Rafting’s flip side

[dArKeR]

 I wrangle a propane tank onto the raft just as the sun is snuffed by one red cliff and a cuticle moon rises above another. We river guides go to bed early, and all I have to do before I throw my sleeping bag on the sand is, let’s see, scrape the burnt rice pot, lug the last bag to camp, unstick a tent zipper, drag a bucketful of the Colorado to the latrine, fix the balky hand-washing pump, rinse the sand from the coffeepot, secure the loose trash, stow the cast-iron ovens, fish the hot sauce from the garbage, crush the beer cans and wash the wine glasses.

THAT’S IT. OH, and rig rain tarps on all the guest tents.
       I climb up the bank with a bucket of water and Matt Driskell stops me. A veteran guide, Matt, 28, is a buff, piratical redhead in a beard and pony tail.
       “So how do you feel after your first day?” he asks.
       I think for a second. “Like someone has been whacking me on the back with an oar for the last 16 hours.”
       Matt nods. “Yeah,” he says. “That’s pretty much what it feels like.”
       He works a hand free of his load and extends it. “Welcome to the crew!”

http://www.msnbc.com/news/953971.asp?0cv=CB20

[salmonhorse]

1. "Rafting’s flip side"

Dat iz phunny...

[northzax]

2. i spent a summer

doing this on the Arkansas in Colorado, great summer job in high school, I tell you. And the Groover really can be that entertaining.