Family "Rafting" Trip 2019

Over the last few years the landscape of our family trips has changed quite a bit.
We used to do two rafting trips a summer (those were the days). Then it dwindled down to one trip a summer...l(*sniff sniff).
Lately it has been centered around the "family" aspect more than the "rafting".

And while I love spending time with the family, I miss being on the river. I am trying to get Brent to just take a small family trip...maybe...someday.

Anyways, this year we were doing a trip where our base was Jay's Sunset Ranch, and we did two day trips on the Deschutes and other activities around the ranch.

This made meal planning slightly harder. People were able to come and go when they wanted and there was a flexing number of people from day to day. Also, there was a large group from Jay's friend bank that was not entirely dialed in until a couple days before we got there. Thankfully it all worked out amazingly and it was a fabulous eating.

Jeremy and Krystel were unable to to stay the whole week. Instead of being able to attend Monday when the week was starting for the rest of us, they were only able to be there a few days starting Saturday and had to leave Tuesday morning. Knowing this I wanted to make sure that Annette had some time with them and decided to arrange it so that I could go get her and bring her out.

I had it all planned, had my boys all ready (as I was only taking Emmett with me) and I loaded up the car and headed out Friday. I was going to go to my sister's (who was out of town) and pamper myself. I brought my pedicure pack and facial stuff. I was excited.
Instead after 7 or so minutes on the road Jay called and said he was able to bring Annette out with him that day. So I turned around and headed home. I packed up more stuff and headed to meet them out at the ranch a day earlier than planned and put all my pampering on hold. *sniff sniff

It was great. When we got there Jay took Annette, Emmett, and I on a tour of his property.

On the way along one of the fences we found remains of a coyote. Emmett took some time examining  the bones.

The next day Annette and I spent time cleaning and clearing out the kitchen and common room upstairs. It had been used for construction and other building materials. It. was. a. mess.
I also cleared out the bedrooms downstairs and swept and set up mattresses in them. Jay was out getting some of his A frames ready and other odds and ends he needed to tend to.
It was nice though, and the final result was nice clean and organized spaces for all of the many guests to sleep and hang out.
That evening the Olson's arrived. We ate dinner and visited. It was lovely.

The next day we did another tour of property. This time Annette had decided to sit it out.
Jay took Emmett on the back of his ATV. I was a little apprehensive about this, as Emmett had only the loops of his pants to hold onto. Jay did a great job of going slow and stopping for Emmett to indicate the direction we were traveling.

If you can tell Emmett is pointing along with Jay

Jay had the bottle prepared in case we would be able to find and feed Ellie his "baby" cow (or the cow he babies...)
We didn't find her though.

We did find a gazillion trees and were told the story and history to each of the trees. (for me this was the second day in a row taking this tour) Jay was ecstatic to discover a tree that he had not known about nor had been watering.

We were all joking about how the trees and the cows are Jay's kids and how he dotes on them and brags about them just like a proud papa.

While we were gone on the Tour of Trees, Mike, Randy, and Bud showed up and had been keeping Annette company. I had brought a puzzle for them to work on and it was started. We made sure to jump in and help them finish.

Later Jay's friend from years ago, Teresa, showed up with her group.

It was a full house!

The next day, after the teenage boys were done shooting ground squirrels and dirt bike riding, we decided to take a little ATV drive to the fire tower.

On the way up to the tower Emmett passed out. I spent the time sitting on the rocks holding my sleeping boy while everyone else enjoyed the view. This was perfect, he really needed a nap and I needed some peace and quiet! The view there is wonderful.

We made dinner and waited for the rest of the family to start showing up...

I brought the henna and was recruited to start doing tattoos.

The next morning we got up and visited with our family that had showed up and those who were about to leave.

This was going to be our first day on the river!

After our traditional late start we finally made it to the river and got our boats in the water.
Teresa's group took a paddle boat, the rest of us were in passenger rafts with not very many passengers...
It was much colder and overcast than I would have liked for Emmett's first trip. He loves being on the water though, so I knew we would be fine.

Doing the day trips we started right above Wapanitia. So we hit rapids right away.

Over the years I have been slightly anxious and cranky when it comes to which boat the kids will go in, or what boat we are rowing. I have often opted to ride with Brent, UNLESS we have smaller kids with us, in which case I have preferred to ride in the bigger boat. Brent has teased me about my fear of flipping, mainly because I have fallen out in the rapids about five times now, but never really flip. Of course Annette always says, "There are those that have, and those that are about to..."

This day on the river it was Brent, Brayden, Emmett and I.

(The photos are a jumbled mess, and pretty much a combo of everyone on the trip's...)

the rocks in wapanitia are so beautiful

Gusto

Brent always skirts Gusto for me and Annette. Holes on the river are never my favorite

Boxcar

Oak Springs

Oaks Springs again...

It was a fairly exciting night at the ranch...and most of us slept through all of it.
Mike ended up hitting his hip area on the frame of the raft through the Oaks Springs rapid. It was sore and progressively hurt more and more. As he tried to to initially brush it off as a cramp, he ended up agreeing that it was something more serious. Needless to say after much collaboration and planning they took Mike to the hospital in the middle of the night. He ended up getting life flighted to a bigger hospital and was able to have a procedure that was minimally invasive.

During this ordeal they were moving Bud around, in his sleep, on his cot. The next morning Jay asked Bud what he thought was going on and Bud said he thought he was in a "Nocturnal Parade". A term which quickly became a new favorite phrase and used several times for the rest of the trip.

Teresa's crew left the next day.

We went to one of our new favorite spots on the John Day river.

The next day, Thursday,  we headed out on our final day on the river.

Brent and the boys were excited to be able to do the paddle boat. Every trip Brent has always had to oar a boat. He loves it, but also talks about how fun it would be to be able to trade off and not have to row the whole time. I usually oar a little tiny bit, but it's not like he really gets to relax too much when I'm behind the oars.

He absolutely LOVED being with the boys in the paddle boat and just having fun. I hope somehow we can work those experiences in on some of our future trips.

This day Emmett and I were able to ride in the boat with Max and family. Emmett loves his cousins and thought it was pretty cool to ride in the back with Charlie.

(The rest of the pictures are jumbled and out of order...Oh well)

Driving to the put in, Brent is explaining the different places he wants to hit boxcar

The paddle boat gang, pulling Daniel back in

Starting out, Emmett was still a little cold and not sure if it would be like Tuesday...

I decided to go swimming with Emmett.

I guess this is an example of one of the many times I have fallen out. Of course when you sit on the TUBE through a rapid, that doesn't help.
I totally thought I was sitting on the floor of the raft...
Still, it's good that Emmett now has that experience under his belt. He is a true white water rafter.

August smiling so cute with Jenna

My sweet boys, right before the take out

cleaning our boats

Not that you can tell, but Danika is jumping out of the back there...if you look close you can see her arm up in the air

Our hero! The man who had to pull us in after we went swimming!

Thumb war? I have no idea what they are doing actually...

Bray and Mom! Notice the sling Max fashioned for me...worked like a charm for the next two days.

Explorer Paul, looking majestic

We had a great float. The boys started out a little whiny and cranky, but after lunch when they ate and warmed up they seemed to have much more fun. Emmett LOVED it.

We had hoped to make it to the Oasis for dinner, but by the time we got off and loaded it was too late. We walked in just to hear they were closing.

We ate somewhere else a couple restaurants over...probably won't do that again.

Still, it is a nice finale to spend with the family and have a nice closing activity for the week.

Everyone took off for their various next adventures. We headed back to Jays. We woke up the next day and cleaned the kitchen, bathrooms, and A-frames. Mike was discharged and there with us. It was nice to visit with him and hear the whole ordeal through his perspective.

I just LOVE rafting. I hope we are able to do a legit trip next summer. It should be possible because we are planning to take our cousins up on their offer, and next year to go to Idaho and float the Main Salmon River with them. Whoo hoo!

Until next year....