Wednesday, July 20, 2011

The adventure of a lifetime

What kind of blog post can possibly live up to the title I've given this one? And yet it's true. The week I spent with my son on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River was one of the pinnacle experiences of my life. There are many kinds of pinnacle experiences--- some personal, some spiritual, some physical, and some having to do with relationships. Floating the Middle Fork was a peak physical experience.

Each of the five days we spent on the river was full of thrilling moments, contemplative time, and amazing vistas. I wish I could post pictures of the amazing things we saw and did. Sadly, my best camera is not exactly waterproof. Heck, it's not even water-resistant. I took my little waterproof (to 10 ft) point and shoot, but the pictures don't begin to do justice to the ride.

Still and all, you can see, for example, in this picture, that in one spot we got to sit to some hot springs with a breathtaking view of the river below. I don't image that there are many hot-tubs on the planet with a view like this one.


After getting drenched a few times by the fairly frigid river water, you can imagine how delightful it was to "shower" in this warm water. Wow!


The food was surprisingly good (and we didn't have to cook-- the river guides did all the cooking). The company was excellent (friends and acquaintances from church). The outdoor air was literally delicious.

By the end of the week I was looking forward to showering with soap (no soap in the river!!) and definitely ready to see my wife, but I was also a little sad to be leaving that amazing place.  What a week!

1 comment:

Jon Conder said...

I was especially grateful for those who stayed IN the boat to rescue those who fell OUT of the boat. It truly was a great experience on the river with good friends and my son.
Jon