Maybe you do the same.

Not all the time, of course. But when the challenges of everyday life bottleneck with complaining teens, I often uncork the nearest bottle (OK, who am I kidding—there’s always an uncorked bottle in my house!) and pour myself a glass of instant stress relief.

So when a friend invited me on a wine tasting and gourmet  river trip, I jumped at the chance. (“Duh. Like…TOTALLY!” was my actual response. I obviously need a getaway from teenagers.)

The grapes of wrath

I’ll be the first to admit that wine is my passion, my profession, my hobby and—sometimes—my best friend. Sharing a great bottle of Sauvignon Blanc with friends is one of my favorite pastimes. Sipping a glass of Syrah with dinner is my reward for a hectic day. And on my last whitewater rafting trip I left my bestie at home.

You see, last summer, I declared our rafting trip down the Yampa and Green rivers in Utah a “screen free” adventure—no computers, iPads, Gameboys or cell phones. For two ever-connected teens, it was a hard sell. But I was adamant that we have quality “together time.”

The whining began immediately.

Still, my kids are no dummies and mastered the art of negotiation early. If they were going to give up their vices, I had to give up mine.

And so we spent 5 days and 4 nights without the things we loved (aside from each other, of course). And let me tell you—though it ended up better than I ever could’ve imagined—after a couple hours on a river with two grumpy teens resentful for the forced family time, I’ve never wanted a glass of wine more.

Getting in the flow: Wine tasting on the river trips

This time, though, I’m doing it my way.

The kids are staying home, and I’m spending a week with girlfriends, a top-notch chef and vintners from some of the best wineries in the Sierra Foothill appellation.

O.A.R.S. wine tasting on the river trips combine wet and wild days on a majestic river followed by the equally majestic combination of gourmet 5-course meals paired with delicious local wines.

Watching a master chef prepare an incredible meal from the back of a river raft will be a sight to behold. Conversing with a winemaker about the nuances in the wine, the story behind his or her winery and the terroir of his vineyards sounds like a perfect getaway.

I can’t wait to be amazed by the vistas on California’s Wild & Scenic Tuolumne River, pampered by the guides, indulged by the chef and wowed by the winemaker. And as I sit staring at the sunset and luxuriously languishing with a glass of wine in hand, I’m sure I’ll miss my kids….sort of. In the whine-less solitude of the river, I’ll think of my son in his well-worn spot in front of his PC and my daughter with her iPad glued in her hands and know they’ll barely notice that I’m gone.

Related Articles:

The Year of Culinary Travel?

Winemaker Matt Hatcher Talks Wine on the River

6 Wines That Go Well With Whitewater

The post Put a Cork In It appeared first on River Currents.

My mother is not at all what you’d call the “outdoorsy type.” Yet, at 65 years old, she spent 8 days rafting the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon.

Yes, she even did the icky-dirty “C” word.

(That’s “camping.”)

The secret is — and don’t go shouting this to the true outdoorsy types, lest they get their camo pants all in a bunch — there are plenty of ways to make “roughing it” not so rough at all.

In fact, you’ll find true pros in the adventure travel business distinguish themselves through their innovative ways to bring luxury with you into the wilderness.

Sleeping

“Sleeping is usually the biggest issue for most people,” says James Rodger, California regional manager for O.A.R.S. “People hear they’ll be sleeping on the river, and they immediately think ‘dirty old sleeping bag.’”

James is happy to disappoint those folks with freshly laundered sleeping bags, cozy zip-in liners, pillows with fresh, crisp pillow cases and, the icing on the bedtime cake, a 3-inch foam-and-air-filled sleeping pad.

What’s more, James says, you’d be surprised at the psychological difference it makes putting only 2 people in a 3- or 4-person tent.

Staying Clean

Kate Wollney is trying to convince her sister-in-law to join her on a river trip. Kate is O.A.R.S.’s Rogue River manager, leading adventures in Oregon. She’s explaining the biggest misconception she finds: You’re going to get dirty, and won’t be able to get clean.

Even though the nightly riverside camps are on sand, or pea gravel, or bedrock, the sites are regularly scoured clean by the river’s rising and falling waters, she says.

“So even though we’re ‘on the ground,’ it’s not really dirty at all,” Kate says. “On the Rogue, there are even spots where the ground is covered in mint, and when you walk you crush it, and it smells unbelievable.”

The guides also make sure there’s ample opportunity to clean up. They set up portable kitchen and bath sinks at every stop, and handwashing stations are never far away. Kate added there’s even opportunity on many trips for bathing.

“On some of our trips, but not all, you can bathe right in the river,” she says. “And several of the rivers have hot springs, which is a great way to stay refreshed.”

Way Better Than Beans & Weenies

“I’ve got wild salmon, organic chicken, organic chicken maple breakfast sausage, applewood bacon, artichokes,” James lists off. He’s shopping for a Tuolumne trip while talking to me on the phone.

James explains that if people expect dehydrated food or cans of pork and beans, they’re blown away by the quality meals they’re served. James explains they procure as much of the victuals as they can from local sources, and they try to shop organic as a rule. They have partnerships with local wineries and craft breweries, so even the adult beverages are local to the area.

Hot breakfast every day, an energy-filled lunch, dinner with appetizers, drinks and dessert each night — it’s better than some folks eat at home.

“It’s river-gourmet,” James says.

The Unmentionables

So, OK, for some people, there’s no talking about going to the bathroom in the woods that makes it sound any more comfortable. But, hopefully, you can appreciate the lengths the guides go to in addressing this.

Yes, the bathroom comes along from campsite to campsite. It’s set up in a private location a discrete distance from camp, and a handwashing station is always right next to it.

“And it always has an incredible view,” James adds.

Kate explains that the bathroom solutions aren’t just one-size-fits-all, either, and that women’s needs are anticipated and accommodated.

Outdoor Evangelists

For these professional guides, guests’ comfort becomes a matter of pride. Those who think they relish in their own discomfort and or wish it on guests have it all wrong. (Bear Grylls is not a river guide.)

James explains that what they all want are guests who come back again, hopefully with more friends.

“Guides are really passionate about what they do, and they want people to come out with a really positive attitude about their trip,” he says. “So they’re going to go the extra mile to make sure everyone has a positive experience.”

Even my 65-year-old mum.

Got a question on comfort for the O.A.R.S. guides? Hit them up in the comments below.

The post Going Outside Your Comfort Zone Has Never Been So Comfortable appeared first on River Currents.

With 8 rafting trips under his belt last year alone, you could say that Matt Hatcher of Hatcher Winery has uncorked more wine riverside than any other winemaker. For the past 6 years, he has been a familiar face on O.A.R.S.’ Wine on the River trips where fine wine and gourmet food are as big of a draw as the paddling action.

I sat down with Matt at his winery in Murphys, CA, to talk about what makes Wine on the River trips so special.

Are you an outdoorsy person?

I’m probably not as outdoorsy as I’d like to be. My idea of camping is two or three days without a shower. My idea of camping is bringing enough really good food along that you ate twice as much as you would have at home. Usually camping, there’s the best wine. And I get to do that with O.A.R.S. There’s always room for the wine and the beer. I think that’s what outdoors should be. It should be a good experience. And my idea of a good experience is being comfortable.

What has been your favorite food and wine experience on the river?

I did a trip on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River last year and the chef did wild meat every night. It was 4 to 5 nights and every night was something interesting. Whether it was wild salmon, wild boar, wild elk, or wild deer, they were all done really well. It was a lot of fun to pair wine with them. And you know what, it doesn’t matter. The wine is going to taste good and so is the food because you’re out on this amazing river. You can eat peanut butter and jelly and it’s going to be the best PB&J you ever had. Chef Bob comes to mind too. It’s been talked about many times, but on the last night of the Rogue River he does a filet with a Jack Daniels sauce and he flames them up, so I think that’s pretty darn neat.

Your idea of camping is bringing really good food and wine. And O.A.R.S. brings a chef along. Tell me what people might see paired with your wines on the river.

Usually it will start with cheeses and some really nice breads or crackers. I would pair that with a Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio or Viognier. Probably half way through that, there’s something coming off the fire, which might be a skewer with ridiculously large prawns or some kind of really great meat. And that would usually pair with a Zinfandel or maybe a Merlot. Something more medium bodied. When we talk about a main course we get toward our heavier wines. We make a Rhone blend, a Syrah, a Petite Syrah, Meritage and a Cabernet. All these wines are big food wines. There’s plenty of everything. I generally bring enough wine for a bottle per person per night. And then there’s usually something else extra too.

Are people surprised by Wine on the River trips?

People are usually a little apprehensive about whether or not it will be as good as what’s shown in the pictures. And they wonder where all the wine is. O.A.R.S. doesn’t want you to know this, but they could bring the kitchen sink along. It just takes another raft.

You’ve been doing these trips for 6 years. What do you think makes Wine on the River trips so special (besides having killer wine each night, of course)?

Those guides love what they do. They’re having a better experience than you are. They don’t mind lugging all that stuff off the rafts, lugging it all back in the morning and then going rafting for half the day.

Do you have a favorite river?

I’ve been all three legs of the Salmon River and they’re incredible. The Middle Fork of the Salmon is supposed to be one of the most beautiful rivers and it’s incredible. The Main Salmon — which is probably my favorite — you’re talking 50-100 yard sandy beaches every night, hot springs, bigger rapids. And the Lower Salmon is similar to the Rogue where there’s some big water but also some more relaxing, lay on the raft kind of rafting. But I did the Rogue River three times one summer and I didn’t get tired of it. Each river, like a bottle of wine, has these things that are more enjoyable about them or more technical. Each one is very special. That’s the fun of it.

Matt Hatcher has been making wine in the Sierra Foothills at his namesake winery, Hatcher, since 2002. At his tasting room in historic Murphys, CA you can find a Zinfandel for every mood (he makes four), as well as a slew of other varietals (if it grows well in the region, he makes it).

Want to do a Wine on the River trip with Matt? He’ll be on the Tuolumne May 15-17 and the Rogue September 18-22.

The post Winemaker Matt Hatcher Talks Wine On The River appeared first on River Currents.

On a summer afternoon, you’ll find Bob Anderson, Chef at the Boulder Ridge Golf Club* in San Jose, CA, sporting a white chef coat and a pair of Chaco river sandals. Chef Bob, who trained at the CIA and spent 20 years at the famed Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite, is no stranger to cooking at obscure locations like Yosemite’s High Sierra Camps or Glacier Point in the winter. That’s exactly why he was the perfect person to help O.A.R.S. bring gourmet grub to the river.

I caught up with Chef Bob to find out how he’s able to pull off restaurant-quality meals on the river with O.A.R.S.

How did you get involved with O.A.R.S. culinary trips?

I was always the guy in Yosemite that did the crazy catering trips. They’d say, “Hey, we think we want to have a dinner for 50 people at 10,000 feet at one of the High Sierra Camps.” And so I would go, “OK. How do we get the food there?” And this is the conversation I had with O.A.R.S. So they suggested a couple of events and we did them. Fast forward 7 years, we’ve been doing them that long.

What’s the best part about cooking on the river?

It’s the best kitchen with the best view. It’s a pretty sophisticated set up equipment-wise. From a menu-planning stand point it’s not that hard to execute restaurant quality food.

What would a typical menu look like?

Because there’s a vintner with us, we set up a wine tasting which typically would involve cheeses, nuts, and some kind of high-protein snack. One of the big favorites is a black mission fig that we’ll fill with Point Reyes Blue and then wrap in bacon. I’ve had people tell me that we can just stop right there and they’d be totally fine. As dinner gets started, we’ve had the most unbelievable heirloom tomatoes with fresh basil pesto. For an entrée, a pan-fried filet mignon with a Jack Daniels reduction. A wild mushroom risotto and a fresh vegetable like stringless snap peas. And for dessert, we’ve made ice cream pretty successfully on the river. To tell people you’re making ice cream the second or third night of a 4-day trip, it’s pretty remarkable.

What’s your favorite thing to prepare on the river?

The filet is fun because of the fireball thing. Everyone wants to know how to flambé something and the perfect place to practice is on a sand bar. We did stop a jet boat once because they saw us flambéing.

Is there a must-have kitchen gadget/tool you bring?

For me it’s sharp knives and real cutting boards. Nothing earth shattering, but I pack tools that I use so it’s comfortable.

What about for making ice cream?

Ice cream balls. Yeah, those are cool. It’s the same principle as the old style ice cream machine where you crank it, but it’s just in a ball. People will play catch with it. Things disintegrate pretty quickly after everyone’s drinking wine.

Tuolumne or Rogue?

They’re completely different. The Tuolumne is just a crazy, big ride. It’s fast. The Rogue is so much more fun because I’ll end up kayaking most of it.

So it sounds like the Rogue River wins?

The Rogue wins.

Please join Chef Bob on a wine tasting adventure in California down the Tuolumne River near Yosemite National Park on May 1st or 15th (he’ll also be cooking on the craft beer tasting trip on May 8th). If you can’t travel until later in the summer, he’ll also be on our renowned Wilderness Gourmet trip on the Wild & Scenic Rogue River in southern Oregon on September 1st.

*Please note that Bob Anderson has left the Boulder Ridge Golf Club and since returned as a chef at the Ahwahnee Hotel after this article was originally published.

The post Master River Chef: Bob Anderson appeared first on River Currents.