8th Annual

The odds were stacked against us this year.
There was the drought, the month, the babies...ohmy.
But we prevailed. Because of the beer. And the fun.

And did you know the longest covered bridge in California is right in our backyard? Now you do, consider yourself smarter.

...and our 7th year.

Seventh Annual

The regular crew and a newbie took on the Stantislaus for the seventh time last weekend. We look forward to this trip for months and it never disappoints. We had 11 rafters, so we split into two rafts, and moved SO slowly down the river. Everyone had a drink in their hand before the first (and only) rapid, so you can only imagine how the next six hours went down. This trip takes the cake for the longest time it has ever taken for us to make it to our take out point.

Do you think it was because the majority of us are over 30 or because the flow was super slow? 

Who knows, who cares!

...and one picture of the kissing engagers, just to embarrass them on the world wide web.

Great trip, kids! We can't wait until next year!

**A special thanks to Louie for the getting the pics on a web album (no thanks to me for getting them on the blog) and to Mimi for watching to two little monsters**

WHAT?! Six Years!

Last weekend, we had our sixth annual rafting trip down the Stanislaus River. I find it absolutely crazy, that almost seven years ago, I quit a relatively "safe" job and life to move uninhibitedly to the west coast. And our annual rafting trip is a yearly reminder of all the cool friends we've made and activities we get to do living out here.

Floating down a river, drinking beer still sounds like an quintessential summertime activity and this years group didn't disappoint. Our group of thirty-somethings (or nearly thirty-somethings) still partied pretty hard, took the time to nail every other raft trolling the river, jump off cliffs and shotgun a beer...we just hit the hay a little sooner.

Check out #2, #3, #4 and #5

5th Annual Rafting Trip

Our annual rafting weekend never seems to disappoint. Great friends come from near and far to enjoy this little float down the Stanislaus.
This year, was another epic year due to some treacherous conditions. The water temperature was a brisk 52 degrees and the river was "flowing five times higher than usual!"
After an early morning agreement to stay dry, the group enjoyed a beautiful day on the river with good company, cheap beer and only one swift water rescue.

Uh, couldn't help it. Quite possibly the cutest kid EVA.

4th Annual Rafting/Camping Trip

We were insistent upon having our 4th annual rafting trip this year, regardless of life's little changes. And because it was a different weekend, in a different month, we didn't get our usual turnout. But we did have the usual diehards make the trip from all over the state to camp and raft down the Stanislaus. I, unfortunately, didn't get to go on the trip but I heard it was a total blast, as always (see pictures). It's good to have friends that don't let traditions die easily!

3rd Annual Rafting Trip

What a crew!

More to come...

Our Vow To Rally!

June 21st, the summer solstice...and, more importantly, the day of our 2nd annual rafting trip down the Stanislaus River. I tell people, "we're going white water rafting." But really it is considered a still water beer guzzling. We camped at Moccasin Point by Don Pedro lake on an insanely hot weekend (temps reached 106). Nick and I arrived on Friday afternoon, he set up everything while I complained about how much this weather sucked. I used to think I just hated the cold weather but now I am starting to think I am just "temperature sensitive." He was very sympathetic and let me sit there in my misery.

Nick's college friends arrived later in the evening. Wally, Jessica and Jeff all arrived in good spirits and somewhere in the middle of a cooler of beer we all promised to "rally" after the rafting trip the next day...

The boat consisted of Nick & me, Wally & Jessica, Brie, Melisa & Daniel and Jeff. We lost Melisa within the first 10 minutes, just as we were preparing (securing our beers) for the only Class II rapid on the river. Daniel made his first rescue of the day by pulling her into the boat just in time for the photographer to capture the beginning of the end for boat #133. It took us 3 hours and 5 minutes to float the first 4 miles of the river. At lunch, we learned to shotgun beers, and ate food that was really bad for us. We lost 2 rowers, to "heat exhaustion", we had to continue the trip without them. For being a notoriously weak rower, I found it deep down inside, the ability to pound through the last 4 miles. We only stopped to chug, to drag our draper's and have Daniel push us over the rocks and out of the branches that hindered our progression. We managed to finish the last 4 miles of our trip in just under 90 minutes!

Our Vow to Rally!

Everybody pulled through the day! We bought more beer in Chinese Camp. Some popped No-Doz and drank Red Bull. And while I ate myself out of the alcohol coma, everyone managed to rally through the night! I cannot wait for the 3rd Annual.

It was an amazing weekend! Paddle on my friends...