Any Idaho River
Our wilderness in Idaho contains inspiration for a lifetime. Being in it lets you contemplate all who was there before you. Indigenous peoples, Lewis and Clark, homesteaders, criminals. Tough people able to withstand extremes. If you read the stories of events that happened there — unbelievable, quirky and ruthless are words that come to mind.
I used to backpack quite a bit. Lightweight gear and dried up food. Then Aaron introduced me to boating.
Now, when I contemplate those people and their survival struggle, I do so with a full cooler full of palatable delights. My only concern is do we have enough ice. If we do, we could stretch our trip from 7 to 9 days. (And yes we did.)
I’m grateful for my partner — my whitewater rafting guide — for his strength, endurance and natural ability to read the water. (I like to think I’m getting better at driving the boat, but my flatwater sculling experience only gets me so far.) It is an incredibly special way to spend time together. I love seeing him in his element — no hesitation, decisive, and a little feral. Every time we go out on the water, I feel so lucky to be with this incredibly kind human whose skill brings me to places I’d never reach on my own.
The incredible diversity in the rocky beaches makes my heart jump with excitement just thinking about them. I am not a talented beachcomber like my dad and sister, nor do I magnetically attract treasures in the desert the way my friend Jerri Lisk does. But sometimes I notice small secrets — and I’m pretty sure they are there just for me.
♡
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