A quote from TRR Coordinator (and ORT paddler) Shane:
“The point”, said Shane Conrad, a volunteer organizer who served three tours in Iraq with the U.S. Marine Corps, “was to ward off the drinking and isolation that often follows vets home when they leave the military.”
“We got too many guys locking themselves in their rooms, turning on their Xboxes and playing Halo all day,” said Conrad, 26, referring to a violent video game popular among Iraq and Afghanistan returnees. “A whitewater raft trip on a cold winter day offers a double dose of the camaraderie and adventure that most vets abruptly lose when their duty ends”.
To see more photos from the Sandy, visit the ORT Flickr page.
In an attempt to summarize another season of growth, survival, and evolution, ORT relied on our Chi, our life force. Collaboration; a process where two or more people work together to realize shared goals, social leadership, working together to obtain greater resources especially when competing for finite resources. Hydro; hydro power, electric energy, one thankfully not requiring dams in this case. Intensity, a measure of energy per unit, a gauging of value and hard work.
The CHI of ORT.
In isolation we are nothing special. Ambitious and physical with the intellectual attributes to plan and follow through. Our finite resources are mostly left unhindered by family and careers. These have either been compensated for, neglected, or rarely exist.
The profile of a whitewater paddler? Depends on one’s level of acceptance.
This is our profile.
3,000 miles of driving + 240 phone calls + 975 emails + 11 meetings + 2 fundraisers + 9 blog entrys + 648 pictures + 21 hours of gear maintenance + 90 consecutive days of subconscious thought = 1 team leader. Do the right thing as the people your value system has deemed to be important are watching. They are learning, emulating, and criticizing your every transparent move as the mostly unchartered evolution continues.
In 2012 we are coming back. More festivals, energy, fun, passion, sweat, pain, laughter, frustration, patience, and hope. We are human. In isolation we are nothing special. Come together with us and feel our CHI.
With some newly aquired software, ORT renders its’ videos in full 720p HD now. Check out the lastest video of ORT and WRRR on the Upper Wind last month and make sure you select 720 in the bottom right of the youtube window.
The Oregon Rafting Team had the amazing opportunity to spend the day on the Clackamas River with kids from Janus Youth. Driving out to the river we were worried that the youth would be scared off by the rainy weather.. but no. Cloudy weather and rain would not scare these kids from Portland. As we questioned their resolve, they were already on their way. True Oregonians.
Gettin crazy at the put-in
Our ever optimistic claims that the sun would soon break through were not taken seriously and everyone involved set upon the task of preparing to launch.
Dr. Frankenstein set upon the daunting task of educating these newbies on whitewater survival. “Who has ever whitewater rafted?”. Two hands out of eleven rose. Right on. Swimmers? For sure. Nice.
What a group!
After a lesson on river safety, a warm up workout of stretches, lunges, and sprints.. we were ready to launch. Three guides, three talented counselors, and eight teenagers found our way into three rafts and began the voyage down the boney Clackamas.
Words cannot describe the fun, excitement, and appreciation that occurred on the river. The scenic Clackamas lived up to its reputation as we made our way. Eagle sightings, cliff jumping at Big Eddy, and the sound of laughter were the highlights on our three hour voyage. It is amazing to see a kid who has never rafted lunge across the boat to pull his buddy, who nearly fell out, back into the boat…twice. That is what builds friendships, trust.. And will be remembered forever. The youth amazed everyone with their ability to listen to instruction and their ability to navigate, upon command, the river.
We all became better people that rainy day in September.
Whitewater action!
A special thanks to ORT members Dr. Frankenstein, Rowdy, and Ck for making this trip happen. Also, to Ezra, Mr. Kitchen and Mr.? for their talented supervision of our participants.
Team Quest Ultimate Plus members and ORT met up for a run down the Upper Clackamas river outside of Portland, OR. After a week of questionable weather, the skies cleared and we had awesome conditions on the water- though water levels were getting down pretty low in late September! A few “races”, some tight R2 lines by Matt and Nick, and many MMA-training discussions were had over the 10mi stretch. Good times all around- Big thanks to Rowdy and Dr.Frankenstein for help putting the trip on.
The penultimate WWCS race will take place this Saturday on the White Salmon River outside of Hood River, OR! There is still room (as of this morning) for catarafts, IKs, and rafts classes. Get a crew together and come on out- R2, R3, R6- whatever. Prizes from Sotar and River Hardware.
If you’d like to volunteer with the support crew, contact Zach Collier (zach@nwrafting.com) at NW Rafting.
Visit the official website here for race details. See you on the river!
ORT recently took some off-season fun runs down Breitenbush, the upper North Santiam, and Opal Creek in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. With our GoPro filming and editing skills on the rise, more videos are on the way!
