Stumptown Magazine

-Photo courtesy of Dane Petersen-

I know I know, I’ve been gone for a while now. It’s hard to balance a life on the interweb with a life outside. What better way to spend the summer than hiking the trails, fishing with the wife and rafting with your nearest and dearest?? Yeah, I said rafting. The latest venture the group took was to pack a caravan and take a trip southeast to Maupin, Oregon. Only humans would think that floating on an inner-tube down white water rapids is a good idea. I didn’t see any packs of wolves rafting, or herds of cattle screaming with paddles taped to their hooves. Humans alone think that risking their lives is fun, and shit son, it was fun. Directions and things to see/do below…Take hwy 84 east toward Hood River about an hour and a half. Once you pass Hood River keep an eye out for hwy 197 south. Once you hit this scenic hwy you’re home free. The view on 197 is awesome. Rolling hills of wheat and the view of Mt Adams and Mt Hood are right there waiting for you. The White Salmon River connects with the Deshutes, linking Crater Lake into the equation as well up North from Maupin. The river itself is FREEEEZING, but that’s what you get for being spring fed by 14 natural sources. God bless Oregon. By the way fisherman, bring them poles, because the river has 1200 trout per river mile. I wet myself just a touch when I heard that so take this time to head to the bedroom and chance your shorts, I’ll wait…

If you can, find the River Drifter Guides. They are amazing and they tell the corniest jokes. A shout out to Rebecca by the way, from the KC kids. If you run into this attractive, fun-loving river guide Rebecca (she’s kind of a celebrity), buy her a drink for us.

The pizza is good in town, the drinks are cheap in the bars, and the rafting is cool and refreshing for these hot summer Oregon months. So get down there, camp it up and put your life in harms way. You only have one go around in this world, so you may as well have some f*%#ing fun while doing it. Word.