Killer Bunion Boots Man!!

School got out on Friday June 4 and on June 5th I found myself along with Dave Cameron, Kirk Nestler and Brian Clark staring at the raging Salmon River during the Big Water Blowout festival at Riggins, ID. This festival isn't for the faint in heart. I have been wanting to attend for about three years. It happens during the first Saturday in June every year in Riggins, ID. The local whitewater rafting companies charge half their normal rates (about $30 a person). It is worth every penny. This year I pooped myself just on the bus ride to our launch spot. One guy, a 2nd year Big Water Blowout attendee, started drinking at the Exodus Lodge (the rafting company we floated with) and didn't stop until launch. Privately he told me it was the only way to keep him calm enough to go through with it. In out raft, I sat front right, Dave sat behind me. On the other side of the raft was Brian front right, then Kirk, and then some dude from Grangeville, ID. On Wednesday the river was running about 43,000cfs(cubic feet per second). By Saturday, the day of the trip, because of the rains the river was at flood stage=83,000cfs. The guides were tentative about running the river because of all the debris floating down-mainly full trees, logs, etc. They decided to go for it and just keep their eyes open and eddy out if large groups of debris were in the way. The trip was unlike any I have ever taken. I have never been in water so fast with rapids so large. It was extremely intense. We flipped on the largest rapid named Ruby that only exists at 60,000cfs.

You Tube and Photo Links of the Big Water Blowout

Here is the slideshow from last years BWBO Festival
http://www.bigwaterblowout.com/slides.htm

This youtube video shows us taking on this class IV/V rapid. We are the 2nd light blue raft that appears at 2:03 on the video. I had a small leatherhead like helmet.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRB_klaEoBM

This youtube video gives a better depiction of what the river was like. We are the last raft in the video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBAN4rw1Sf4

These are some photos of the trip. Our pictures start around Image 4566 and go to 4589
http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/12455994_WYqbw#892165153_j7Zpn

On Sunday after church we drove to Idaho Falls, ID where we would stay for over a month. On Thursday I had surgery on my right foot. Dr. Tolman, whom I highly recommend in Idaho Falls, did the work and he did great. I was born with flat and fat feet. As a result, of the flat not the fat, I developed bunions. Dr. Tolman went in, sliced me up, put some stainless steal screws and a pin and sewed me back together. A week later he did my left foot. Needless to say, my parents helped Tifani and I with the kids and took care of us for over a month. They were as awesome as they always are making us feel like King and Queen of a castle. I am so grateful for such wonderful and supportive parents. They truly are the best of the best! In short, the pain has been minimal if existent at all, and I am healing quickly. It has been like most things in my life, an adventure where I have learned a lot. Currently, I am almost back to normal, at least I can waddle a little. I gained about 25 lbs. though and have had to become creative recently in creating workouts I can do with my ever healing feet. I can not run, hike, or even bike until 13-15 weeks after the surgery putting my reliable cardio runs and Mt. Biking into September. For now P90X with some modifications will have to do. I included some pics including my China Man boots that have caused some laughter and finger pointing more than once in public. (I hate those dreaded boots). My wife has been great through the entire thing. I appreciate her support, my parents, and my kids. My kids are used to a very active me and they have adjusted well with promises of my return to my wildly active self soon. Check out the pics.