Tis the season for White Water Rafting! Fa lalalala la la la la!

Hello friends, family, and the Future Rafters of Tomorrow.
Here it is. The American River Monkeys hosting White Water Rafting on June 29th. Again this is thirty five dollars, which you will give the guide when we meet up.

Stu, Justin and I would like to fully extend a brief thank you to everyone* who chose to participate in the events coming up in only a few sparse days. Thanks. I am ecstatic about the turn out,and here I was thinking that this was going to be a trip by myself.
For all the first timers joining us! Here's a little tidbit as to what to expect.

First off, the weather.
It's warm, true. It's hot, hell yes. Sure, the water's cold enough, but please realize that your chances of getting burnt are at an all time record high when wet. Please, please, bring sunblock and apply it generously. Lube up. Like Robin Hood giving money to the poor, but for your skin. Or some bar b que sauce on ribs. Lather. And half way through, lube up again! Most of all, make sure to dress comfortably. Men... now is the time to bust out those bikinis. Please no cotton, this will only make you heavy and an unhappy camper and not to mention chaff like your made of powdered sugar. Dri-fit, or athletic wear for instance is a great example of what to wear, over your swim gear. Caps/hats/sombreros/fedoras are also a great addition to protecting that beautiful face of yours. Just make sure you are able to securely fasten it to your head so that it stays on! Sunglasses are another great option too, yes, you look ten times cooler in those pictures, and they protect your eyes from glare but, make sure they are glued to your head. Please.
They. Will. Fall. Off.
This is my disclaimer to those of you who do not heed my warning and reduces my guilt if such does happen, at any point during the trip. I will still feel relatively bad though. Please make note of this.

Secondly, the water.
The river is unforgiving in many aspects. So you need to worry about the rapids, the rocks and what direction you are facing. This could save your life.
There will be Personal Flotation Devices available, they are mandatory. No shirt, no service so to speak and sizes are limited. If you happen to have your own PFD, bring it! You will be much happier and satisfied with your own, not to mention looking much cooler at the same time for having your own, looking like a seasoned raftarian. Those of you looking to stay aboard dry? You will get wet. Or fall in, I promise you. So make sure you have protection for your feet as well. Water shoes** are a must have and they will save you a ton of trouble. If you decide to rock your tennis', make sure there are holes for water drainage. Mesh, is the best option. But water shoes are cheap and comfortable. But either will do. They will protect your feet from both sharp and slippery rocks. Keep those feet looking happy! Be happy and smile! For those of you who have seen the pictures of me on the raft, you would agree how spectacular it looks. Those pictures were paid for, taken by third party photographers waiting at the major rapids. But for all the other moments on the water, look into getting a waterproof disposable! To share more lasting moments!

Third, your water.
Bring a drink. Better yet. Bring your OWN drink. Thanks to our guides, Stu and Justin. There will be a cooler provided and on board, to house all your necessary beverages. Be it Gatorade, water, Caprison, beer or Smirnoff that will quench your lust for thirst. Also bringing small snacks is highly encouraged, we will be on the river between 3 - 4 hours, and after paddling trust me, you will be sorry you didn't bring anything. As far as personal belongings go, please keep what you carry to a minimum. There will be a dry bag available, but space is limited as to what it can carry. Leave all valuables in the car and you will be happy that your ipod wasn't in the dry bag now floating down stream. The essentials only, will be brought onto the raft. Medication, sunblock, keys, chapstick and anything else I may have left out for you basket cases, including myself. Remember, bring only what you don't mind losing!

Lastly, safety.
Safety, is extremely important here. Everyone will need to cooperate and listen to your guide. We want to make sure we have a fun and safe trip to tell when we get back! The accidents that happen most are not in the water but on the raft! Missing teeth, bloody noses are all from not adhering to proper handling of equipment. Your paddle. Protect your head and the head next to you. Although, the river we will be rafting on does not require the use of helmets, we still need to practice caution. The first half of the river will give us a chance to become accustomed to the raft and hone in our skills as paddlers, we will learn guide commands, proper handling of the t-paddles, what to do when you get knocked out of the raft, a couple drinks and a chance to take a dip safely before we hit the rapids. By being safe we increase our fun! BE LOUD! BE CRAZAY! We are not a company tour! We are not paying over a hundred dollars. And! We get to drink alcohol!!! Any nerf footballs out there? Spray guns!!! Bring them just in case. Monday is going to be exciting and remember to bring everything you need and leave all your worries behind.
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Our rendezvous point. Sacramento// JUNE 29 MONDAY

We will do a short meet n greet and leave at 9am. This will give us a chance to learn names of the other rafters. At this point we will meet up with the guides Stu and Justin, at the ending point. From there we will make our way up river to the launch point. You will board one of the two rafts, one holding 7, the other holding 6. Travel time estimates around an hour to an hour 1/2.
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The night before!!!
Board Game and Bar B Que night! // JUNE 28 SUNDAY
Same place! In Natomas. We will expect company at 7pm. Please wear casual attire. I really don't want to get dressed up... but expect to have a great time!!! Bring whatever you like! Come see White Cheetah and Kingdom the Frisky Dingo!

* Roster includes
Guides
Stu // Justin
Rafters
Jasmine, Chris, Pam, Paul, Ron, Voleck, Phil, Sunny, Suvee, Koon, Ariell!

** Water shoes can be purchased at any participating Wal-mart or Target brand retail store.

*** Also someone remind me to buy a bag of ice and water camera.