The rivers are full out and the recent rain has brought the levels up. A taste of spring the other weekend is bringing serious spring fever! Let's go rafting!

The End of Tyranny

"Quietly you say to me the time has come for you to be alive again...summer's coming and I'd like a review" -Trey Anastasio, Alive Again

well my friends, if you've kept current with my posts, you will know that since September the slavery known as modern living has retaken it's hold on me. Tapped in the concrete jungle I've spent the last seven months back at college working towards a piece of paper that costs way too much money in the first place.
But it's April In Maine now( as with the rest of the world), and the rivers are freeing up, the snow is melting and the Mud is taking claim over the once frozen ground. Far, far away in the distance there is a rumbling taking hold of the back of my brain that can only be one thing: the sound of raging, churning whitewater.
To me, still a wet behind the ears second year guide, this can mean only one thing: it's almost time to start living again. There's a certain illusion of freedom that comes with being a guide, an illusion that provides a much healthier, saner way of living than one can find in the city and suburbs. An illusion one can only find deep in the woods or in a small town surrounded by wild lands.
The tyranny of winter is ending, and the freedom which I so crave is so close I can feel it surround me when I close my eyes.
See you on the River soon enough.

Raft Sledding

What do we raft guides do for fun in the winter? We take the rafts out of storage and slide down steep frozen water covered hills (a.k.a. snow rafting). This fast sport can be problematic -- uncontrollable speed with heavy PVC rafts, heels digging into the firm ice to stop heavy raft from careening into the trees send shock waves up the ankles & knees, and finally, abandoning raft by leaping off the side before it crashes into the trees and persnicity burdocks produces ice burns on cheeks and hands. Result: heavy raft stuck at bottom of hill in trees, riders strewn everywhere and hysterically laughing (but ice burned) guides high-fiving this new adventure.

The Forks Wilderness Hut System Gets Big Boost from New Balance

The 180-mile hiking, skiing and paddle hut-and-trail system stretching from Moosehead Lake to Bethel, Maine got a boost recently with a $500,000 grant from New Balance. The first phase of the project, three huts stretching from Carrabassett Valley (near Sugarloaf ski resort) to The Forks along the Dead River is not far from Grand View Lodging, owned by Professional River Runners. The hut system allow hikers, x-c skiiers and others to trek through Maine's most scenic wilderness areas and stay overnight in a primitive hut complete with indoor sleeping arrangements (bunks), meals and the company of other outdoor enthusiasts. Breaking ground on the first hut is currently scheduled for Spring 2007. All of us at Professional River Runners and Grand View Lodging hope the good luck continues on this unique project!

AAA Joins PRO on Kennebec River Camping Vacation

Professional River Runners is a Show Your Card and Save member for the American Automobile Club of America. This summer one of their travel writers joined us on our 2-day overnight island camping trip. They had a blast! You can see her write-up here. Enjoy!

A good day on the river...a day of Two's

They say a bad day on the river beats a good day anywhere else. But Good days on the river, of which I've had a few, are the days a guide always remember and talk about.
Today was one of those days. one crew of 3 had already been a paddlin' with us a ferw days ago and were anxious and pumped to be going again. The other family really made the day for me though. a family of six, they showed up late for check in, which of course was forgiven.
Everyone paddled hard and together which is always a plus.
so to my "day of two's" subtitle...

My second swimmer today
Twin sisters ( that's a two;) )
the second time I've missed magic
dumped katie in the water ( twice)
missed two easy surfs
hit two of the three sisters
sold two videos.

at any rate today was one of my best days out here yet, and tommorrow being my last day for a few weeks, I'm anxiously awaiting May of '07 and next summer when these crazy Joisey (new jersey) folks come back for some more liquid fun!

SWIMMERS!!

It has to happen to every guide I'm told. The other day it happend to me, my first swimmers...at magic falls. After a crushing hit and getting a bit backsurfed we came out of the hole with two less people. one was immeadiately retrieved and the other, well the other went for a bit of an extended swim, all the way back to the boat which i was triying for all i was worth to move away from hell hole. I yelled to her to swim to me, which she did, and with chutzpah! little did I know that miss Amy is a competitive swimmer in Auburn, Maine...and one of the best in the state at that.
We pulled her to the safety of the boat unscathed, at which point she let out a victorious yell...and at which point I followed suit letting out in yell in relief that she was not hurt.
It just goes to show you not to underestimate the mighty Kennebec or the will of the River Gods.