White. Water.   

Rafting the Lower Deschutes    

The first time I went whitewater rafting, some shoved an oar in my hand  

and told me to straddle the rim of the boat, like I was riding a horse, and tuck my inside foot underneath the lip for stability. Final instructions: "When I say, row, you row like there's no tomorrow." Great.  

I was going to die for sure.

Meanwhile, perched high on  

a rock above a certain Class  

3 rapids called Boxcar, sat a photographer whose job it was to capture all the madcap revelries on film and post them in a nearby store. The resulting image of one particular raft shows seven people and a guide rowing as if their lives depended upon it. I was found to be laughing my head off, with my oar nowhere near the water, and my foot flying through the air. In short: I was a disaster in a life vest. When can we do it again?!  READ MORE 

Photo courtesy of Imperial River Company.  

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