[ Travel / Nonfiction ] Two RVs, four adults, five children (9-16), seven campsites, 20+ hours of driving, thirteen points of interest (give or take), camping/RV experience that's pretty much nil, no reliable Wi-Fi or cell service, or consistently p...
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While our friends explored Denali National Park for a second day, the Britton clan decided to try white water rafting for the first time. We found a company nearby (Denali Raft Adventures) and signed up for a "Wilderness Run," an 11-mile introduction to rafting.
Our strip of the Nenana River had rapids of class I, II, and a brief class III (they go from I to VI where V is "expert" and VI is just stupid). We wore Gore-Tex Dry suits (water temperature was 34 degrees Fahrenheit) and each of us had a paddle. We DID get wet. Fortunately, the water didn't seep through our suits, and we just felt the chill. It was another warm day, though, and we were wearing multiple layers. The cold water was actually a relief!
Early on, we got performance points from our guide for being attentive and efficient (more than most "adult only" boats), but we lost points when the lady beside my husband fell overboard, destroying our guide's perfect record for the season (this is a rarity at the beginner level and there's apparently paperwork involved). It was still a Britton win, nonetheless. My nine-year-old (positioned on my husband's right) managed to stay on board. During this surprisingly strong wave, her instinct was to "throw herself forward." And my husband got hero points for getting the lady back on the raft. No one was hurt and she never escaped his grip.
It was funny to compare our adventure stories over dinner that night. Our ex-Coast Guard friend was a bit envious. He missed out on an act of heroism and almost got taken out by an angry bird (allegedly a grouse) on a hiking trail. If he ever uploads the footage onto TikTok or YouTube, I'll make sure to add the link. 😉
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