Music, Rafting and Loud Noises!

The music scene is really hopping... like bunnies. Big fat bunnies. Big fat fluffy bunnies. DanDan wrote this little ditty a bit a go ... and the kool team is up in Portland with Mayyors and the Ganglians at the Portland Music Festival... wonder how it's going...

"I went to the Vox Gallery the other night and saw Wolf Eyes. It was loud! Wolf Eyes is a noise band from Detroit, Michigan, USA who has released well over 500 things on various labels with the main one being American Tapes. Other bands that are lumped into the same category or genre of music are Yellow Swans, Axolotl, Hair Police and Black Dice.






Afterwards, I went to my friends house. Their names are Daniel, Kandice, Tony, Kyle, Alex, Teddy and Alexa. They all love music and they play it all day on all 3 levels of the house. (Notes: the poor neighbors...) some really great bands jammin' under one roof such as Pregnant and What's Up.

They are making music that is so innovative that it goes beyond genres and classifications and into a whole new world of laptop-lullaby-psychedelic-blissed-out-sphinx-on-a-surfboard-style jams of eternal mind, body and soul. Pregnant just released an album on Lost Lamp Records called Beautiful Moon.

ONE TIME, at the same house, I saw a great show. It was Psychedelic Horseshit from Silt Breeze label and Fabulous Diamonds and Ganglians and Mom. It was so bone dog! bone dog! This show was the sloppiest of all hippie punk; slurred vocals through break, through a window of cheap beer and too much hair.

Old dudes in short shorts with shorter songs... handing out free 7" records and nobody even wants them. On the other hand, Ganglians rip a jankle pop-style and use reverb to the max. It is about as pretty as MOM's chicken feet throwing while smashing a raw egg on your face and singing through an Alvin and the Chipmunks style vocal effect to old 60's surf dance and kids songs mania. Whew!

Pschedelic Horseshit are from Ohio, I think. Check it out on Silt Breeze label, because if you don't you are a fool and you will never get to hear this band in the good early stages before they sell out and start opening up for death cab for cutie. Fabulous Diamonds are cool tooo. Check them out. They make music for rainy days in my opinion, at least, and I once heard someone label them as goth. I'm not too sure what that means, I always thought that goths liked minimal techno. Hehe.

At this very moment, I am at the house that I have been talking about this whole time. I am using Kyle's (from the Ganglians) computer to type this shiz.


I AM BLIND
I AM TIRED (tired... I am the definition of tired, dude!)


ALEX JUST PUT JENS LEKMAN ON THE HOUSE STEREO REALLY LOUD, IT IS FUNNY.


From Fatty Acid & Ganglians @ Java Lounge Halloween '08

Death Sentence Panda are f*ing vicious female-fronted radness. They are going to be playing a show in Sacramento with Sactowns own Mayyors, Sucks and the newest all-girl band on the scene, FATTY ACID featuring every girl that I know including my girlfriend on drums. They are a super punk puzzy dance with no breaks and no practice. They sound great, and it makes me feel like a wussy."
DanDan WhiteLite ~~



From Rafting Trips

DanDan and the rest will be back soon this week... just in time for Burning Man and whitewater rafting on the American River for Labor Day Weekend! This will make you NOT feel like a wussy! LOL!


From Fatty Acid & Ganglians @ Java Lounge Halloween '08

Thanks to last.fm for Ganglians stuff!

Water = Life : Rivers as Best Friends

July came and is slipping away quickly. The month was incredibly busy with guests driving and flying in from all parts of the world. We truly have become an international rafting company devoted to water recreation in the outdoors. W.E.T. River Trips has morphed from that small two raft company to a company that can accommodate hundreds of guests per day. Our focus is still education... educating our friends and guests to the importance of our precious resource; the river.


... small voices united are more powerful than any one person...

The river is our best friend. From that flow, we have water draining towards the valley towns and reservoirs, the delta, the ocean and into our eager hands where our state mismanages and pollutes this very precious element. So, we try our best to educate against water waste, pollution, diversion, and we help to promote sustainable resources to help save the water in California.



We do this in a benign way... without shoving brochures into your mailbox or sending you spammy emails. We take you whitewater rafting. Then, you fall in love with the river just like we did. And because you love the water, the river, you become its friend... and maybe, you won't vote for the politician who only talks about damming rivers... and maybe you won't vote for an amendment that would cause the river to be diverted... or maybe you will teach your children to not throw garbage into the river and waterways.



We teach in a gentle way. Those of you who have been "taught" are becoming advocates for these rivers, too. You will tell others how wonderful the whitewater rafting experience was and how you never knew that such an incredible experience was just waiting in your own backyard... just a couple hours away.



As we go through life as rafters and paddlers, we know we have been granted a special time in our lives to experience what Mother Nature has created. All we ask is that you respect, revere and love the water as much as we do. Happy paddling friends, and we will see you soon on the river!

Tahoe Paddle Fest : aug 1 - 2

The Tahoe Paddle Fest is coming on August 1st - 2nd! This free festival encourages children, teens and adults to participate in healthy, sustainable outdoor activities and paddling sports. The Tahoe area is home of Washoe Tribe of California and Nevada, an indigenous people from this locale. The Washoe Tribe is an event sponsor of this fun festival.

This first annual paddle event will highlight non-motorized watercraft with a nod to the indigenous water craft that might have graced beautiful Lake Tahoe long ago. Watercraft from indigenous cultures to modern times will include dugout canoes, standup surf paddling and outrigger boats. Racing these crafts will be another highlight to the weekend.

Tom "Pohaku" Stone, University of Hawaii professor who is an authority on Hawaiian surfboards and outrigger canoes will also serve as a keynote speaker.

Promotion of safe boating and the importance of checking for the invasive mussels that could destroy Tahoe's sensitive ecosystem will also be encouraged. Tahoe Basin and Educational partners are providing free demos or educational outreach for this event.





Tahoe Paddle Fest is located close to several paddling rivers including the world famous American River trips. Both California whitewater trips on South Fork American and Middle Fork American are within 1.5 hours from the Tahoe area. Close enough to paddle the white water river while enjoying the displays and exhibits from the festival.

Contact Tahoe Paddle Fest for more info or call them directly at 530.318.7599 to reserve sponsorships or exhibitor booths.

See you on the water!



Thank you to Tahoe Paddle Fest for this summer update!
Thank you to Ecomentum Green Marketing for cool surf pic of Prof Stone!

King Tut Exhibit in San Francisco

Our avatar in the virtual world of Second Life did a recent blog about the King Tut exhibit on the grid. The premier builders, Rezzable, creators and artists in the virtual world had presented a beautiful interactive site showing the tomb's contents and of course, the boy king himself. I saw the pictures that the avatar posted on the King Tut blog about the sim and quite frankly, they were a stunning representation of the real life exhibit.





This weekend, June 27, 2009, the real exhibit comes to the De Young Museum in San Francisco. This is a much sought after ticket and the wait was almost unbearable for those of us who love history. Imagine... being able to actual see the tomb's contents and King Tutankhamun.



Many travelers and vacationers have included this event as a must see. We have included a package that will help to make the history visit even more fun! If you have a ticket for the exhibit, call in and we will offer you our Pharoah's Discount this week.





Just say "Pharoah's Discount" and you will receive a $99/person white water trip on any American One Day River Trip we offer. That includes lunch, whitewater trip, shuttle, guide service and all river rafting gear. Travel with us on the river and visit the historical gold rush sites in Northern California. What a great way to top off a history weekend!

de Young Museum
50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive
Golden Gate Park
San Francisco, CA 94118
415.750.3600
http://www.deyoungmuseum.org

Life Decisions : Family

Recently, I was speaking to one of the younger members of the blogging team. He writes about the foibles of his youth and how he resolves the pending issues of the day. I gather that his life is full of adventure as each day unfolds to bring either good tidings or sorrow. He is young and full of spirit. The decisions he makes daily are hard. There are so many temptations, so many wrong things that can happen. The one constant in his life is his family, his good friends, his music, his art and rafting on rivers.

From North Fork American HIgh Water

Was life this hard when I approached it as a young adult? Yes, it was. Sometimes, I didn't think I would survive. I was always worried about money. There never seemed enough funds to cover the daily living cost. I can remember eating top ramen noodles because it was dirt cheap and satisfying. I wonder if "they" eat that, too...

From Buff Castle 2nd Saturday with White Fang & Religious Girls

He said to me that sometimes he wished that he could just go back to the warm embrace of his family... have mom do his laundry again... have dad slip him a twenty for gas... and waking up in a bed with clean sheets. He said he never imagined how much he would appreciate all the little things that mom and dad would do for him. He missed it very much, but he knew that he couldn't go back. He knew that he was an adult in a sometimes, childlike mind.

From Buff Castle 2nd Saturday with White Fang & Religious Girls

From Buff Castle 2nd Saturday with White Fang & Religious Girls

I imagine how difficult it is to ward off the temptations, the bad friends, and to make critical decisions to launch himself into full adulthood. He told me that his music and being outdoors on river trips was his greatest joy. He will be on our rafting trips this weekend enjoying himself with his friends. There, he can forget for a while, the seriousness of life and just enjoy what Mother Nature brings.

Memorial Day Weekend 2009

What year is this? How could it possibly already be Memorial Day Weekend?

From North Fork American, Middle Fork American, South Fork American Spring 2009

People from all walks of life are entering the zone of relaxation and party mood this weekend. Some are on vacation while others are just doing a quick trip nearby enjoying great discount prices with their family and friends.

From Spring Middle Fork 2009

On our rafting trips, we are seeing a trend of last minute reservations. Not only does that stress out our staff, but it must also stress out our guests. We know that you are scrambling for something to do this weekend. We know you are trying to organize people who may be just as busy as you. Believe me, we know... as we repeat the same pattern for ourselves.

From Spring Middle Fork 2009

From Spring Middle Fork 2009

This weekend... I am not sure what I will be doing. I waited 'till the last minute, too! I think the easiest thing will be to get on the online rafting store to do a quick purchase for a trip this Sunday or Monday. I gotta go rafting... I just have to spend this hot weekend on the water outdoors. And taking the ski boat out is too expensive or going to the coast is daunting, because I don't know if I can get in at the last minute on a hotel or b&b.

From Spring Middle Fork 2009

So I am going rafting with friends... and I'll be thinking of all of you last minute, disorganized people like myself as I paddle the rapids and breathe a sigh of relief as I enjoy the river and the water. Peace...

From North Fork American, Middle Fork American, South Fork American Spring 2009

Props to PappaJah for the rafting photos from Middle Fork American 2009!

rafting trips in the great outdoors

rafting outdoors
Originally uploaded by W.E.T. River Trips

This past Mother's Day on Sunday, we went to a pool party. Yah... 90 degrees and melting in the heat. How can one day in California be raining and snowing and a week later, it's 90 degrees HOT!

IT'S THAT TIME AGAIN!

Come on down folks for the classic white water trips out here in the West! The most popular whitewater river is South Fork American, a California river trip full of rapids designed for anyone.



Bring your family and friends and tell them you did the whitewater rodeo section of the American River. They will be impressed! Now let's go!!!!!!!