5 Lessons the River has Taught Me (So far)

The river is a place that is sacred. A feeling of, “if you know you know”. It is a place that has the power to transform people. I have been lucky enough to be a part of this. These are the Top 5 Lessons I’ve learned from the river so far. 

Stand out. Be you. 

Are you going left-left? Or right-right? This is what it sounds like to stand above a rapid from shore with other guides. This simple yet important conversation is something that is one of the most meaningful lessons I’ve learned from the river. To STAND OUT and be YOU. It’s clear, there is not one perfect line and everybody has a different “boating style”. 

 

Throughout my life, I’ve tried a lot of different activities. When I found whitewater rafting, I had no idea that it would become a place that I felt like I was at home in. This sport allows people to have so much freedom, while still staying in between the lines. (Unless you don’t, which is OKAY too!). When I first started rafting, I felt like I couldn’t do well unless I followed the person in front of me. Whatever I decided could be wrong, so it is just easier to trust the person in front of me. I was essentially copying the person in front of me and never coming up with my own style. This was a really hard habit to break as I moved forward into harder sections. I found my worst trips were always the ones where I had my eyes peeled on that rescue PFD in front of me rather than looking at the water and obstacles by myself. 

Being concerned with what other people are doing is a normal human trait. But, breaking free of this habit has been so much FUN! I’ve messed up a lot, I ask a lot of questions. But, I continue to try and figure the river out, my way. And I’ve learned that all those people in front of me are doing the exact same thing, so why not join them. Finding my own style on the river has let those anxious thoughts about messing up slow down for a while. 

Not only has this taught me more confidence on the water, it has also transferred over to one of my favorite parts of the river community, RIVER STYLE. I’m not talking about the lines we take, but I’m talking about that cheetah print leotard and the sick custom PFD. I felt like I didn’t really have a personal style until I found the river community. Now, one of my favorite parts of the day is picking out an outfit (themed to the section of course). It’s been a place where I don’t have to worry what everyone else is thinking, there’s not enough time in the day for that. 

I really believe that finding a place that you feel comfortable is such a blessing. Finding gear and clothing that follows suit in the direction of increasing confidence AND safety is so sweet. And River Station Gear is one of those places that lets you have pink rope and a crazy funky river hat. What more could you need to STAND OUT? 

Go with the Flow. 

Wildly cliché. I apologize. But seriously, I’ve learned to go with the flow. The river is running, right now. It’s not waiting for us to get to guide call or waiting for somebody to get through the S-move. It is moving, wherever it wants. And that is a beautiful thing. 

A lot of activities, it can be really easy to say, “No! I can’t keep going. I’m too scared.” For example, if you’re skiing down your first black, you may be able to find a chance to sit down and allow those nervous feelings to take over. Whereas, unlike many other sports, whitewater doesn’t really allow you to do that. If you’re in the middle of the rapid, that is where you are. It demands that you be present and run that rapid. You can be absolutely scared, but you’re running it scared at that point. 

 

You’re bound to be scared when doing something new and exhilarating, but the river doesn’t give you an out. It gives you an opportunity. An opportunity to face your fears. To end up in the wrong place and FIGURE IT OUT. It is easy to be so concerned with running these “perfect lines” but that’s not where you really learn and grow. It’s when you’re way left when you should’ve been right or when you hit that rock sideways that you learn something. The first thing that you learn is probably “I won’t be doing that again” and the second might bw, “I just did that! And I’m okay!”. Going with the flow really comes in when you mess up and now you have to roll with it and ask yourself, “What’s next?”. 

Like life, the river keeps running, so “what’s next?”

Have Each Others Back

Literally and figuratively. If you’ve ever been on a rafting trip, you’re probably wondering why guides are always flinging their necks around to look behind them. Guides are constantly checking their 6 and if you’re not, then start! We do this because we really, truly care for one another. No matter what happened that day, or how you feel about someone there is something really special about a community that is constantly looking out for one another. It’s the most important part about guiding as there are so many different things that can happen at any time. As a newer guide, having senior guides sitting at the bottom of rapids gives me so much more confidence to believe in myself and run my own lines. 

 

As the safety talk mentions, “We are all friends on the river.” And it’s true! Not only are you relying on your fellow guides to be keeping an eye out for you, but other companies as well. It is a pleasure being able to watch the ways that other companies pick up gear and swimmers for one another. It really shows the beauty in the work that you get to do as a boater, keeping one another safe. Private boaters and commercial boaters are looking out for one another and are most of the time extending a helpful hand in any situation. 

Looking out for your friends is also something I’ve learned about off the water. On overnight trips especially, if you have that one friend who tends to wander, put a PFD on them! Have their back. It’s important to remember river party safety when looking out for our buddies too. 

Care for the Environment. 

We are learning from the river everyday, so caring for her is crucial! She is our home, our educator, and our place of work. Rivers are something that a lot of people use or cross every single day, but they don’t really care to get to know her. This is why being so close to the river and seeing the environmental impact that people make on it can be so excruciating. 

It can be easy to overlook the impact that we have, or our ability to make it better. For a long time, I did that. The river has taught me so much, so the least I can do is to try and be better to her. No matter what season it is, doing the work to try and be better towards our environment is what allows us and the generations to come to grow. 

 

If you’re looking for different ways to get involved in your local river community, check out places like Protect Our Rivers. These communities are inspired by the river and the power that it holds. The only way to continue to keep experiencing the wonder and beauty of the river is to find places where you can get involved with the conservation of the ecosystem. If you’re in the Royal Gorge region, check out RGR Rio. They’re doing great work for the Arkansas River and its surrounding community.  

Art

The river is magical. It is a place where people are free to express themselves in so many different mediums. The river is ART. And from art, people can find freedom to create and be inspired. 

One of my favorite things about this community is the artists that come with it. You can see art everywhere, from the creativity of a personalized helmet and paddle, to beautiful murals that line the streets of town. There is no shortage of beauty from the river, which makes the artists who are inspired by it stand out to me. Being immersed in the beauty of the stillness and chaos of the river is something that can be hard to put into words. But, seeing different artists take this beauty into different forms is special. 

If you’re looking for some beautiful artwork from local artists like Zach Otte (@zach.otte) come down to our shop or look online! 

Not only can you see physical art from people, but you can also see the ways that people get inspired through music. There are bands surrounding river communities that have come from different places and different companies to express themselves and share their talents with others. I’ve loved seeing the support from people for different music groups and the way that this community can really show up for one another. 

If you found yourself at the first ever RSG Short Film festival, you participated in celebrating the river through art too! Watching the videos that people came up with had us laughing, crying, smiling, or exclaiming the entire time. There is a form of expression for all. This is beautiful! This is the art of the river in motion.

What Have You Learned From The River? 

These are just some of the ways that the river has shown me a fresh perspective. I continue to learn every day. Whether that be on a day trip, overnight trip, or just in my day-to-day life, the river seems to be all around us. Flowing within us. 

What have you learned from the river over the seasons? Let us know below! 

 

By: Sam McKiernan

 

Check out our art prints here!