FINDING YOUR HOME ON THE RIVER

By Eric Johnson

Finding the perfect home out on the range can be tough. In one area there are too many houses available, in another there aren’t any. This house is too “in” town and that house is too “outta” town. This one is too far from relatives or that one is too close. Maybe the yard isn’t big enough or it’s too big. Perhaps the house needs improvements or perhaps it really needs improvements. And, of course, the house is either too expensive or… as the bank says, “it’s way too expensive.” Fortunately, finding a home river is much easier. It’ll be the one with flowing water in it, wherever you find it. The confluence of huge swaths of public land and free-flowing rivers in the West have created a unique recreation opportunity: a chance to launch a boat on a river, sleep along the river, wake up along the river, and repeat—for days, in some cases weeks, on end.

A room with a view.

Rafting trips are unique among wilderness travel. A raft can easily take you, your gear and your kitchen sink into the most inaccessible wilderness. So, even when you find yourself far from home, you are not far from the comforts of home. For the last 10 years, I’ve hauled my friends and family around the west running rivers. These rivers and river corridors have become like a second home to me. So, to extend the metaphor, let me show you around my rafting home away from home.

Bonding on the river.

Let’s start with the entryway, which in rafting terms is the drive to the launch and the put-in. Just like with any entryway it can be muddy. We like to say that class III rivers often begin at the end of class V roads. As for the put in--This is where everybody rigs their boats for launch. It’s gonna be crowded, strewn with gear and there will likely be only one hard used ½ bath.

Next, onto the living room. Here we have multiple flooring options. There is the water option. We float on top of it, play in it, fish in it, and swim in it (both on purpose and by accident see rig to flip and dress to swim recommendations). Other options are sandy beaches, or rocky trails. As for wall options, the only option is canyon walls, which is just as well because they are beautiful and they go with everything.

The river version of a traffic jam.

Riverside kitchen.

Dutch oven cooking.

The kitchen is great. It truly is one of the best parts of rafting. Most likely it will be an open air kitchen with an amazing view. Occasionally, we string a tarp overhead if it is raining or the sun is beating down. A rotating cast of friends and family cook delicious meals in the kitchen. After cocktail hour down at the boat, we enjoy appetizers, a hearty meal and likely a dutch oven dessert. The dining room has ample and comfortable seating for everybody. It also has a fireplace, which is a nice touch when the sun goes down behind the canyon walls. From where they sit around the circle, everybody is able to see everybody else. This open concept inspires stories and laughter for hours. After the conversations die down and people start drifting off to bed, I like to listen to the sound system; it’s surround sound and it features river sounds, coyotes howling, bird calls, with zero beeping or buzzing noises to interfere.

Time for a nap.

While it’s only a one-bedroom abode, there are a couple of sleeping options. Some people like to set up a tent up on the riverbank; I like to sleep down on the raft under the stars. On a river, the thermostat isn’t adjustable. But there are a few tricks: on hot nights the temperature is usually 10 degrees cooler on the river and on cold nights, a hot water bottle in my sleeping bag makes things cozy.

The bathroom, ah yes, the bathroom. In rafting the bathroom is called “The Groover” because when people started practicing Leave No Trace on river trips, they used a military issue rocket box as the toilet. This left a rectangular groove in your butt. Fortunately, toilet systems have

River rocks.

evolved. The modern groover is much more comfortable. Groover placement is an art. There are two criteria for proper groover placement: privacy, and scenery. Coffee cup in hand, morning sun kissing the canyon walls, river flowing by, I find that things move along nicely under these conditions.

Finally, the backyard. The backyard is perfect for kids, dogs, and big kids. It has lots of room and, occasionally, a great (all natural) hot tub.

I hope you enjoyed a tour of my second home. And remember a home river isn’t necessarily one that flows right by your house. A home river is one that flows through your heart. You’ll know it when you find it. Good luck!

Time out.

Starry Night along the river.

About the author: Eric Johnson is a high school English teacher from Sturgis, South Dakota, which happens to be a place with very little navigable whitewater. Come summer vacation, he drags his family to the mountain west where they always seem to find…a river. Coincidentally, of course, they always have the raft and the kayaks packed too. Eric is also a contributing writer for NRS and Cascade River Gear.