Ping ponging down the lower New River clinging to our paddles and bouncing wildly in a big purple raft.  It was about a perfect day: rapids were exciting, flow across the rocks was perfect for “surfing”, the air temp neared 90F and the water was at 75F.  Five new found friends were fun companions on the journey and our guide, Scott, did a spectacular job.

We have a video to share with those who crave the detailed version but here are the highlights.

Lower trestle rapids: I high-five the photo guy as we careened past his boulder perch and I am out of the raft before we even really get started.  I am tumbled in the current among the rocks but pop up no worse for the wear.  It took seconds.

The Keeneys…upper/middle/lower.

Orange paddles and guides helmet are all that show in the Keenys rapids

A tight group of three rapids came next.  Let’s just say that Kent can no longer claim that he has bested the New River.  It was the wild surfing that got him…and the other two on his side of the raft.  It looked like slow-mo when I watched them go in.  They too emerged unscathed.

More rapids and lots more surfing.

Some cooling as we voluntarily leave the boat in calmer sections spinning in eddies and whirlpools set in motion by underwater ledges and rocks

Great shore lunch

Bobbing free in the river again, feet stretched out in front of us and hugging our life jackets we floated through “the needle”, a narrow gap where the current rushes between boulders.

The kid in our raft actually road the last rapid standing in the bow hanging onto a lead clipped to the bow ring.

What fun!

Kent got some video from a rider’s point of view on his helmet mounted GoPro camera.  Thankfully he didn’t capture my “graceful” exit or reentry!