grand outdoors
FINDING CLARITY DOWNRIVER Words by Lisa Blake | Photos by James Kaiser courtesy of OARS
T
here’s something special about a riverside
been the OARS Whitewater Rafting guides
sunrise coffee call. Stirring in our sleeping
cranking out three gourmet feasts a day. Being
bags on the sandy shores of the Colorado River
catered to in the wild — and devouring ribeye,
on a late-season whitewater rafting trip. Rising
smashed garlic potatoes, chopped salad and
with the sun and the hawks. Sipping on liquid
open-fire Dutch oven brownie pie from camp
gold made from beans roasted back where we
chairs — is a distinctive treat.
launched in Moab, Utah, a town booming with fall
mountain bikers, rock climbers and groups like
bonding that unfolded across three rafts amongst
us, thirsting for one last river trip before winter
our mish-mash group of 13. Getting to know the
forces flows to slow and rafts to be shelved.
family from New Orleans, the father-son duo
The best part about this five-day October trip
from San Francisco, the young, adventure-thirsty
may have been the zero cell service in isolated
Ohio couple, and the knowledgeable guides who
Canyonlands National Park. Or, the luxury of
lead us on day hikes to hidden petroglyphs was
having all decisions made for us. It could have
unforgettable.
The definitive standout, however, was the
SPOKE+BLOSSOM
45
