Linda's Lower Salmon B-day

We left Coeur d’Alene at about 6:15 AM, heading to the put in at Pine Bar on the Lower Salmon. It was Linda’s birthday and we were excited to get onto the water for the weekend. The boat was all packed and I had made the shuttle arrangements with All River Shuttles out of White Bird so we basically just needed to get down to the water and launch. We stopped and Linda signed in as the trip leader. She signed the form “Linda Bennett, Birthday Queen” and we drove the three blocks to the place where we could first spot the river. Holly, Willy Wonka, the river was filled with chocolate! The water was a lovely brown color, probably caused by the rain we had received on Tuesday. I gritted my teeth and thought, “There goes the fishing.”

When we arrived there was a big guided group on the ramp but they slid their stuff over and we were able to get right in. The boats belonged to Barkers and as we unloaded I chatted with Devin Barker about mutual acquaintances. She is friends with Mike W. and Mike Beckwith, Jason Luker and a million other boaters that I know. The boating world has grown, but we still seem to know someone who knows someone everywhere we go.

With the boat ready we launched and just as we were off the bank, Tom, Sarah, Mike and Monica arrived. If only they had been a bit sooner. About ten minutes before they got to the boat launch a huge group of 30 private folks arrived and were getting rigged up. It was up to us to go on down river and get a beach for the night.

Floating on the sea of milk chocolate, we slid on down to just above Packer Creek. I had orders to not go below Killer Goat Beach and that if possible I was to get a beach on the left bank after the last farm. There was a real nice beach that fit into the criteria for the first night location so Linda and I grabbed it. The day was early so we sat I the shade of the umbrella and watched the various groups drift by. We ate lunch and talked about the upcoming couple days, unwinding and enjoying the sun.

Just as I was drifting off to sleep Linda was startled by the sound of movement coming from over our shoulders on the beach. We turned just as two people dashed down onto the beach and launched them selves at us. It was Steve and Lynnel Wassmuth that came flying out of no where. Linda was flabbergasted. Steve and Lynnel had put together a trip down the Colorado River, through the Grand Canyon ten years ago. We were with them on a beach at mile 119, where we celebrated Linda’s 40th birthday. What a wonderful birthday present and a great surprise for Linda.

Two minutes later Mike and Monica came around the corner to join the reunion. We all sat and talked, Steve and Lynnel bring us up to date on their family and the happenings of the past ten years, Mike introducing Monica and adding to the past memories. I kind of felt bad for Monica, we hadn’t ever really talked to her prior to this meeting, and we basically talked about everything we did on our Canyon trip. I hope she didn’t feel too left out.

Tom and Sarah arrived about an hour later finalizing our group for the evening. Linda and I cooked dinner as everyone drank and talked. Linda got several cards and presents. It was a great evening being together with wonderful friends. Everyone went to bed at about 9:30 PM, we had been up early and worked hard getting on the river.

The next morning Mike and Monica cooked a great breakfast as we all packed up our beds. Steve and Lynnel could not continue on down the river due to commitments back at Grangeville. They packed there gear in backpacks and then hiked back up to the farm where they had left their truck. I wish they could have continued on down the river, but it was special to see them the brief time that we were together.

We launched back on the river and continued the trip on down through Cougar Canyon, navigating the chocolate rapids avoiding Oompa-Loompas in Loompaland and continuing on down through Snow Hole and the marshmallow room;
to beyond the fudge room at China rapids.

WONKA: It's chocolate.

VERUCA: That's chocolate?!?

CHARLIE: That's chocolate.

VIOLET: A chocolate river.

GRANDPA JOE: That's the most fantastic thing I've ever seen.

WONKA: Ten thousand gallons an hour. And look at my
waterfall. That's the most important thing. It's mixing my
chocolate. It's actually churning my chocolate. You know,
no other factory in the world mixes its chocolate by
waterfall. (to Mr. Salt) But it's the only way if you want
it just right . . .

CHARLIE: Grandpa, look over there across the river! They're
little men!

GRANDPA JOE: Jumping Crocodiles, Charlie! Now we know who
makes the chocolate.

We camped just above Billy Creek on a beach located on the right bank. We set up the kitchen and everyone sat in the shade. I took a hike up river to the access road for the last cabin after China Rapids. Monica took a shower and as she stood bare on the beach she saw a bear getting a drink across the river. She alerted us that it was there and we watched it run up and over the ridge. I don’t think it was running because of Monica being bare, but who knows.

Tom and Sarah cooked a Greek dinner of humus, marinated chicken and tubule. It was fantastic and we ate till we were stuffed. Another early night for bed, I stayed up and tried to take pictures of the stars, but they didn’t turn out.

Our next float took us into the Black Canyon where we camped just above the Slide Rapid. The beach was just big enough to allow everyone their privacy at night and it gave us a great view of the passing boats as the evening approached. Mike and Monica cooked Asian food that was out of this world. They made a cake for Linda and actually had to do some improvising to get it put together. Turns out we had eaten the two eggs that were needed for the cake, but they ended up substituting Mayonnaise for the needed eggs. The cake turned out great and we all enjoyed the benefit of their culinary experiment.

The next day brought a quick float on chocolate to the confluence of the Salmon and Snake rivers where the clear Snake River tired to dilute the brown Salmon River. The result was a light brown Snake River, which we floated on down. The current was swift, but we lashed our boats together and Mike fired up the outboard for the long push out to Heller Bar.

Tear down was quick and painless. We got everyone packed up and gathered to say our good byes. Linda’s birthday month was over and everyone had to go back to their daily routines. This was another unforgettable event in our lives and we thank everyone for being a part of it.