Today I did the surprise: whitewater rafting. Amazingly, my cochlear implant stayed on. First, I put a waterproof casing on, then secured it with two headbands - one soft, and one elastic. Next, I attached a clip from the casing to my shirt. Finally, I put it all under my helmet, and we were off.
Going whitewater rafting was the best dumb decision I have ever made. There were a few times when I thought I was going to fall out the boat, but I didn't, luckily. Whitewater rafting is a lot like lead rock climbing to me. You get to each rapid, just like you get to each carabiner, and there's always that feeling of doubt: Am I going to make it? How do I do this?
My job was highsiding - You sit in the front and lean forward when the boat goes up so that the weight is more shifted towards the front. That way, the boat doesn't flip over. Even though it probably didn't make a difference, I felt like I was doing something, which was great. The photos are courtesy of my cousin.
After whitewater rafting and a quick bite at a nearby restaurant, we prepared for the backpacking trip I will be doing Friday and Saturday. We did bushwagoning for practice, and while it was a lot of fun, it was pretty hard. The main mistake I made was over-packing. I am going to pack extra for the overnight trip (as if I learned nothing) only because I have never done it before and I want to make sure I am prepared. Although, I will take lightweight packing to heart on familiar hikes, such as Mt. Washington. For that trip, I will practice minimalist packing. I also learned that Montana has a lot of annoying scratchy plants, so I will be wearing long but lanky and airy pants. Doing the practice run was definitely worth it.
Two last things- I am writing this late at night, so the quality of this post isn't too great. Also, I will not be writing for the next day, maybe two.
Till next time,
Ben
Ben - Great post. Being on the bow of the raft really looks scary. Love, Gpa R
ReplyDeleteGreat post Ben. I really liked your writing and the descriptions of the events and how you felt, and what you are thinking. And, the pictures from Z were great, and we see that you were having a lot of fun! Good luck on the hike, and write when you can.
ReplyDeleteLove,
-Dad