It was an early morning departure, so the bus was quiet with sleepy passengers for most of the ride. About midday, we took a break from traveling for a picnic lunch. The chefs at the ranch never let us go hungry and these bagged lunches were no exception.
Once in Missoula, we stopped by a Walmart to get water shoes for whitewater rafting. Some of the crew got creative with their footwear choices. A few had regular water shoes but others bought Sanuk lookalikes, sneakers, and my favorite, the slip-on shoes. Those with the slip-ons, also bought fabric markers to customize their shoe design. After going to Walmart, the anticipation of our afternoon activity was in full swing.
The main feature of our day was whitewater rafting in Polson, Montana. There were definitely mixed emotions about this adventure. Some of the crew was nervous but others were excited! The guides of the Flathead Raft Company calmed our fears with reassuring words and safety instructions.
The sun was out and the water was warm. We had perfect conditions for a whitewater rafting trip! The crew had fun splashing each other with their paddles and water guns and they jumped into the river at the first opportunity. There were 5 major Rapids in the Lower Flathead River. The most famous and challenging, called Buffalo, was a level "3 plus" rapid. The entire crew made it through the trip all in one piece even though there were up to 12 people in a raft!
Next stop, Seattle, Washington, for the 4th of July!
