It's fast getting to be whitewater rafting season and I can't wait to get my raft on the river.

Over the weekend I was up in Manchester visiting with two crusty old river guide friends, brothers Pete and Scott. Of the three of us, I have the least number of years in guiding raft trips, and I've been on the river since 1992. Pete goes back at least five years before that. And Scott, well, I think he's been river guiding since God made the rivers.

So that's pretty much all we talked about. Pete's definitely itching to get in more river time this season. And I'm getting very psyched for my first trip of the year over the long Memorial Day weekend, where I hope to run the Dead twice and get on the Kennebec once. Woo-hoo!

But Scott has us both beat. He's planning the ultimate river summer. Two weeks in the Grand Canyon on the Colorado River, a week on the San Juan River, and a week on the Green and Colorado Rivers, including a run through the madness of Cataract Canyon. Six weeks out West, running the big rivers, getting a very good tan and maybe enjoying a refreshing beverage or three along the way.

Damn! No jealously here. Nope, not me.

So, of course, Scott had to show us all the cool, new gear that he's getting ready for the big trip, including a mondo-sized, multi-colored umbrella that he's going to rig to the side of the row frame (it's going to be over 100 degrees out there every day, so it'll be a much appreciated accessory to help shade the guide and keep his beer cool).

But his most prized new toy for the big trip is something that only the most seasoned river grunt would ever think about...

...a hand-crank blender!

Yes, that's right, you heard me. Blender drinks (better known as "boat drinks" on the river) are an essential part of any long river trip, as you can imagine. And Scott has tried many different blender systems over the years powered by batteries and solar panels and the like. But nothing was truly satisfactory. Until the appearance of the hand-crank blender.

In fact, Scott wrote an absolutely terrific article for No Umbrella, a new Maine paddling and adventure publication, entitled "Blending In". Click through and read it and laugh your butt off. I did. It's great. And maybe then you'll understand the critical importance of the blender, the necessity for 'boat drinks' on the river, and why river guides are just plain nuts.

And we don't want it any other way!

See you "on the river"...

Can't wait to get back "on the river" this year...