From Mountain To River

BY JACK BURNS

FIORINI SKI SCHOOL PSIA / AASI-NW EXECUTIVE VP

Summer Race Camp introduced a new event this year, rafting on the Deschutes River.

About 35 camp attendees and other PSIA members ventured to Maupin, Oregon for an afternoon of rafting in the sun baked canyon through which the Deschutes River flows. Maupin is approximately 45 miles from Government Camp.

After gathering near the City Park, we were bussed to the “put in” site. Once we were fitted with life jackets and heard the obligatory safety lecture, we divided into 5 groups and boarded our craft.

The Fiorini Ski School contingent, 16 strong, including our trusted photographer, Wayne Nagai, divided into 3 boats. This article primarily recounts the antics of those 3 boats. I am sure the others have similar stories to tell.

My boat (Fiorini I) was immediately rechristened “The Pirate Ship.” While Linda Cowan was aboard and tasked with keeping the young pirates in line, ultimately, she failed miserably.

At the beginning of our 3 ½ hour float, paddle splashing and other attempts to wet down those in the other boats took place. Because of the temperature, 98 degrees, no one really minded.

Shortly after our float began, we heard shrieks and screams coming from Fiorini II. Andrea Keenan, moving like a cat, quickly moved from the back of the craft to a standing position on the bow. Only the guide was quicker in moving to an elevated position. The reason for their angst was described by those aboard as a ten foot long Burmese Python with snapping razor toothed jaws. In reality, it was a pencil thin garden snake found in the bottom of the boat by Takashi Tsukamaki. After the snake was dispatched (means unknown), a semblance of normality returned to the trip.

As the float continued, little rapids lead to bigger rapids and the only injury of day. As Fiorini II dropped into a hole wetting down the craft and crew, Rob Croston head butted Emmy Croston (accidentally he says). While Emmy slowly recovered, her head was still ringing at the end of the trip.

After an hour of floating and learning the balancing skills required to stay aboard our unstable craft, the crew of the Pirate Ship became restless. Plotting evil, our boat slowly and stealthily approached Fiorini II. At close range, Brandon Mobley, Mike Roberts, Jeff Burns and Ryan Christofferson attacked. They leapt aboard Fiorini II and pulled Jeff Cordell into the cold water of the Deschutes River despite the valiant efforts of his crew mates, including Micheal and Justina Blackburn and Kim Nelson, to save him. Meanwhile, Adrianne Burns made a noble effort to stay dry aboard the Pirate Ship. While all the attackers also ended up in the river, it was a victory for the Pirate Ship.

Flushed with success, the Pirate Ship set its eyes on another target. Floating nearby was Fiorini III captained by Nelson Wingard, an honorary Fiorini. Attacking from the rear, the young crew of the Pirate Ship was able to sneak up on his unwary craft, leap aboard, capture Nelson and return him to the Pirate Ship. Bob Jennings and the rest of the crew of Fiorini III put up a heroic, but unsuccessful, effort to save Nelson. He was ultimately ransomed back to his boat.

As time passed, and the laziness of the float began to over take us, the crew of the Pirate Ship roused itself by planning yet another attack. Lazily sunning herself on Fiorini III was the lovely Kirsten Huotte. In true pirate fashion, it was decided that we needed a charming wench to adorn our craft. Approaching stealthily, the boarding party readied itself for the attack. Unaware, Kirsten continued to lie across the boat soaking up the fading rays of warm sunlight. At the instant of attack, Jeff Burns leapt to gain control of the unsuspecting craft while the other young pirates readied themselves to grab Kirsten. Unfortunately, his leap fell far short. He knifed into the water without a splash, bumped along the bottom of Fiorini III and appeared, sputtering water, on the far side of the boat. The attempted capture was an abysmal failure much to the delight and laughter of Kirsten and her crew.

The most exciting moment of the trip came as all the boats neared the biggest rapids and drop off of the trip. After gathering upstream to receive specific instructions for negotiating the next several hundred yards, each of the boats, with the exception of Fiorini III, made it through this part of the trip unscathed. As Fiorini III dropped approximately 6 feet into a swirling pool of foaming river, the boat filled quickly with water. Because he had failed to follow instructions to brace his feet before entering the rapids, Eric Herzog was swept out of the boat into the fast moving current. The stark look of terror on his face faded only after the guide from one of the other boats perfectly tossed a life line that allowed Eric to be pulled to shore.

After floating to the “take out” point, we were bussed back to the City Park for a great meal of london broil, chicken, mashed potatoes, fresh corn, salad, fresh fruit and desert. It was a great meal to end a perfect day of skiing and rafting.

The rafting trip was a great addition to the camp schedule. Thanks Kirsten. Creative thinking like this will make future camps and events even better.