Since we do not have any stories on this year's River Rafting experiences, we are leaving 1999's adventures as an example of what we enjoy each summer.

On Sunday, June 20th, 1999 with visions of whitewater in their heads, 14 SnoJets traveled north to the Cache La Poudre River in search of thrills and chills. The river was fast, the rapids were rocking and rolling and the rafters had a great ride. There were delays getting on the river because of a rockslide in the canyon, but everyone maintained a good attitude. No one lost any equipment to the river although Bambi Manning was lost over the side for a short swim. Pete Walsh, trip virgin, at one point probably feared he would die because of the wild (and mostly untrue) stories the experienced rafters told him. The professional film taken of the rafters on the river was returned to the raft shop by carrier pigeon. Really! Ask Dave Hennekens if you don't believe this. After the raft trip, there was the roundabout ride back to town via a school bus. The entertainment consisted of bad jokes told by a raft guide with a newly-pierced tongue. The rafters capped off their trip with a tasty dinner in Fort Collins, where baby-faced Andy Skuntz was carded and everyone assisted Leilani Miranda in cleaning her plate.

The second installment of rafting adventure occurred on Saturday, June 26th on the Arkansas River. The section: Brown's Canyon. The score: Brown's Canyon won. Everyone swam. One group of rafters swam intentionally (their guide made them) and the other rafters got sucked into a rapid - Sidel's Suckhole. Those on the first raft had to save those from the second raft. The second raft was soooo full of rafters. How full was it? It was so full that Doug Walker got tipped out again for a second swim. Through the course of this whitewater ride, there were four hats and three paddles lost. Did you know you can surf in a raft? You can if you have a good crew and a fun-seeking river guide. And, if you are really good, you can send your raft under a small waterfall and live to tell the tale. Janeen Johnson and Gil Tegano were repeatedly drenched by that waterfall. The rafters finished off the trip with lunch in Salida at Il Vicino.

The third and final installment to this adventure was the Numbers on Sunday, July 11th. This trip was originally scheduled in June but had to be postponed because the water was too high for safe rafting. The rapids were worth the wait. It was a glorious ride through the rapids with no mistakes and no swimmers. To make up for the fact that everyone got through without swimming, the guides found a swimming site for us at another section of the river. This swim was most interesting, however, because it involved working your way out in the river to a lone rock. In the middle of the rock, there was a hole with swirling river water, much like a toilet bowl. If you jumped into the rock with the swirly water, you were swept under and out into the river. From there it was a swim back to the bank. Okay, we all had to do it. Terri Valerien was the first to take the challenge. Pedro Perez-Soler became a one-bootie guy during his swim. A big time was had by all.