Friday, December 14, 2012

Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting

December 14, 2012
Sandy Hook Elementary School
Mass Shooting
glock & sig-sauer handguns
.223 bushmaster rifle

Details:
20 children dead in Conneticut
6 adults including gunman

Results:
flag lowered to half-mast
world wide sorrow
obama speaks tearfully
news media event

These are the sparse details. I don't know why or what happened. All I know is this; history repeats itself. This isn't the first time. And, it won't be the last time. This time, this mass shooting occurred right before Christmas. Right before Christmas break. At the school. All those kids. All those teachers. The gunman was after his educator mother. She was a school teacher. The gunman, only 24 years old, killed his mother during that horrible shooting. He also killed the Principal, psychologist, and other adults. And, the 20 children. 20 kids. 20 kids waiting for Santa, waiting for Christmas morning... sitting in class decorated for holidays. Maybe singing holiday songs. Little kids.

Please think of these families during your holidays. Please keep them in your heart.

My heart is broken... shattered.












Written by: ~ e l
W.E.T. River Trips
RAFTWET.com

Tuesday, December 04, 2012

KLAMATH RIVER - The Long Strange Trip

The Klamath River is the longest no dammed, navigable whitewater river in California stretching over 200 miles from I-5 to the Pacific Ocean.

The Burning Man festival in Black Rock City, Nevada is arguably the longest running, biggest festival of Art, Music, and Culture in the Western Hemisphere.

Cal Salmon raftingLet's put them together shall we?

Since 1979, in our second year of operation, W.E.T. River Trips started to run various sections of the Northern California's  Klamath River with a focus on the Happy Camp to Presidio Bar run that we usual would configure as a 3 or 4-day trip.

About 15 years ago, we started to extend our trips upstream to Saeid Valley to incorporate more class 3 rapids and to experience the more remote portions of the river with trips up to 6 days in duration...as we did so, we started to think of some other additions....hence, the concept of "Long Strange Trip" (yes, the LST was born out of long van rides, warm nights on river beaches, and the creativity of river guides).

Yes, the reference to the Grateful Dead song is clear; however, the concept of the trip is more than a jam-band bit of noodling. Long Strange Trip (LST) incorporates self reliance (no rafts... Inflatable and sit-on-top kayaks only with a gear boat for supplies), Art (every day would have options for self expression through body movement, photography, sculpture, and 'crafts'), Music (the trip's guides would all be musicians of a variety of disciplines and clients would be encouraged to bring instruments and to use instruments provided by guides) daily and nightly. The LST would also explore the surrounding riparian eco-system and the surrounding geology and geography with a continual thread of Human History presented by guides and guests.

The Long Strange Trip (LST) Recap
DURATION 6-days; July 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, & 6th
TRANSPORT using kayaks, sit-on-top kayaks, gear raft w/ all your gear
DRY BAG 30lbs/person for personal gear
ART everyday; body movement, photography, sculpture, crafts
MUSIC every night; bring your instruments, guides will also!
GEOLOGY of California & Pacific Northwest
GEOGRAPHY local, regional
HUMAN HISTORY native american lore, gold rush history, and us!
MENU vegetarian and/or vegan, California produce advocating farm to fork
THEMES group selection, committment
NO TRACE camping, impact on land

The LST would be a slower paced and free-form schedule with a simple beginning and an end filled in-between with natural magic and the energy and contributions of the environment and our guests. Meals or food will be simple, nutritious, filling and mostly vegetarian and/or vegan constructed of high quality California-produced ingredients. Besides the musical entertainment, dance, art, movement, games, interaction, and learning... every day will be themed though group selection and commitment.

As with Burning Man, the rules will be few: safety gear will be worn on-river, and no-trace camping and floating will be strictly adhered to. And as with Burning Man, participants will be encouraged to contribute to the trip in ways that shows a giving, sharing spirit to contribute to the LST community.

The trip will be small (limited to 12 participants) and will be staffed by carefully selected guides that will bring all the 'magic' and expertise the LST requires.

The inaugural LST will be presented to operate July 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6th ....so, not only would we celebrate the LST, we would also celebrate Independence Day by floating and traveling through the State Of Jefferson (our Nation's only Ad-Hoc 51st State established in 1941).

links:
http://www.raftwet.com/Klamath.html
https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/104445714950587017401/albums/5499035911904821009
more rivers in northern california:
http://c-w-r.com/rivers/lower-klamath.html
http://raftwet.com/california-salmon.html
http://c-w-r.com/rivers/upper-sac.html

Ahhhh... the influences of hippies, Burning Man, Grateful Dead, Farm to Food and loving life!
This post was written by Big Poppah Jah! and posted by me.
~ el
WET River Trips
RAFTWET.com