As part of my promotion week activities to celebrate the release of Fatal Descent, the third book in my RM Outdoor Adventures mystery series starring whitewater river ranger/rafting guide Mandy Tanner, I'm going to whet your appetite for whitewater rafting.
HERE is a link to an excellent article from The Breck Connection, a blog from the Breckenridge Resort Chamber with answers to questions often posed at The Breckenridge Welcome Center. I know the editor of the blog, Kimberly Nicoletti, and she's an excellent writer. The author of this article is Mark Hammer. Owner of The Adventure Company, he was a rafting guide for 16 years before purchasing the business in 2003, giving him 26 years of experience on the river.
Titled "9 Tips for a Great Colorado Whitewater Rafting Trip," the article gives you factors to consider when planning a trip, so it's a success for all involved. I removed "Colorado" from the title today's blog article, because the tips are general enough to apply to planning a whitewater rafting trip just about anywhere.
Advice that I give people who ask me about whitewater rafting, and that I would add to Mark's tips is: 1) you should be at least a beginner swimmer, who won't panic if pitched into the water and who can make some basic swimming strokes toward the raft or shore, and 2) you should be honest about your medical issues on the rafting company's registration form and take all essential medications on the raft with you. I still remember the story told to me by a rafting guide, with a haunted look in his eyes, of his first client death on the river. The older man with asthma and other health issues lied on his form and didn't bring his inhaler or medications on the trip, because he was afraid he wouldn't be allowed to go. After he was pitched into the cold river and pulled out by the guide, he could not get his breath and died in the guide's arms while they waited for the county's emergency medical crew to arrive.
I don't want to scare anyone from going whitewater rafting, but it is an adventurous outdoor activity with uncontrollable elements, and YOU are a vital factor in making sure you stay safe.
3 comments:
I'm glad to have stumbled upon your site! I'm trying to find an email address to contact you on to ask if you would please consider adding a link to my website. I'd really appreciate if you could email me back. Thanks and have a great day!
Madison,
My email address is beth07 AT bethgroundwater.com. You can also go to my website and click on "Contact Me" to get to me. I couldn't find your email address on blogger, so please contact me.
I went white water rafting with my family last summer and it was great. We made a lot of memories and really had a blast. It's something that I'll remember forever. I really recommend doing it. Thanks for the post.
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