Rifle River Canoe Trip
June 2003

Camping is something that Matthew and I enjoy quite a bit. We do it several times a year with the Cub Scouts, and we try to get out a few more times on our own. This year, we made a trip up to the Rifle River for a canoeing venture with my old boss, Ron Schell, and a bunch of his friends and their families.

The atmosphere was akin to a family reunion, and as it turns out, many of those attending have been taking this trip every summer for the past 30 years or so. I have to admit that was a little intimidating at first, but they made Matthew and I feel like part of the extended family, and we had a great time.

It was nice catching up with Ron (and his son Brian), but watching Matt have so much fun playing in the river made the trip worthwhile. He loves fishing, did a great job piloting the canoe (we didn't tip once), and spend hours searching for--and occasionally consuming--crayfish.

With any luck, Matthew and I will be invited again next year. We're already looking forward to it.

Rifle River Pictures (click the thumbnails to view the enlarged photo)