.</p>
<p>But what if it didn&#8217;t have to be like that?    What if somebody else did all the heavy lifting for you while you just kicked back and relaxed?</p>
<p>Finding a remote campsite away from &#8220;neighbors&#8221; of any kind?  Check.</p>
<p>Packing and unpacking all the gear?  Check.</p>
<p>Bringing along all the comforts of your kitchen, living room AND bathroom?  Check.</p>
<p>Cooking all your meals?  Check.</p>
<p>Well, let&#8217;s just say that it&#8217;s a very real possibility&#8230;</p>
<p><em>Check out the ultimate campsite infographic below or view the full-size version here:  <a title="Click here to see the ultimate campsite infographic." href="http://www.oars.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The-OARS-Camping-Experience.pdf" target="_blank">The OARS Camping Experience</a>.</em></p>
<p><a href="http://www.oars.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The-OARS-Camping-Experience.pdf"><img class="alignnone size-frontsize wp-image-2713" alt="camping-experience" src="http://www.oars.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/camping-experience-484x645.jpg" width="484" height="645" /></a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Related Articles:</strong></p>
<p><a title="5 Things you don't know about a river trip" href="http://www.oars.com/blog/5-things-you-probably-dont-know-about-a-river-trip/" target="_blank">5 Things You Probably Don&#8217;t Know About a River Trip</a></p>
<p><a title="Camping on a river trip" href="http://www.oars.com/blog/going-outside-your-comfort-zone-has-never-been-so-comfortable/" target="_blank">Going Outside of Your Comfort Zone Has Never Been So Comfortable</a></p>
<p><a title="5 Reasons Roughing it is for Schlubs" href="http://www.oars.com/blog/5-reasons-roughing-it-is-for-schlubs/" target="_blank">5 Reasons Roughing it is for Schlubs</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.oars.com/blog/infographic-the-ultimate-camping-experience/">The Ultimate Camping Experience</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.oars.com/blog">River Currents</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>5 Things You Probably Don&#8217;t Know About a River Trip</title>
		<link>http://www.oars.com/blog/5-things-you-probably-dont-know-about-a-river-trip/</link>
		<comments>http://www.oars.com/blog/5-things-you-probably-dont-know-about-a-river-trip/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 11 Feb 2013 16:15:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tricia Slavik</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Advice]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[camping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[River trip]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Yampa River rafting]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.oars.com/blog/?p=2587</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Considering an overnight river trip? Here are five good-to-know nuggets from an everyday Jane who’s been there, done that.</p><p>The post <a href="http://www.oars.com/blog/5-things-you-probably-dont-know-about-a-river-trip/">5 Things You Probably Don&#8217;t Know About a River Trip</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.oars.com/blog">River Currents</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>Considering an overnight river trip? Here are five good-to-know nuggets from an everyday Jane who’s been there, done that.</em></p>
<p><strong>1. River guides are no joke. Seriously.</strong></p>
<p>Before my first <a title="O.A.R.S." href="http://www.oars.com/" target="_blank">O.A.R.S. trip</a>, I had a pretty vivid picture in my mind of what our guide would be like: Someone college-aged in board shorts and a floppy hat who took his shirt off too often and said “dude” too much. Someone whose overpowering young, outdoorsy hipness would shine a big, fat spotlight on my age and ineptitude.</p>
<p>But I was wrong.</p>
<p>River guides are hard-working, talented, well-educated professionals. I recently had a guide who enthralled us for hours (yes, hours…enthralled!) with the history, geology and biology of the river. His subtle sense of humor that made things like “Morgan Formations” and “Merganser Ducks” seem like stand-up comedy. Plus he made a mean breakfast frittata.</p>
<p><strong>2. A boatload.</strong></p>
<p>The engineering feat that goes into packing a week’s supplies for 20+ people in a boat is absolutely mind-boggling. All the essentials, including drinking water, life vests, food (beer!), comforts like tents, Paco Pads, chairs and three square (and delicious!) meals per person per day gets stored in the bottom of a river raft . On our 5 day/4 night trip that meant 375 meals in total.</p>
<p>You’ll be glad it’s all there. And glad you’re not one of the guides who’s packing it all in! So pack light. You can practically live in a bathing suit and a pair of sweats. Really.</p>
<p><strong>3. Stranger danger.</strong></p>
<p>I was more than a bit apprehensive about hanging with two dozen strangers for five days. But the sense of community and camaraderie with my fellow travelers became one of the highlights of my experience. Even my kids would tell you that what they remember most was the evenings around the campfires telling stories and playing games.</p>
<p>O.A.R.S. knows that this group bonding is an essential part of the trip, which is why they have trip-specific websites for participants to share photos and stories and keep in touch when it’s over. (Speaking of…Hi Tom and all the boys from Minnesota!)</p>
<p><a href="http://www.oars.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Overlook.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-single wp-image-2595" alt="Yampa River Overlook" src="http://www.oars.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Overlook-653x433.jpg" width="653" height="433" /></a></p>
<p><strong>4. It’s polite to stare.</strong></p>
<p>On my trip, I sat and stared for hours on end—at the majestic canyons of the <a title="Yampa River" href="http://www.oars.com/colorado/yampariverrafting.html" target="_blank">Yampa River</a>, at the clouds, at the ripples of water moving ever-toward the shore, at the tops of my feet as they skimmed the river currents…and more frequently than I would like to admit, at the inside of my eyelids.</p>
<p>It was a much-needed mental break from everyday life letting my eyes glaze over and fixate on the tranquil beauty all around me.</p>
<p><strong>5. Taking care of business</strong></p>
<p>Everyone wants to know. But nobody actually wants to ask. I mean, you can’t hold it the entire time (especially with that ever-present sound of rushing water).</p>
<p>So here’s the dealio: It’s part of O.A.R.S.’ commitment to leave no trace in the delicate environments we travel in. So, while guides provide completely private privies, you must learn to pee and poo in two different locations—both of them outside.</p>
<p>Basically, liquids go in the river, while solids are along for the ride (see # 2 above, but try not to think too much about it). Without TMI (for your sake and mine!), I CAN tell you that the views from the commode are so outstanding that they almost take your mind off the task at hand.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Related Articles:</strong></p>
<p><a title="A self-proclaimed city girl goes camping" href="http://www.oars.com/blog/going-rogue-a-self-proclaimed-city-girl-goes-camping-for-the-first-time/" target="_blank">Going Rogue: A Self-proclaimed City Girl Goes Camping for the First Time</a></p>
<p><a title="Camping on a river trip" href="http://www.oars.com/blog/going-outside-your-comfort-zone-has-never-been-so-comfortable/" target="_blank">Going Outside of Your Comfort Zone Has Never Been So Comfortable</a></p>
<p><a title="5 Reasons Roughing it is for Schlubs" href="http://www.oars.com/blog/5-reasons-roughing-it-is-for-schlubs/" target="_blank">5 Reasons Roughing it is for Schlubs</a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.oars.com/blog/5-things-you-probably-dont-know-about-a-river-trip/">5 Things You Probably Don&#8217;t Know About a River Trip</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.oars.com/blog">River Currents</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Going Rogue: A Self-proclaimed City Girl Goes Camping for the First Time</title>
		<link>http://www.oars.com/blog/going-rogue-a-self-proclaimed-city-girl-goes-camping-for-the-first-time/</link>
		<comments>http://www.oars.com/blog/going-rogue-a-self-proclaimed-city-girl-goes-camping-for-the-first-time/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 21 Jan 2013 16:13:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dana McMahan</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Inspiration]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[camping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rogue River]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rogue River Rafting]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.oars.com/blog/?p=2345</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Food and travel writer, Dana McMahan, discovers that when it comes to creature comforts, camping on an O.A.R.S. adventure is a notch above.</p><p>The post <a href="http://www.oars.com/blog/going-rogue-a-self-proclaimed-city-girl-goes-camping-for-the-first-time/">Going Rogue: A Self-proclaimed City Girl Goes Camping for the First Time</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.oars.com/blog">River Currents</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h4>Food and travel writer, Dana McMahan, discovers that when it comes to creature comforts, camping on an O.A.R.S. adventure is a notch above.</h4>
<p>Pure wonder is rare as an adult . Not much in the world of manufactured entertainment takes our breath away. So when I raised my face from a splash in the pristine water of the swimming hole at Mule Creek to find five sets of brown eyes contemplating me, I gasped. One by one, the deer turned and made their surefooted way out of the creek, leaving me dripping and smiling.</p>
<p>Some people (me!) visit spas for luxury water treatments. But no spa has ever delivered such pure bliss as reclining on a water-smoothed stone in that creek, water surging over the rocks to pummel my back and cascading from a log over my hair. I bathed in the serene pool, the only sounds running water and birdsong. Reluctant to leave my sanctuary, I plucked wild blackberries. But it was time for coffee, so I hiked back to Mule Creek camp. If this is camping, I thought, I don’t know what I’ve been waiting for.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.oars.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/080516_Rogue_082.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-single wp-image-2355" alt="Rogue River Hiking" src="http://www.oars.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/080516_Rogue_082-653x435.jpg" width="653" height="435" /></a></p>
<p>Though stamps from across the globe fill my passport, I’m not a camper, nor an outdoor adventurer, preferring posh hotels. When I was invited to <a title="Rogue River Rafting" href="http://www.oars.com/oregon-rafting-hiking-vacations/rogueriverrafting.html" target="_blank">raft the Rogue River</a> for five days, my wanna-be adventurous side cheered while my high-maintenance side quaked at the thought. Could this city girl put up a tent? Sleep far from the comforts of home? Take on the whitewater rapids?</p>
<p>To my surprise and delight; yes.</p>
<p>I started off easy, relaxing on one of the gear rafts among the string of single and double kayaks. Doc, a long-time river guide, patiently answered my ceaseless questions about wildlife and rocks, trees and the river as he expertly rowed. After lunch where we left the last signs of civilization, I graduated to the paddle boat. We set out into a rapid and immediately launched a rescue, as a teenager behind us—his first time in a kayak—promptly capsized. We fought the powerful current back upstream. “Swim to me!” our guide shouted, then heaved the boy, dripping, into the raft.</p>
<p>Once at camp I pondered which guide to ask for help assembling my tent. I decided to try it myself first, though, and managed fine. I surveyed my little home; cushy sleeping pad on the tarp topped with a cozy sleeping bag and tiny pillow. Well satisfied I followed the scent of grilling meat down the hill to find a feast underway. All week the meals the crew conjured out of supplies stashed on the rafts astonished me. Enchiladas, stir fries, cobblers, eggs Benedict and French toast were just a few of our culinary treats along the Rogue.</p>
<p>Sipping cold drinks the campers lounged in chairs set in the translucent green river, swirling our feet in the cool water as fish darted about our ankles. Despite promises of a brilliant display of stars, I soon curled up in my tent, asleep before dark. I caught the last glimmer of stars before they faded though, as chattering birds woke me before dawn.</p>
<p>“Coffee’s brewing,” Doc promised. An abundant breakfast followed coffee, and with great efficiency the crew packed up. “Last call for the groover,” shouted a guide and we laughed—we all knew what that meant. Foremost on my mind before embarking on this adventure was the bathroom question. I tried to assuage my concerns, recalling unspeakable toilets in southeast Asia and Africa—surely it couldn’t be worse. In fact, this was preferable. A guide provided a guided tour of the “facilities” the first afternoon, casually addressing bodily functions. “Women pee in the bucket, men pee in the river.” Said bucket came complete with a small seat and lid. “I don’t want to see any turds or toilet paper,” she went on. “That goes in the groover.” A wooden screen offered privacy, and a distant location ensured no olfactory distress for others. (Outhouses a couple nights later were a little less wholesome, sending all of us to the river for number one.)</p>
<p><a href="http://www.oars.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Rogue3.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-single wp-image-2347" alt="Rogue River Kayaking" src="http://www.oars.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Rogue3-653x435.jpg" width="653" height="435" /></a></p>
<p>Groover business tended to, it was time to hit the Rogue. Today I’d navigate in my own kayak. I headed out, heart pounding at the prospect of tumbling into the seething cauldron of a rapid. I paddled madly through my first one and sailed out to find a bald eagle perched overhead, solemnly observing our escapades.</p>
<p>The rapids weren&#8217;t the only adventures, though. Afternoon hikes led us through fearsome trails that I’d never have broached without a trusty guide leading the way, often culminating in kids and adults alike flinging themselves off high rocks into swirling water, to the merriment of all. In a moment I’ll never forget, I joined a few intrepid souls at a natural water slide in the secret depths of the forest. We scrambled up a rope then plummeted into the clear, dark pool, where we popped up like otters, laughing our heads off. How great is it, I thought daily, that we are so gleeful just jumping off a rock and splashing around in water?</p>
<p>Further delight still came with evenings at camp where we gathered to munch on appetizers—toasted bruschetta with caprese salad anyone?—and swap tales. We’d recount the day’s adventures, laughing uproariously at the guide who dumped all her passengers and mooned the rest of us in the rescue. And as dark settled on the tall pines, we’d tear into a well-earned dinner. Evening entertainment often featured games; while the kids played cards, “Two Truths and a Lie” was popular among the adult set. A hotly contested Connect Four game might erupt between a teen and a guide at any moment.</p>
<p>With a final night’s game of Postcards, the trip leader instructed us to describe a favorite image from the trip, the caption, and who we’d deliver it to. I chose my dawn encounter with deer. But as I described it, I realized my postcard would go to this group. Strangers five days ago, the people around me felt like friends and family now, and that’s who I wanted to share my magical moment with.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Related Articles:</strong></p>
<p><a title="Camping " href="http://www.oars.com/blog/5-reasons-roughing-it-is-for-schlubs/" target="_blank">5 Reasons Roughing it is for Schlubs</a></p>
<p><a title="Camping comfort" href="http://www.oars.com/blog/going-outside-your-comfort-zone-has-never-been-so-comfortable/" target="_blank">Going Outside Your Comfort Zone Has Never Been So Easy</a></p>
<p><a title="Camping" href="http://www.oars.com/blog/confessionsof-a-first-time-rafting-trip-paddler/" target="_blank">Confessions of a First-time Rafting Trip Paddler</a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.oars.com/blog/going-rogue-a-self-proclaimed-city-girl-goes-camping-for-the-first-time/">Going Rogue: A Self-proclaimed City Girl Goes Camping for the First Time</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.oars.com/blog">River Currents</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Don&#8217;t Let This 80-Year-Old Call You A Wimp</title>
		<link>http://www.oars.com/blog/wilderness-rafting-trip-dont-let-this-80-year-old-call-you-a-wimp/</link>
		<comments>http://www.oars.com/blog/wilderness-rafting-trip-dont-let-this-80-year-old-call-you-a-wimp/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 11 Oct 2012 22:21:44 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Reid Williams</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Advice]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[camping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[RIVER TRIPS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WHITEWATER RAFTING]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.oars.com/blog/?p=1105</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>O.A.R.S.'s oldest customer shares 'can-do' advice for travelers hesitant to try out a multi-day wilderness rafting trip. If he can do it, well ...</p><p>The post <a href="http://www.oars.com/blog/wilderness-rafting-trip-dont-let-this-80-year-old-call-you-a-wimp/">Don&#8217;t Let This 80-Year-Old Call You A Wimp</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.oars.com/blog">River Currents</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h3>Actually, he wouldn&#8217;t. He&#8217;s a nice guy.</h3>
<p>In fact, all his words amount to encouragement if you&#8217;re on the fence considering whether or not you&#8217;ll like a <a href="http://www.oars.com/rafting.html">wilderness rafting trip</a>.</p>
<p>You might be worried about this or that, but you needn&#8217;t worry at all, says Michael Lanning.</p>
<p>&#8220;The main reason is, in rafting, there are a number of options,&#8221; Lanning says. &#8220;You can really make it your trip.&#8221;</p>
<p>Mr. Lanning knows what he&#8217;s talking about. Last summer, he ran the <a href="http://www.oars.com/california/tuolumnerafting.html" target="_blank">Tuolumne River</a> with his family. Shortly thereafter, he celebrated his 80th birthday.</p>
<p>&#8220;I even took my wife along,&#8221; he explains. &#8220;She&#8217;s 83.&#8221;</p>
<p>Lanning took his first whitewater river trip in 1966, in old Navy &#8220;crash&#8221; boats down the <a href="http://www.oars.com/idaho/salmonriverrafting.html" target="_blank">Salmon River</a>. He&#8217;s kept at it ever since, ticking off rivers throughout the West.</p>
<p>He&#8217;s organized trips for church youth groups and <a href="http://www.oars.com/adventures_just_for_you/scouts.html" target="_blank">Boy Scouts</a>, introducing thousands of people to the joys of river travel and camping.</p>
<p>It doesn&#8217;t have to be crazy, he assures.</p>
<p>&#8220;One can really exert oneself, be in a paddle boat and be in on the action and thrill,&#8221; Lanning says. &#8220;Or you can be in an oar boat and be a tourist, taking pictures.&#8221;</p>
<p>The 4 other areas of concern that Lanning has heard over the years? He&#8217;s got thoughts on each:</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Getting out of the boat</h3>
<p>For older travelers, he says, footing is the biggest concern. &#8220;You&#8217;re not as sure of yourself,&#8221; he says. But, that&#8217;s what <a href="http://www.oars.com/about_us/our_guides.html" target="_blank">guides</a> are there for, to help. They expect to do it. And, for the most part, the sandy beaches where raft trips stop are pretty easy to get around.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Staying clean</h3>
<p>&#8220;You&#8217;re clean all the time — it&#8217;s not like camping,&#8221; Lanning says. &#8220;You&#8217;re constantly clean, because you&#8217;re on the river.&#8221; He also believes people are pleasantly surprised by bathroom etiquette on river trips. &#8220;I tell them the <a href="http://www.oars.com/blog/3-things-to-know-about-going-to-the-bathroom-in-the-woods/" target="_blank">restrooms</a> are extremely clean and very handy,&#8221; he says. &#8220;They get a kick out of it.&#8221;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.oars.com/blog/wilderness-rafting-trip-dont-let-this-80-year-old-call-you-a-wimp/tuolumne_camp/" rel="attachment wp-att-1659"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1659" title="Tuolumne Riverside Camp" src="http://www.oars.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Tuolumne_Camp.jpg" alt="Tuolumne Riverside Camp" width="903" height="600" /></a> </p>
<h3>Sleeping</h3>
<p>On this most recent trip, Lanning learned that two twenty-somethings had never slept in a sleeping bag. &#8220;Some folks have no experience getting a little primitive, and this can be a <a href="http://www.oars.com/blog/going-outside-your-comfort-zone-has-never-been-so-comfortable/" target="_blank">worry</a>,&#8221; he says. &#8220;Usually, they find they sleep better than they do at home.&#8221; For himself, Lanning even prefers to shun the tent in favor of a night&#8217;s rest beneath the stars, noting there are few insects to be found along the sandy beaches.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>The food</h3>
<p>You don&#8217;t get to the age of 80 without being health-conscious, and that goes for diet, too. Lanning says people are shocked at <a href="http://www.oars.com/gourmet" target="_blank">what fare is possible on a river trip</a>. &#8220;You&#8217;re eating fresh food the whole time,&#8221; he says. &#8220;It&#8217;s very nutritious, and there&#8217;s amazing variety, including the desserts. It&#8217;s one of the things the guides are proudest of.&#8221;</p>
<p>If that&#8217;s still not enough to persuade a would-be river traveler, Lanning appeals to your sense of exclusivity and history. How would you like to stand where no one&#8217;s stood since Native Americans passed through? How about a hike that only a couple dozen people see in any year? How about camping on a sandy beach reserved just for your group?</p>
<p>&#8220;And just the sound of the water,&#8221; he says, &#8220;and the sound of the trees, and the clear, clear skies.&#8221;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h5>What keeps you from venturing out on a wilderness river trip? Got advice from your own rafting experiences? Let us know in the comments below.</h5>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.oars.com/blog/wilderness-rafting-trip-dont-let-this-80-year-old-call-you-a-wimp/">Don&#8217;t Let This 80-Year-Old Call You A Wimp</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.oars.com/blog">River Currents</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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			<media:title type="html"><![CDATA[Tuolumne Riverside Camp]]></media:title>
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		<title>5 Of The Best River Campsites In The World</title>
		<link>http://www.oars.com/blog/5-of-the-best-river-campsites-in-the-world/</link>
		<comments>http://www.oars.com/blog/5-of-the-best-river-campsites-in-the-world/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 20 Jul 2012 07:00:45 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Reid Williams</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Destinations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[camping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[RIVER TRIPS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WHITEWATER RAFTING]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.oars.com/blog/?p=1154</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Check out a few photos of some of the roof-less places you could be snoozing — Alaska, Idaho, Chile, Utah, the Grand Canyon, to name a few.</p><p>The post <a href="http://www.oars.com/blog/5-of-the-best-river-campsites-in-the-world/">5 Of The Best River Campsites In The World</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.oars.com/blog">River Currents</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Some of the most beautiful places in the world are only accessible via raft and river.</p>
<p>And, to pitch a tent there — or better yet, just to sprawl out and slumber beneath the stars — is soul food of a sort you never forget.</p>
<p>Take this photo above, as our first example. </p>
<p>Join us on the <a href="http://www.oars.com/alaska/tatshenshini.html" target="_blank">Tatshenshini River</a> for 11 nights just like this: snow-capped peaks, glacial blue waters burbling not far from your bed. How many friends would perk up as you began to recount camping on a river beach in Alaska?</p>
<p><a href="http://www.oars.com/blog/?attachment_id=1176" rel="attachment wp-att-1176"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1176" title="Pancho's Kitchen" src="http://www.oars.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Panchos-Kitchen.jpg" alt="Pancho's Kitchen" width="635" height="441" /></a></p>
<p>On the <a href="http://www.oars.com/grandcanyon" target="_blank">Grand Canyon</a>, there are almost too many marvelous campsites to pick a winner. But, if you get a chance to spend the night at Pancho&#8217;s Kitchen, you won&#8217;t soon forget it. This geological feature is a curious sight, to say the least.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.oars.com/blog/?attachment_id=1157" rel="attachment wp-att-1157"><img class="size-full wp-image-1157 alignnone" title="Feeling Good On The Fu" src="http://www.oars.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Feeling-Good-On-The-Fu.jpg" alt="Feeling Good On The Fu" width="635" height="423" /></a></p>
<p>Campsites with incredible vistas aren&#8217;t limited to rivers in the U.S. Take a trip down to <a href="http://www.oars.com/chile" target="_blank">Chile&#8217;s Rio Futaleufu</a>. Yes, those would be Andean peaks within view of the riverside hot tub.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.oars.com/blog/?attachment_id=1158" rel="attachment wp-att-1158"><img class="size-full wp-image-1158 alignnone" title="Your Own Private Idaho Beach" src="http://www.oars.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Your-Own-Private-Idaho-Beach.jpg" alt="Your Own Private Idaho Beach" width="635" height="422" /></a></p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.oars.com/idaho/lowersalmon.html" target="_blank">Lower Salmon River in Idaho</a> is probably the perfect family-friendly rafting trip — just the right amount of whitewater, the perfect helping of floating, swimming and playing. Not uncommon to throw up a volleyball net at the campsites here, as there are football field-sized beaches everywhere.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.oars.com/blog/?attachment_id=1159" rel="attachment wp-att-1159"><img class="size-full wp-image-1159 alignnone" title="Starry Yampa Sky" src="http://www.oars.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Starry-Yampa-Sky.jpg" alt="Starry Yampa Sky" width="635" height="423" /></a></p>
<p>We&#8217;re all guilty of forgetting to look up often enough and soak up the starlight. You can&#8217;t miss it, though, on the clear nights you spend on the beach along the <a href="http://www.oars.com/utah/yampariverrafting.html" target="_blank">Yampa River</a>. You&#8217;ll wonder if the giant lizards that give Dinosaur National Monument its name paused to consider this beautiful universe, too.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h5>Where is your favorite campsite? Got a photo of your own to share? Drop us a note in the comments below.</h5>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.oars.com/blog/5-of-the-best-river-campsites-in-the-world/">5 Of The Best River Campsites In The World</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.oars.com/blog">River Currents</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>5 Places You Won&#8217;t Believe You Find Sand After A River Trip</title>
		<link>http://www.oars.com/blog/5-places-you-wont-believe-you-find-sand-after-a-river-trip/</link>
		<comments>http://www.oars.com/blog/5-places-you-wont-believe-you-find-sand-after-a-river-trip/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 09 Jul 2012 20:37:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Reid Williams</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Advice]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[camping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rafting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[river gear]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[RIVER TRIPS]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.oars.com/blog/?p=1069</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Hardly a real nuisance, sand will show up in places you least expect it, long after you return home from your wilderness river adventure.</p><p>The post <a href="http://www.oars.com/blog/5-places-you-wont-believe-you-find-sand-after-a-river-trip/">5 Places You Won&#8217;t Believe You Find Sand After A River Trip</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.oars.com/blog">River Currents</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>You&#8217;re going to take home more than pictures from your <a href="http://www.oars.com/wildandscenic" target="_blank">wilderness river adventure</a>.</p>
<p>These souvenirs will be tucked into crevices you might have forgotten you had.</p>
<p>We all have these hidey-holes, flaps, cracks and nooks that will remind us, hopefully only as long after as our first shower back in civilization, just how far out in the wilds we traveled, and what good clean fun it was getting a little bit dirty.</p>
<p>You will find sand in:</p>
<ol>
<li>
<p><strong>Your hair.</strong> Unless you&#8217;re used to a large, granular form of dandruff, this will be noticeable, no doubt. Depending on the thickness, curliness and natural oiliness of your hair, this should come out in exactly 1.5 shampoos. We hear that Vidal Sassoon was working on a special variety of conditioner just for <a href="http://www.oars.com/about_us/our_guides.html" target="_blank">raft guides</a> and their guests, right before his untimely passing. We fear this secret formula may have departed with him.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Your belly button.</strong> Like the cotton lint of new T-shirts and your pajamas (yes, we know you wear the ones with the footies), you&#8217;ll be mining sand out of here. Yes, we know. This is just weird. Belly buttons are weird. Let&#8217;s move on. Slight pause, as the &#8220;outies&#8221; shout &#8220;yes!&#8221; in triumph of not having to worry about this.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Your shoes.</strong> Lots of folks wear a pair of sneakers on river trips. This is fine, except the perhaps largest deficiency they have compared to a good pair of sandals becomes evident after the trip: They will <em>never</em> stop producing sand. You&#8217;ll shake and beat them. You&#8217;ll remove the insoles and brush them. You&#8217;ll wash them. And they will never stop producing sand, almost like dunking them in the river has turned them into magical, foot-borne sand factories.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Your tooth brush.</strong> Maybe this is just me, I don&#8217;t know. But, despite a tooth brush case, protected by a toiletry case, wrapped into a towel, inside a dry bag, I have at least one crunchy bicuspid-cleaning moment per <a href="http://www.oars.com/rafting.html" target="_blank">river trip</a> and find myself wondering why the CIA doesn&#8217;t use sand to infiltrate the headquarters of our enemies around the world.<img class="alignright size-full wp-image-1074" title="Beach Life" src="http://www.oars.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Beach-Life.jpg" alt="Beach Life" width="300" height="200" /></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Your ears.</strong> Yeah, I know, you&#8217;d think you&#8217;d feel this. You&#8217;d think it&#8217;d come out the first time you Q-tipped the heck out of them upon your return. This is a wonder worthy of a Nova episode, really, because incredibly, as much as a week later, you&#8217;ll feel a tickle tumbling out of your cochlea, and tilting your head into your cupped hand, there it will be: a silicon dioxide souvenir.</p>
</li>
</ol>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>I once worked at a Japanese restaurant — don&#8217;t ask why; it was before I discovered whitewater — and I used to be amazed at the places I would find rice had worked its way into. And, I&#8217;m not talking about cracks in the soles of my shoes. I&#8217;m talking about places, I thought, that had been protected by layers and layers of clothing.</p>
<p>But, no, there it was, hours later, sticky proof of where I&#8217;d been and what I&#8217;d been doing.</p>
<p>I mention this not as a wacky aside, because I know it&#8217;s a little bit gross, but to paint a picture for those high on <a href="http://www.oars.com/blog/4-substitutes-for-a-shower-on-a-multi-day-river-trip" target="_blank">the hygiene-need scale</a> that, while a little sand in places that never truly touched the beach might be nettlesome, it could be worse. Rafting is way more fun than a bowl of rice in your Fruit of the Looms.</p>
<h5>Are you still finding sand in your river gear? Tell us about that trip, and any tips for dealing with such challenges in the comments below.</h5>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.oars.com/blog/5-places-you-wont-believe-you-find-sand-after-a-river-trip/">5 Places You Won&#8217;t Believe You Find Sand After A River Trip</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.oars.com/blog">River Currents</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Multi-Day River Trips: The Ideal Family Vacation</title>
		<link>http://www.oars.com/blog/multi-day-river-trips-ideal-family-vacation-indubitably/</link>
		<comments>http://www.oars.com/blog/multi-day-river-trips-ideal-family-vacation-indubitably/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 25 Jun 2012 16:12:02 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Steve Markle</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Advice]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bonding]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[campfires]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[camping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[family vacation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fun]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[memories]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[relaxing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[stories]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WHITEWATER RAFTING]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.oars.com/blog/?p=989</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Here are 9 reasons you might consider a multi-day family rafting trip as the perfect answer to your next vacation.</p><p>The post <a href="http://www.oars.com/blog/multi-day-river-trips-ideal-family-vacation-indubitably/">Multi-Day River Trips: The Ideal Family Vacation</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.oars.com/blog">River Currents</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Every day on a multi-day river trip is a sequence of potential moment-in-a-lifetime memories.</p>
<p>Every family has them: &#8220;That one time&#8221; when dad said &#8230; that time your brother fell and &#8230; that day mom found &#8230;</p>
<p>Fill in the blanks with your family&#8217;s unique history that will come up at all the get-togethers down the line and get passed on to the next generation.</p>
<p>A multi-day river trip has so many opportunities for that sort of bonding, and it really is so easy to do, it&#8217;s hard to think of a better way to spend a vacation.</p>
<p>I&#8217;m biased, of course, but consider all these reasons a family rafting trip is just plain perfect:</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>No connectivity.</h3>
<p>Sometimes you have to disconnect to reconnect. On a river trip cell phone&#8217;s don&#8217;t work. Checking email or playing video games is not an option. All of a sudden you find yourself talking, laughing and enjoying the simple pleasures of uninterrupted time together.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Worry-free camping.</h3>
<p>We know the ideal spots. We bring the gear, and we know it all works. You just have to show up.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Guides do the cooking.</h3>
<p>And we&#8217;re not talking beans and weenies, here. This is gourmet stuff. You just have to eat, and wash off your plate.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Dutch oven desserts.</h3>
<p>If you&#8217;ve never had this guilty pleasure, well, you&#8217;ll just have to. Let&#8217;s just say you&#8217;ll be amazed at what&#8217;s possible.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Sunrise and sunset over canyon walls.</h3>
<p>Cameras struggle to capture these rose, crimson, amber and gold hues. You need to see them yourself, and then see that loved one basking in the view, too.</p>
<h3> </h3>
<h3>Star-filled skies.</h3>
<p>We forget what light pollution is doing to our night-time view until we get a few hundred miles off into the wild. When&#8217;s the last time your kids saw the purple wisps of the Milky Way?</p>
<p> <a href="http://www.oars.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Dont-Fall.jpg"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-996" title="Don't Fall!" src="http://www.oars.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Dont-Fall.jpg" alt="Don't Fall!" width="300" height="200" /></a></p>
<h3>Beach games, nature walks, fishing and catching salamanders.</h3>
<p>You get plenty of free time at camp, and we have yet to hear anyone say, &#8220;I&#8217;m bored.&#8221; It&#8217;s way more than raft-eat-sleep if you do a multi-day river trip right.</p>
<h3> </h3>
<h3>Campfire stories.</h3>
<p>You&#8217;ll have plenty to tell, and we can guarantee our guides spin an interesting yarn or three. We&#8217;ll bring the marshmallows, too.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Falling asleep beside rushing waters.</h3>
<p>There&#8217;s white noise, and then there&#8217;s whitewater noise. These nights on the banks of the river will be filled with the kind of slumber you&#8217;ve been craving — the whole family has.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h5>But what about you? What makes the perfect vacation for your family? Give us some ideas in the comments below.</h5>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.oars.com/blog/multi-day-river-trips-ideal-family-vacation-indubitably/">Multi-Day River Trips: The Ideal Family Vacation</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.oars.com/blog">River Currents</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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			<media:title type="html"><![CDATA[Don&#8217;t Fall!]]></media:title>
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		<title>5 Reasons Roughing it is for Schlubs</title>
		<link>http://www.oars.com/blog/5-reasons-roughing-it-is-for-schlubs/</link>
		<comments>http://www.oars.com/blog/5-reasons-roughing-it-is-for-schlubs/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 19 Jun 2012 02:37:54 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ben Curnett</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Advice]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[adventure travel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[camping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gourmet]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[luxury]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rogue River trips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[roughing it]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sleeping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WHITEWATER RAFTING]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wine tasting]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.oars.com/blog/?p=975</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Some people take pride in suffering through their outdoor adventure. Those aren't the people you find on our trips. There is such a thing as luxury in the wild.</p><p>The post <a href="http://www.oars.com/blog/5-reasons-roughing-it-is-for-schlubs/">5 Reasons Roughing it is for Schlubs</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.oars.com/blog">River Currents</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h4>Take a river trip, but do it <em>in style</em>.</h4>
<p>Roughing it? If you’re rafting on a river trip somewhere and “roughing it,” you’re doing it wrong.</p>
<p>Go totally 5-star when you get on a river trip and never look back. Here’s why:</p>
<h3>River Food</h3>
<p>Ramen noodles? Try <a href="http://www.oars.com/gourmet">Rogue River gourmet rafting</a> instead (as just one example). Food on a river trip should be as delicious as the trip itself. Don’t skip the fine dining just because you’re a million miles from civilization.</p>
<h3><a href="http://www.oars.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Food10.jpg"><img class="alignright  wp-image-1017" title="No ramen allowed" alt="" src="http://www.oars.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Food10.jpg" width="373" height="560" /></a></h3>
<h3>River Beverages</h3>
<p>Wine’s nice. <a href="http://www.oars.com/our_adventures/winetrips">Wine tasting</a> with a premier vineyard as you sit riverside and sip the nectar of the gods is really nice. Or do the same thing with <a href="http://www.oars.com/beer-tasting">craft beer</a>. That works, too.</p>
<h3>River Beds</h3>
<p>Sure, you could sleep on the ground with a tree root for a pillow. But why? You’ll be much happier in the very cushy digs around some of the <a href="http://www.oars.com/rafting.html">world’s greatest campsites</a>. Trust us on this.</p>
<h3>River Equipment</h3>
<p>Going down a river in your brother-in-law’s canoe is one thing. Floating in <a href="http://www.oars.com/our_adventures/river_ratings.html">top-of-the-line rafts and hand-crafted dories</a> is something else entirely. Also top-of-the-line: the guides.</p>
<h3>Cargo</h3>
<p>OK, this one’s cheating a little, but here’s a secret: River trips are like car camping without the car. Meaning, you don’t have to carry your stuff on your back. That’s what the boats are for.</p>
<p>It’s really not much of a choice.</p>
<p>Go plush when you go on the river. You’ll never, ever regret it.</p>
<h5>Have a question about how, exactly, not to rough it? Leave it in the comments. <img src='http://www.oars.com/blog/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> </h5>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.oars.com/blog/5-reasons-roughing-it-is-for-schlubs/">5 Reasons Roughing it is for Schlubs</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.oars.com/blog">River Currents</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>20 Reasons Why A Rafting Trip Is The Perfect Family Getaway</title>
		<link>http://www.oars.com/blog/20-reasons-why-a-rafting-trip-is-the-perfect-family-getaway/</link>
		<comments>http://www.oars.com/blog/20-reasons-why-a-rafting-trip-is-the-perfect-family-getaway/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 11 Jun 2012 07:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ben Curnett</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Advice]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[boats]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[camping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cell phones]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[family vacation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[guides]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[iPods]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rafting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rapids]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[value]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.oars.com/blog/?p=963</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>There are probably a 100 reasons that a rafting trip is the best kind of family vacation you can take, but here are just enough to swallow with lunch.</p><p>The post <a href="http://www.oars.com/blog/20-reasons-why-a-rafting-trip-is-the-perfect-family-getaway/">20 Reasons Why A Rafting Trip Is The Perfect Family Getaway</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.oars.com/blog">River Currents</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>You don’t have much time.</p>
<p>No one does. It’s why vacations are so important. You’ve got to make every second count.</p>
<p>But you don’t want to be in “hurry up and relax”-mode the whole time.</p>
<p>You want something to do with your family that everyone’s going to like. And it can’t be all tourist-trap-y.</p>
<p>You need some real-deal vacation time.</p>
<p>Well, I’m here to give you the answer: white water rafting.</p>
<p>Seriously. Scenery? It doesn’t get better than a white water river. Fun? Throw buckets of water on your kids all day … ‘nuff said.</p>
<p>Adventure. Relaxation. Great food (no lie, the food is a highlight). A river trip has it all.</p>
<p>Here are 20 reasons why a rafting trip is the perfect family getaway:</p>
<ol>
<li>
<p>Incredible <strong>value</strong>, and all-inclusive price (no extra fees for parking, meals, or ride tickets).</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Getting hit with <strong>waves</strong> from all sides is ridiculously fun.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>If they don’t already, your kids will think you are the god of <strong>awesomeness</strong> for booking the trip.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>There are pools between rapids for <strong>swimming</strong>, water fighting and relaxing.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Your <strong>guides</strong> are just about the nicest, funniest, coolest people on earth.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Food</strong> is somewhere between incredible and amazing.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>It’s good for the <strong>spirit</strong> to spend time on moving water.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Two words you’ll <strong>never hear</strong> on a river trip: I’m bored.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Rapids</strong> come in all sizes; we take you to the ones that are family-size.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>You will get at least one <strong>photo</strong> that will be a guaranteed wall-hanger.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>The sound of rushing <strong>rapids + laughter</strong> is one your family will never forget.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>The family that <strong>splashes</strong> together stays together.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>You can push your much-loved <strong>family</strong> members into the river.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Absolutely <strong>no iPods</strong>, iPads, iPhones, icomputers, or idistractions allowed.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>If your kids <strong>get messy</strong> at lunch, just chuck them in the river.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Tame enough <strong>for mom</strong>, exciting enough for dad (or vice-versa, about half the time).</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Your guides take care of everything for you; your only job is to have <strong>fun</strong>.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Prepping</strong> a family for a river trip is easy, and we help by giving you all the info you need.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Along with the fun, there’s a lot to <strong>learn</strong> out on river trips. Families love that part.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>There is nothing — absolutely nothing — half so much <strong>worth doing</strong> as simply messing about in boats.</p>
</li>
</ol>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Ok, I stole that last one from the “The Wind In The Willows.” But still, totally true.</p>
<h5>Fact: Family river trips rule. And those are just 20 reasons. Got more? Throw us a comment.</h5>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.oars.com/blog/20-reasons-why-a-rafting-trip-is-the-perfect-family-getaway/">20 Reasons Why A Rafting Trip Is The Perfect Family Getaway</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.oars.com/blog">River Currents</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>You Can Handle The Rapids, But Can You Handle The Beer?</title>
		<link>http://www.oars.com/blog/you-can-handle-the-rapids-but-can-you-handle-the-beer/</link>
		<comments>http://www.oars.com/blog/you-can-handle-the-rapids-but-can-you-handle-the-beer/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 16 May 2012 18:59:32 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Cari Morgan</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Destinations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[camping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[craft beer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gourmet meals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Scott Saulsbury]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Souther Oregon Brewing Company]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WHITEWATER RAFTING]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.oars.com/blog/?p=670</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Scott Saulsbury, head brewer for Southern Oregon Brewing Company, grew up rafting portions of the Rogue River, but never had the chance to take a multi-day trip until last year with O.A.R.S. Even better, he got to bring along 10 kegs of beer and a chef to help make the experience unforgettable.</p><p>The post <a href="http://www.oars.com/blog/you-can-handle-the-rapids-but-can-you-handle-the-beer/">You Can Handle The Rapids, But Can You Handle The Beer?</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.oars.com/blog">River Currents</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>Scott Saulsbury, head brewer for <a href="http://www.sobrewing.com/" target="_blank">Southern Oregon Brewing Company</a>, grew up <a href="http://www.oars.com/oregon-rafting-hiking-vacations/rogueriverrafting.html" target="_blank">rafting portions of the Rogue River</a>, but never had the chance to take a multi-day trip until last year with O.A.R.S. Even better, he got to bring along 10 kegs of beer and a chef to help make the experience unforgettable.</em></p>
<p><em>Cari Morgan talks beer, steak and “football” on the river with Scott below.</em></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Tell me about Southern Oregon Brewing Company. What do you guys specialize in?</strong></p>
<p>We’re a 20-barrel, 4-vessel brew house in Medford, OR. It’s more of a production brewery, but we do have a tasting room that is attached to it. Primarily our three main flavors are a Porter, an IPA and a Czech Pilsner. We have rotating seasonals, occasionally special beers, and things like that.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>What got you interested in making beer?</strong></p>
<p>It was April of 1993 when I got my first brewing job. I needed to find some employment and I sort of hit the wave — it was that first wave of the <a href="http://www.oars.com/beer-tasting" target="_blank">craft brew</a> scene in the early 90’s and I ended up over at Deschutes Brewery in Bend, OR. Then, in 2008 I hooked up with Tom Hammond and another friend of mine, Anders Johansen, who did the set up for Southern Oregon Brewing, and I just stuck around.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Now the craft brew scene is making it to the great outdoors. When you got invited to be the brewer on an <a href="http://www.oars.com/beer-tasting" target="_blank">O.A.R.S. Craft Beer Tasting trip</a>, what went through your head?</strong></p>
<p>Kind of funny, right before the offer came through, my wife and I had seen an article in Sunset Magazine about <a href="http://www.oars.com/oregon-rafting-hiking-vacations/rogueriverrafting.html" target="_blank">O.A.R.S. trips down the Rogue</a>. We were kind of joking around about how nice it would be to do something like that. It was serendipitous to say the least.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-671" title="Southern Oregon Brewing Company" src="http://www.oars.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/SouthernOregonBrewingCo.jpg" alt="Southern Oregon Brewing Company" width="200" height="200" />What’s the Rogue like?</strong></p>
<p>I grew up in Grants Pass, OR, but I had never been down the <a href="http://www.oars.com/oregon-rafting-hiking-vacations/rogueriverrafting.html" target="_blank">Wild &amp; Scenic Rogue</a>, so it was a treat. It’s really a fun one. I know there are bigger whitewater rivers out there, but it’s pretty fantastically beautiful.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>What was your craft beer river trip like?</strong></p>
<p>I did all draft, so I brought a bunch of kegs and a jockey box, which is sort of a cooler converted into a draft device. I had all sorts of concerns about keeping it cold and whether it was going to work right. But it was fantastic, and worked really smooth. And we had a great bunch of people. About half of the crew was from Australia, and they came specifically for the beer, so they were hilarious.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>How much beer did you bring?</strong></p>
<p>We brought ten, 5-gallon kegs. Fifty gallons of beer for 3 nights and it was consumed down to the last pint on the last night by the Australians. They weren’t messing around. There’s eight pints in a gallon, so that’s 400 pints of beer!</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Why does beer taste so good after a day on the river?</strong></p>
<p>As a brewer, a beer tastes good almost all the time. But on the river, you’re not drinking during the day, and you’re out in the sun. We stopped around 4:30 p.m. every day, whipped out the beer and everyone was pretty eager to have that first one.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>And then you throw in good food, too. What can people anticipate in terms of food on an O.A.R.S. Craft Beer Tasting Adventure?</strong></p>
<p>The O.A.R.S. food is amazing to begin with and then you add on a chef doing a 5-course meal every night. You come away having gained about 15 pounds. Last year, Dave Georgeson from Larks Restaurant did a porter marinade with some steaks that was just fantastic. But he also brought along a ton of appetizers like crab cakes that were great with the lighter beer. I can’t even remember the other appetizers we ate so much food.</p>
<p>This fellow Neil Clooney, who’s going to be coming this year, is from a place called Smithfields in Ashland, OR. He specializes in meats. We’ll probably end up pairing a lighter cleaner beer with appetizers and then sort of move down the ladder to the hoppier, sweeter, thicker beers with the main courses and desserts. But he’ll also want to cook with the beer, so he’ll probably make some marinades.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Since the Rogue was your first trip with O.A.R.S., what were you most surprised about?</strong></p>
<p>There was definitely a level of competence that put everyone at ease. That was a really nice bonus to get to just sit back and sort of enjoy the ride and get the whole excitement of rafting without the fear of drowning part, or anything like that. I was pretty amazed. It was really well run. If there were any special needs the guides were really cool about it. It was a great trip. Everyone seemed to have a really good time. There were several couples, a family and then the wacky guys from Australia. Everyone had a blast.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Best moment from your trip?</strong></p>
<p>We spent an entire morning learning the Australian rules for football and that was pretty fun. There was a lot of splash fights, and jumping off of rocks. Nothing too crazy. It was just super relaxing and nice to unplug.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>If folks want to go, which O.A.R.S. Craft Beer Tasting trips will you be on this summer?</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.oars.com/oregon-rafting-hiking-vacations/rogueriverrafting.html" target="_blank">The Rogue</a> – June 3-6 and June 24-27.</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.oars.com/blog/you-can-handle-the-rapids-but-can-you-handle-the-beer/">You Can Handle The Rapids, But Can You Handle The Beer?</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.oars.com/blog">River Currents</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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