Whitewater Rafting on the American River - August 20, 2006

Attendees: Frank & Debra Champlin, France Carreau & Tim (LTBRN), Doyle Harris, Bruce Cable, Doug Rousse, Dave Anderson, Ryder Evans, Bob Colvin, Tony Grasso and myself.

We were short one person who over-slept...hope-to-some-day-be-a-TD Rotarian Erin Epperson (LTBRN).

We started with a scrumptious breakfast at Bert's Café at 7:30 ishishish, leaving Miller's Outpost parking lot at 8:30 am.

Once we arrived at our destination, (just that side of Coloma) and received our paddles and helmets (we were special...), we were assigned to our guides Alex and Yuba. (Yuba spent 4 years as a professional Class #5 guide in Nepal. So why was he with us????).

One raft was full of couples and one was full of "Bachelors for the Day." Thanks to "Mr. Super Soaker" (Doyle Harris), the couples' raft's occupants were completly wet within 5 minutes of departure. Why???? Because he had squirted every raft within reach and they were all after us for the remainder of the trip. Yes, he even picked on the little girls, the brute!!

We had a great lunch at the base camp (they drove us up the river to start us off) and then headed for class #3 rapids with names like "Satan's Cesspool" and "Hospital Bar". We didn't officially lose anyone, however the bachelor's raft thought if would be comical to send the couples' raft past "Satan's Cesspool" searching for a "missing" Tony Grasso who was no longer in their raft. Alas, it was a roos as Tony had taken a small break to admire his surroundings and to "meditate"!

Eventually we emptied out into Folsom lake, emptied ourselves out of the rafts and headed towards Kyburz for a very filling European dinner at St. Pauli Inn (aka St. Pauli "Girl" according to Doyle - go firgure!).

We all arrived home safely, ready for a Class #4 or #5 trip some time soon! Well...maybe not just yet...


~Kim

P.S. Please see attached photos. JUST KIDDING! We don't have any photos because Mr. Champlin, who was our photographer, lost his waterproof camera in one of the "many" death defying rapids. Huh, thanks alot Frank!