Incredible Edible People...

I just wanted to give a shout out to all the people and dogs and cats that I have been able to intereact with for the past 28 years, 1 month, and a handful of daze. I think its pretty important that YOU know how awesome you are. I know this blog is loaded with cheese and inuendos and a lot conversation that you dont know what to do with, but thats ok, because today is the day where YOU are being recognized as important.

That is unless youre the copper that put the ticket on my windshield for parking backwards in Red Lodge.... that was unnesassary and dumb, but I reckon youre ok.

So I sit here and think of all the good times and all the bad that werent that bad but made the good times better and stuff by the tree and the rock, you know which... And as most of you know, I come and go lsot in the act of breathing or living and can barely manage to plan a day ahead. Thats why I want to thank YOU. Because you planned for me. You decided what beer was the flavor of the evening. You paid for me, because I forgot my wallet in Germany. You are the UA employee who hand delivered my wallet to me on the flight about to take of because I left it on the last flight. You pulled me off the railroad tracks when I passed out. You told me stories when I had chicken pox and laughed at me when I had that full body rash only cured by by a bathtub of oatmeal, I still have a pox scar on my eyeball. You mentored me when I needed it and picked me up when I had fallen prey to myself. You fed me the grossest ramen noodles I have ever eaten in my entire life.

Paragraph two. You are the one with the WWII surplus of toothbrushes. I kicked YOUR ass once on Shogo online, and that was awesome. Speaking of, You introduced the idea of not watching TV, and books are so much more colorful, and the sensual scenes are whacked crazy. You made me laugh uncontrollably in gradeschool. You taught me religion and reintroduced me to myself in highschool. You said I didnt have to go to Oregon State anymore. You showed me the learning experience of depends as an adult on Halloween, and Ive run with it ever since. You told me the dirtiest joke I can remember, and I tell it every time I go rafting, along with the pirate joke, which I will love and cherish.

Basically everyone rocks. If you are the one who puts me in jail, you will cease rocking. But I dont think my life could have been as awesome as I think it is without the people that I think they are. Thanks for being.

YOU ARE AWESOME!!

Burn....

A couple of funny situations and here I am.

I live in a van down by the river. I know that you know that it wouldnt be any different. The only difference is that I have all the beer and none of the firewood. And every morning that I sleep outside I wake to rain in the face. WTF?

Just a quick rant on the tipping policy with river rats. Lets say your entire family goes rafting and the entire trip is nothing but laughter and good times and awesome soaked to the bone whitewater, nothing short of great. Now its important to note that when you dine out you dont leave a quarter behind on a $150 tab where the server was there for your every need, right? So dont tip a guide $3 after spending the last 4 hours or awesomeness with em, or that guide might just give it back and punch you in the face, because its deserved.

Aside of that Ive hada great time laughing and experiencing some odd cool thingies by the tree, the one by the rock....you know?

1. Sunburn leaves funny lasting impressions but the chaco tan is back. And I got a spectacular jacket burn and rare form of coon eyes from the sunglasses.

2. Driving down the road with muggles, Matt, noticed that the rafts were leaning to the side and he thought of trashing the guides who didnt tie em down enough....well, after a turn and the trailer kinda swung out he noticed that it wasnt the strapping but a missing trailer wheel. About a mile later a passer-by showed up and delivered the said wheel. It snapped off right on the axle inside of the leaf springs and dragged from there. Ouch.

3. The 10 year tradition was broken when one of the new guides was going through a rapid called the "beartooth drop" and was backsurfed and dumped. This all happened in a duckie. I was right there waiting when he came up all wide eyed and out of breath from the cold. I always wear that big smile when people surface cold and wet, and towed him out of the surf. At the same time we watched the duckie float and wrap on the bridge pilon. Damn.

4. An amazing horseback ride on the Stoney Lonesome Ranch. Wow. I think he said he had more than 8000 acres and most of it was at the foot to the Absarokas.

5. Embrace the swim!

6. During the high water extravaganza, we measured the distance from the top of a raft to the the bottom of the lowest bridge, we only found three inches. That was interesting, how do you get 6 people that low, one might ask? I never reveal my secrets....mwahaha!!

I dont have a picture...

Yes, I know, but I dont. The rafting season has begun and all is so good. The river reached a big high yesterday and extremely fun.

We did some pre run calculations and figured out our problems. One: the Stillwater was running at some enormous 5000+ CFS and we noticed that we might not be able to fit the rafts under the bridges. A little reminder of the shitty bridge at Okoboji, which I think I spelled wrong. We found the rafts had 3 inches free from the lowest bridge. Then theres a nine inch nail.... Two: you really gotta think fast, this waters a moving! But all was good and I have the most amazing blisters and callouses from 3 days of rafting and oaring from 930 to 4.


And the koolaid guy busts through the wall..."Oh YEAH"!


But I do have photos from the 12 hours race. Czech it!

Theres Damon and I exercising our right to abuse substances over the 12 hour race. As well I have to point out the awesome collection of costumes and creativity for the ride. That would be foil....