GOOD BYE ;.(

Well I leave on Wednesday...Montana to live in a tent for the next few months. how fun!?!?! I thought it would be actually but now I wish I could stay I’m going to miss people...person. It is easier because the L town crew is scattered around the world it makes me want to be in lake Stevens less. But then there’s Kelsey I don’t think it's sunk in yet just how much I’m going to miss her. But I guess she’ll still be there when I get back so I have that to look forward to. Well any way while I’m gone I’m going to have my cell phone but ill only turn it on once a day to save the battery so send me a text message and ill see you in September!

Oh and hears a Pic of where ill be (Tumble Weed Rapid) all i have to say is that's a BIG Hole

The brown stuff

has hit the rotating blade...im very depressed? I had a very bad weekend. I went on a rafting trip with EPIC I was an assistant. We went to the Clark Fork River in Montana its the river I am suposed to work this summer. The Guides, we all ran the river twice alone on thursday, then on friday with the participants including Sara Varnum. She fell out of the 2nd boat and was swept into a strainer (a log accros the river) I and others watched helplessly as she slipped below the surface to never come up agian. Since I have been disturbed by images of the events that occured that day and i cant seem to shake them. I dont much like beign alone and with Kelsey gone for the summer my plight seems desprate. I miss friends and family and hope to be home soon to see them. I hadn't planned to write about this on here it doesnt seem appropriate to her memory but seeing as how it has become a part of my life i see it fit to be in my journal. I find it hard to belive that i still want to work the very same river this summer that took her life. i troubles me deeply and i wonder if its natural to feel this way. But any way im going to go sleep now i would hope that her and her family will be in your prayers because that was something that she belived in strongly. thank you

Should have been...

NERVOUS...never in a million year did I think what happened would happen. On a class three rapid (at best) on a river that I've run 10+ times. On my first commercial guiding trip. But it did...it happened. So while rafting the most experienced (on the section your floating) guide always takes the front and chooses the path for the rest of the group to take. The last person is the most experienced at rescue. On this stretch of river both positions were actually supposed to be filled by me. I took up the rear...big mistake. The guy who led had only floated this section twice and many… many years ago at that. I made a great line on the Bowl and Pitcher III. Then on the next rapid the lead went left I have NEVER run the left because there has never been enough water. This time was no exception. Tons of poor-overs that the boats scraped by. We hit a big wave lost a crew member to the water, every body rushed to that side to rescue him, we bumped another rock, I called high side no one moved and that’s when it happened. Full flip everyone into the water I take a paddle to the head and begin bleeding profusely, though I never feel the blow. Every one surfaces and are picked up by other boats I flip the boat back over and get reset. this sounds like a really bad first day but the owner was actually really cool about it and even wants me to work for him again and maybe even in Montana! I lost my sunglasses and my river knife but I made the most in tips out of all the guides 40$ and 45$ for the trip. So over all I came out on top. As they say there are thoughs who flip and thoughs who haven’t flipped YET.

Excited

not so nervous any more. this saturday and sunday I'm guiding the Lower Spokane River. hopefully it will lead to a summer job if not i might be in Leavenworth working at Tube Leavenworth. It would be good pay gaurenteed 40hrs a week @ 10-12$ per hour with oppertunities for overtime @ time and a half. But it would be boring and inside. I'm ready for an adventure i want to go DO. I hear Keith is back in town but is leaving on the 15th? i dont get out of class till the 9th so im trying to convience him to take a road trip with a few cool ltown kids and come visit me. So call him and come out it would be wicked cool.