You Know That Feeling...

I like to go white-water rafting. Nothing serious, mind you. I'm not one of those hardcore aquanauts who seeks out a bigger and better set of rapids, but when I have the chance I like to go.

Early on, it's fun and you're joking with your boat friends (usually I'm in large groups and organizing the trip...occupational hazard [thanks, Justin], so people are joking with me from the get-go regarding whatever it is that "I've gotten them into") when the instructor tells you what to do when/if you fall out and you're guessing who is gonna fall in the drink from your boat and double checking to see if you've got sunscreen and your keys secured and all that jazz. But it's kinda fun and you're looking forward to the two or three hour adventure.

You get in and start taking in the sights. I usually go in Colorado so on the hills or cliffs that surround the water might provide you with the chance to see mountain goats or bighorn rams. The instructor is pointing out things and reminding you what you're going to do once you hit some rapids and then your group practices her commands. I like to sit up front and do the grunt work.

And then the rapids hit. At first, your group usually struggles (I mean, we're all tourists, for cryin' out loud) in the first set or two because you don't quite have the guide's commands mastered and he or she reminds you again and you kinda smack your forehead because you KNEW that but just forgot. When you get to the whitewater again and your group gets better by about the fourth set.

This leads to playful splashing when all the boats get to calmer waters. All sorts of taunting and such go back and forth. Somebody always brings a Super Soaker and gets the best of everybody. Lots of singing the Gilligan's Island song, too. It's always funny, too.

More rapids. You get better at navigation and problem-solving and the adrenaline takes over as you start to get more fatigued.

The playfulness in the calm waters settles in. You're a little sunburned. Muscles you haven't used in a while are starting to get sore. The effect of the day and the event are beginning to wear on you a bit. By the time lunchtime rolls around you're pretty glad to get out of the boat and rest and eat a little something. There's usually a bridge or small park where the river guides settle in for lunch. Super Soaker guy is at it again, too, mostly chasing the little kids.

But I always like to sign up for the all-day trip where you go to the bottom of the gorge. Even though I know I'll be pretty darn tired and my muscles will let me know that next year we'll just do the half-day. Yeah, right.

You know you're going to climb back in the boat in 10 minutes and then you'll repeat the process for about three more hours.

That feeling that you experience when you look at your watch when you're tired and your belly's full and you know you've got miles to go...

...that little voice in your brain that says, "You know, you really don't have to do this, man. You could just get on the bus that takes you to the parking lot and go back to the hotel and nap for the rest of the day. Sounds kinda nice, doesn't it?"

That's where I am today. Physically. Mentally. Emotionally. Spiritually.

But I really like that little voice in your brain that responds, "You've been on these things before, man. You know the longer you go the better the rapids get. The greater the adrenaline rush. The better the laughs get and the better stories come. There are better sights, too. You can nap tomorrow...or the next day. Hell, you've got the rest of your life to take naps. But you don't know when you're ever gonna have this chance again. Adventure awaits, man. Get in the boat. And don't make me even bring up what your daughters might miss out on. Look at 'em. They really want to go." *apparently, that little voice in my brain likes to sprinkle in a curse word every now and again. He's a wild man by personality, so I let that little character flaw slide a bit.*

That's the voice I'm listening to today. Physically. Mentally. Emotionally. Spiritually.

So let's get the keys & cameras in the dry bag. Life jackets, sunscreen. Helmet's up. Let's put-in after the Eddie line and get after some haystacks and strainers and even attack a hole or two (risking popcorning the whole group, of course, but well worth it) and see how many CFS we can generate. Until we get to the take-out. Seriously.

Break's over man. Break's over.

Bring it on.