6 Lessons Learned on a Wild River Ride
Little did I know we'd be in for the ride of our life through that rushing water. We never expected a rescue would be part of our story.
(Photo credit: Eric Schickler, Vail CO)
One year, we spent our family reunion on the banks of Colorado’s Arkansas River. Each time rafters passed by, we’d hoot and holler from our deck. My brother Eric, the photographer, captured the action. And there was lots of it!
Yep, I’ve braved that mighty river before. As a member of a Mature Active Women’s group (MAW’s) we set off one day on a river rafting adventure. Lining up and signing in we asked for a Class 1 experience. And we got it. They called it the Granny Tour.
Our Adventure Commenced
It started quite tame. There’s nothing more beautiful than rafting calm water with picturesque canyons looming above you. There were seven of us snuggled together including a young teen and her Dad. That girl complained from start to finish – loudly and often.
But it didn’t take long before we were too busy to notice. Our calm float had quickly turned into a churning rapid. Our guide yelled commands. We plunged our paddles and battled the waves. It was thrilling. It was fast. We got wet.
Then everything changed. We couldn’t avoid it. Our craft shoved itself up on the back of a boulder and the force of the water threatened to topple us.
“Get out on the rock,” yelled our guide. “One at a time. Hurry up!”
Considering the alternative, it seemed smarter to be stranded with a whiny teenaged girl. So out we climbed as water pummeled the raft and our guide tried to keep it from flipping. We huddled close together on that rock and wondered, what now?
A passing raft saw our plight and their guide shouted, “Can we pick someone up?” We all looked at the girl, but she wouldn’t budge.
We attracted quite an audience. Passing cars tooted and waved. People gathered along the road. Fellow rafters promised to send help. It was humorous and a little humiliating. How would this play in the papers? “Mature Active Women Stranded in Class One Water. Rescue Required.”
Finally help arrived. They told us to keep our feet up and pointed downstream. Then they threw us a rope and advised, “Let the current carry you to the side.”
Guess who went first? Nope, she still wouldn’t budge.
That water was cold! And the current more forceful than I’d expected. But we powered on through it like macho mountain mamas in an episode of Extreme Outdoors. (We weren’t nekked, but we sure were afraid!)
In the end, we were able to boast about a successful ride back — on the bus!
A Rafting Guide’s World
As if I didn’t have enough of the white water world, I had the pleasure of interviewing a dozen rafting guides as part of a series of articles I wrote for a client many years ago. Cole Bangert, Owner/Director of Operations at Sage Outdoor Adventures says it takes a special person to be good as a raft guide.
“We live in two different worlds. On one hand, we strive to facilitate a pleasurable experience with our guests. To be personable and friendly and be good with guests takes a caring, genuine person. Guides have a huge responsibility. They’re paying attention to a hundred different things while they’re laughing and telling jokes. If the guide is good, the guests never know that’s going on.”
6 Lessons Learned on a Raft
Yes, we learned a lot from our guide and that unexpected adventure. So I will happily share with you — in leadership or life, remember:
Sometimes it’s better to bail than be tossed in the river. You’ve got to know when to quit and abandon ship. I would highly recommend Seth Godin’s book, The Dip, a wonderful title for today’s topic! According to Seth, “…what really sets superstars apart from everyone else is the ability to escape dead ends quickly while staying focused and motivated when it really counts.” In other words, cut bait and swim.
Rapids look rougher down in the drink than up on the road. Until you go eyeball-to-eyeball with an oncoming wave, you don’t understand the risk of running the rapids. And we all face rapids at some point in our lives. The perspective others have up on shore can’t compete with the power of rushing water. So don’t expect landlubbers to have the best solutions unless they’ve “been there.”
Whiners will ruin everyone’s ride. Negative emotions arouse the amygdala, the “alarm bell of your brain” says psychologist Rick Hansen, PhD, founder of the Wellspring Institute for Neuroscience and Contemplative Wisdom. Dr. Hansen says, the amygdala “uses about two-thirds of its neurons to look for bad news…negative events and experiences get quickly stored in memory…” So, the last thing you need in challenging times, is someone pouring cold water on the situation. Do your best to combat their negativity by making positive statements that encourage people, rather than allow the complainer to run rampant with everyone’s emotions.
When you’re in the water, you’re bound to get wet. Expect things to get messy. There may be some collateral damage — a skinned knee, a twisted finger or too much water down your throat. Adjust your expectations accordingly and bring a towel.
Don’t fight the current – let it lead you gradually to shore. One of the fastest ways to tire yourself out is to engage in a full-on battle. You won’t win fighting against the current, but you will get to safety if you steer yourself towards shore. You’ve heard the saying, “Pick your battles.” Like the current, some people are just not worth engaging with. The best you may be able to do is plant a seed and give them something to think about.
Wear a life vest and helmet, no matter how calm things appear. The Boy Scout motto, “Be prepared” is worth noting if one plans to stay safe. I’ve been in a kayak when storm clouds magically appeared over the lake and the wind kicked up. Before we knew it, things got choppy. So, plan for disruption. Run through the “what if” scenarios in your mind. But like we learned in this article, thankfully, most of the things we worry about never happen.
In closing, I’d hop in a raft again. It’s a thrill and the hours spent rushing down through the canyons is exhilarating. But next time I’d wait till the mountain snowmelt has run its course!
The last time I went rafting I kept humming “Dueling Banjos” my raft mates were not as amused as I was.
I have rafted that river twice. Both times were a blast, and I would go again even as a mature mountain mama. LOL. My husband is a big rafting enthusiast/former river guide. He would agree with your advice!