River Rafting in Utah (Prep and Travel)
Finally here! I’ve been looking forward to this trip for over a year. I signed up to go in 2025, but the trip was postponed until 2026.
Travel arrangements were…interesting. 😉 Since I’d be coming from Boise, ID and not my home base of Fort Worth, TX, and I was going to a rather out of the way starting place (Green River, UT), I had to investigate lots of options. It finally worked out to fly from Boise to Phoenix to Moab, UT, and then do a shuttle to Green River. So that was the plan.
Turns out a friend from the Association day in Boise was on the same flight from Boise to Phoenix. I had a couple of hours layover; she had longer. We had time for breakfast and conversation in Phoenix before she dropped me at my gate for the flight to Moab.
We’d been asked to consider bringing a gift times 16; something to share with each of the 14 travelers and the two trip leaders. I settled on playing a wonderful song that the author, Katie Grigg-Miller, kindly gave me permission to share. I put the words on cards and laminated them (we were going to be on a river, after all!). At the appropriate time, I’d hand out the cards and play the song for everyone. I love this song!
We’d all signed up for a What’s App group, and that morning a trip leader suggested we all send photos of ourselves traveling to Green River. This is me in the Phoenix airport–first leg of the journey complete!
Flying from Phoenix to Moab was on a small plane and it was not even half full. We were able to sit wherever we wanted so most folks had a full row (both sides of the aisle) to themselves.
I hadn’t checked when the shuttle was to leave the airport, but when I arrived, there was a text waiting for me confirming the ride. Turns out I was the only passenger and they were monitoring my flight, so the van showed up pretty quickly. Shout out to Moab Express!
The landscape provided a preview of what’s to come. The ride was relatively short (30 minutes?), so soon enough I was checking in at the hotel.
After running into Jennifer Dale (one of the trip leaders) and a few others I recognized from our Zoom calls, I took a walk around the hotel and then went for a swim in the pool. Refreshing! Then a shower, dress, and ready for what’s to come.
Jean A (we’re sharing a room) arrived not long after that. By 7 PM everyone had arrived and we met as a group in a garden area of the hotel. A guide from the rafting company gave us our bags. One small day bag for stuff we’d want to access on the raft during the day. And a larger bag with what we wouldn’t need except in camp at night.
Then we met as a group to do our get acquainted activities. We read our “I am from” poems (see mine below), shared our “tokens” and just had general discussions. First impressions? Awesome group of women I’m looking forward to spending time with! 😉
Jen handed us our customized Journals (customized with our first names) with blank pages to record our thoughts on the journey, and Heather handed out stickers she’d had made for the journey–every word is true. (One night when she repeated this, I added one more: “This moment would not be complete without me.” Seemed appropriate.)
As the sun was sinking, it was off to our rooms to pack our bags. I think we all had brought things we realized we could leave behind. I know my leave-behind suitcase was more full than I had planned, but that’s a good thing!
Lastly, all prepped and in bed. Breakfast is at 6 AM and off to the river company offices at 6:20 to start our journey.
My I Am From Poem
Sharon-Lee (Sher) Orpen
June 2026
I am from construction materials, from wood and nails in a community being built–full of places to play. I am from the sheltering base of heated concrete floors; thin wood walls; an outside patio, sunny and warm. I am from days exploring forested creek bottoms and climbing trees, delicious discoveries in mud and sticks.
I am from being close and keeping your distance.
I am from Ceal and Bud, a love match who preferred to have their struggles away from anyone else’s eyes. From 50s TV, where families lived archetypal lives and everything wrapped up in 30 minutes. I am from, “You can do anything!” and from “Women work but men are in charge.”
I’m from parents who exemplified faith by doing right but eschewed religious practice. I’m from England, Ireland, Sweden, and Germany, all rubbed together and Americanized; from steaks on the barbeque and ice cream for dessert.
I’m from a pilot father who flew bombing raids over Tokyo and eventually picked up 8-year old me from camp in a helicopter; from a mother who became the 49th licensed female helicopter pilot in the world while struggling with pain and perhaps addiction. Bless them both.
I am from moments captured in family photos, many now stored in my closet. They will come to an end, there, when I move on. Happily, those captured moments recorded, but have never managed to constrain, me.