Your Best River Trip?

[Havasu Rehab]

RD's post in Pink Taco's thread really got me thinking about my most favorite trip ever. I've come to the conclusion that I can't narrow it down. Over time all the trips sort of meld into one big memory. I can remember certain things from certain trips but I don't know if it's possible to pick just one trip in general. For instance, I can remember being about 5-7yrs old looking forward to the day I could retrieve the boat on the trailer. For some reason at that age that was the ultimate pinnacle for me to feel "grown up". Then there's the spring break memories I've had when I got a little older...(I think we all have those similar memories lol).

So I ask you, is it possible to narrow down your best river trip ever? If so, what is yours?

 

[RiverDave]

RD's post in Pink Taco's thread really got me thinking about my most favorite trip ever. I've come to the conclusion that I can't narrow it down. Over time all the trips sort of meld into one big memory. I can remember certain things from certain trips but I don't know if it's possible to pick just one trip in general. For instance, I can remember being about 5-7yrs old looking forward to the day I could retrieve the boat on the trailer. For some reason at that age that was the ultimate pinnacle for me to feel "grown up". Then there's the spring break memories I've had when I got a little older...(I think we all have those similar memories lol).

So I ask you, is it possible to narrow down your best river trip ever? If so, what is yours?

For me all the party weekends kind of blend together. Like you said sometimes I can remember certain instances, but there's no way I could say that's July 4th 2006 or something like that.

Growing up going to the river I would have to say my favorite age was around 12.. I had a quad, jetski, boat I could use whenever I wanted and exactly zero responsibility in life. Short of fixing broken things, and doing chores I had no idea what responsibility even was.. LOL

That trip with Danny, both of us used to talk about it all the time. While we were there we were itching for something to do, waiting for our friends to come back the following weekend etc.. It wasn't until after it was over that both of us realized it was some of the best times either of us had ever had. We used to talk about doing it again, just another 10 days following or coming up to a holiday weekend. We never did get a chance to put it together. We had one other plan to run a mini boat from the AVI to Crazy Horse at midnight with a cooler of beer and a spot light.. As soon as I get my 10'er done I will make that happen for him.

RD

 

[CampbellCarl]

My last one is my favorite and my next one is the most anticipated.........

 

[brgrcru]

I can post you up some trips from hell.

 

[Havasu Rehab]

For me all the party weekends kind of blend together. Like you said sometimes I can remember certain instances, but there's no way I could say that's July 4th 2006 or something like that.

Growing up going to the river I would have to say my favorite age was around 12.. I had a quad, jetski, boat I could use whenever I wanted and exactly zero responsibility in life. Short of fixing broken things, and doing chores I had no idea what responsibility even was.. LOL

That trip with Danny, both of us used to talk about it all the time. While we were there we were itching for something to do, waiting for our friends to come back the following weekend etc.. It wasn't until after it was over that both of us realized it was some of the best times either of us had ever had. We used to talk about doing it again, just another 10 days following or coming up to a holiday weekend. We never did get a chance to put it together. We had one other plan to run a mini boat from the AVI to Crazy Horse at midnight with a cooler of beer and a spot light.. As soon as I get my 10'er done I will make that happen for him.

RD

For me it's almost like I've had two stages of my boating life. First stage was growing up on the water as a kid. Man those were the days... Life was easy and simple. As you said "zero responsibility" (other than staying away from the prop and helping to wipe down the boat after). I think we all yearn to have that back.

Then I discovered the second stage... SPRING BREAK & the outrageous parties! There was a member (on RDP or Hotboat, I can't remember) who had a sig line that said "Copper Canyon, where a boy goes in and leaves a man". That pretty much summed it up for me. I'm somewhere in the middle now, where I want to relax and have the party life at the same time.

Dave, I really hope you make that trip. I'm sure when you do something really special will happen that'll be a sign from Danny letting you know he's there with you. That's gonna be one of those unforgettable trips. It will be truly fitting.

I'll be making a mid week trip in two weeks with some friends. My first trip in about two years. I hope to see you out there for a few cold ones.

My last one is my favorite and my next one is the most anticipated.........

Well said:thumbsup

 

[rivrrts429]

Some of the trips when I was little, like 8 or 10, and my Dad letting me take the boat off the trailer and anchor it up off the beach at Echo. Doing it by myself and doing it right. That look your Dad gives you when you did it exactly as he had taught you is AWESOME!!

My Dad is one of these guys that wouldn't let my sister or I get our drivers license unless we could back up the boat trailer and drive stick shift to his liking. He just one of those old schoolers that thinks you should have to get a CDL license before you can have a regular license Probably why I got a commercial license but don't really ever use it.

The trip when I was 10 or so and the night before we're leaving my Dad comes home with a brand new stand up ski and says its all mine. Those times were great.

Even the times where the boat broke and in my head I was really working hard to help Dad through the night with his buddies to thrash and get it back on the water. Finishing up in the wee hours of the night and hearing it fire up... The look of accomplishment he would give me was great. Now looking back on those times I was more in the way than helping... but he never made it seem that way :thumbsup

Waking up to the flatbottoms lighting off early AM. The smell of fuel slowly wafting through camp and the air still cool. Nothing better than jamming out of bed to these guys running up river.

Drooling over the flatbottoms with wings... At 10 years old you think that just looks bad ass and hauls the mail.

Staring across river at Sundance thinking... Someday I'm doing that shit... whatever "that shit" is, I'm going to do it when I'm older

My first beer was at the river. I think I was 15 or so. Guess who hands it to me... My Dad! I can remember exactly where I was sitting, what we talked about as we each had a beer, and how badass it was that he would be the first guy I drank a beer with.

I have millions of memories but some of the best are when its just my old man and me. No single weekend or trip stands out above others. Just certain memories and days in the trips really stand out.

 

[Boat 405]

Gosh that's a tough one. Somehow I remember my first jet ski ride when I was 2, I don't know how I remember it, but it was 440 in 1980 at Picaccho. I was kneeling just in front of the driver. I don't know how I remember it to this day, but I still remember the trip. Awesome!

 

[lake p.a.l.]

I was 9, my brother 8, along with our Grandpa, Mom, and Dad in our 1971 16' closed bow with a 60hp outboard went thru the lock on the Allegheny River to downtown Pittsburgh to see the Pirates play the Reds. The Pirates "We are family" team ended up winning the World Series later that year. My brother & I split time behind the wheel on the way to the game. Pap drove home because it was dark. Don't think any of us were ready for bed by the time we got home we were so wired.

 

[primetime]

One of the most memorable for me was when I was 12 camping at lake Isabella. Every day at sundown all the racers would line up at the dam and have a all out race. I was sitting down waiting for my dad to go out and he came up to me and said be safe put your vest on and good luck. I remember like it was yesterday, 6 boats all lined up and one of the passengers in the other boat dropped the flag and we took off. My dad took pictures of it and showed me 2nd. I was so pumped and my dad did not think I would hammer it like I did. Good times

 

[lake p.a.l.]

One of the most memorable for me was when I was 12 camping at lake Isabella. Every day at sundown all the racers would line up at the dam and have a all out race. I was sitting down waiting for my dad to go out and he came up to me and said be safe put your vest on and good luck. I remember like it was yesterday, 6 boats all lined up and one of the passengers in the other boat dropped the flag and we took off. My dad took pictures of it and showed me 2nd. I was so pumped and my dad did not think I would hammer it like I did. Good times

That's fantastic

 

[Skyskier]

Some of the trips when I was little, like 8 or 10, and my Dad letting me take the boat off the trailer and anchor it up off the beach at Echo. Doing it by myself and doing it right. That look your Dad gives you when you did it exactly as he had taught you is AWESOME!!

My Dad is one of these guys that wouldn't let my sister or I get our drivers license unless we could back up the boat trailer and drive stick shift to his liking. He just one of those old schoolers that thinks you should have to get a CDL license before you can have a regular license Probably why I got a commercial license but don't really ever use it.

The trip when I was 10 or so and the night before we're leaving my Dad comes home with a brand new stand up ski and says its all mine. Those times were great.

Even the times where the boat broke and in my head I was really working hard to help Dad through the night with his buddies to thrash and get it back on the water. Finishing up in the wee hours of the night and hearing it fire up... The look of accomplishment he would give me was great. Now looking back on those times I was more in the way than helping... but he never made it seem that way :thumbsup

Waking up to the flatbottoms lighting off early AM. The smell of fuel slowly wafting through camp and the air still cool. Nothing better than jamming out of bed to these guys running up river.

Drooling over the flatbottoms with wings... At 10 years old you think that just looks bad ass and hauls the mail.

Staring across river at Sundance thinking... Someday I'm doing that shit... whatever "that shit" is, I'm going to do it when I'm older

My first beer was at the river. I think I was 15 or so. Guess who hands it to me... My Dad! I can remember exactly where I was sitting, what we talked about as we each had a beer, and how badass it was that he would be the first guy I drank a beer with.

I have millions of memories but some of the best are when its just my old man and me. No single weekend or trip stands out above others. Just certain memories and days in the trips really stand out.

Your Dad's a good man !:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

 

[bluebleeder]

Riding in the back of my dads El Camino on a bean bag chair staring at the bow of his boat for 5 hours. Thinking that the motel at Black Meadow Landing was the the Ritz and smiling at the tent dwellers.EVERY flattie or day cruiser with over the transom headers was the fastest boat I have ever seen. Going down the water slide on the island. Peeing off the side of the boat going under the London Bridge while my dad cringed and my mom laughed. Mom yelling at me to "LET GO" as I skied on Mojave because it was my sisters turn and pops didn't want to "forcefully get me off the rope". Going to Copper Canyon in 1992 and realizing touching boobs is was way better than seeing them in a magazine.

Sent from my C771 using Tapatalk 2

 

[lbhsbz]

I think I was about 12. We had an old 16' Regatta with a 100hp johnson on it...was ok, but I was always envious of the kids who's dads had fast boats. We arrived at our trailer one night and there was a camper and 2 boats parked in the spot next to us. One was a red Cole flat with a nitrous bottle strapped to the stringer and the other was a white and yellow tunnel jet of some sort. I spent the next morning drooling over the flat. Then the folks grabbed me for a ski run. While we were sitting on the beach later in the day, the guy with the flat comes down and asks me if he can see my jacket....so I went and grabbed it out of the boat and as I handed it to him, he said.."good, put it on". I guess he'd already talked to my folks. He took me for the ride of my life, and I'll never forget it. We idled out and got it on plane...he reached behind the seat and closed the header water and opened the blue bottle....looked over at me with a smile on his face an nodded towards the oh- shit handle...as soon as I had my hands around it he wooded the throttle and hit the button on the wheel. Holy.fawking.shit. The world got blurry, my ears closed up, and it was like I was in a cartoon. Houses on the shore were flying by, I couldn't see shit. He kept his foot in it till the bottle ran dry. I'd never been that fast before....maybe still haven't gone that fast on water. I couldn't wipe the smile off of my face for a month. I helped him and his buddy wipe their boats down that night, picked up all their beer cans for em, said thanks, and never saw them again. Out
of hundreds of river trips, that was THE best one.

 

[Boschma]

Mine starts tomorrow at 4:00am. It will be my first river trip with MY family, in My boat. I'm now an adult haha
It will be a great time. 827 miles tomorrow......Parker here we come!

 

[rivrrts429]

Mine starts tomorrow at 4:00am. It will be my first river trip with MY family, in My boat. I'm now an adult haha
It will be a great time. 827 miles tomorrow......Parker here we come!

Are you going to document it for us :thumbsup

You ain't going to sleep a bit tonight

 

[Boschma]

Are you going to document it for us :thumbsup

You ain't going to sleep a bit tonight

You know it!
I'm too excited to sleep


Sent from my iPhone from Earth.

 

[lbhsbz]

Some of the trips when I was little, like 8 or 10, and my Dad letting me take the boat off the trailer and anchor it up off the beach at Echo. Doing it by myself and doing it right. That look your Dad gives you when you did it exactly as he had taught you is AWESOME!!

My Dad is one of these guys that wouldn't let my sister or I get our drivers license unless we could back up the boat trailer and drive stick shift to his liking. He just one of those old schoolers that thinks you should have to get a CDL license before you can have a regular license Probably why I got a commercial license but don't really ever use it.

The trip when I was 10 or so and the night before we're leaving my Dad comes home with a brand new stand up ski and says its all mine. Those times were great.

Even the times where the boat broke and in my head I was really working hard to help Dad through the night with his buddies to thrash and get it back on the water. Finishing up in the wee hours of the night and hearing it fire up... The look of accomplishment he would give me was great. Now looking back on those times I was more in the way than helping... but he never made it seem that way :thumbsup

Waking up to the flatbottoms lighting off early AM. The smell of fuel slowly wafting through camp and the air still cool. Nothing better than jamming out of bed to these guys running up river.

Drooling over the flatbottoms with wings... At 10 years old you think that just looks bad ass and hauls the mail.

Staring across river at Sundance thinking... Someday I'm doing that shit... whatever "that shit" is, I'm going to do it when I'm older

My first beer was at the river. I think I was 15 or so. Guess who hands it to me... My Dad! I can remember exactly where I was sitting, what we talked about as we each had a beer, and how badass it was that he would be the first guy I drank a beer with.

I have millions of memories but some of the best are when its just my old man and me. No single weekend or trip stands out above others. Just certain memories and days in the trips really stand out.

Reading this brought a tear to my eye. Notes taken to hopefully give my son some similar memories.

 

[Boschma]

Waking up to the flatbottoms lighting off early AM. The smell of fuel slowly wafting through camp and the air still cool. Nothing better than jamming out of bed to these guys running up river.

Drooling over the flatbottoms with wings... At 10 years old you think that just looks bad ass and hauls the mail.

Staring across river at Sundance thinking... Someday I'm doing that shit... whatever "that shit" is, I'm going to do it when I'm older

So I'm not the only one that appreciates the flat bottom alarm clock!:thumbsup
This sums me up as a kid:thumbsup

 

[rivrrts429]

So I'm not the only one that appreciates the flat bottom alarm clock!:thumbsup
This sums me up as a kid:thumbsup

My friends were all stoked about their summer family trips to amusement parks :thumbsdown

I'd think they were nuts lol. Fuck space mountain... Have you seen a flattie with zoomies and a wing???

 

[jonnyd]

Most if not all my memories are good, but I can't really say any one was better, or more memorable. The first time I went to Havasu was 1965 and I was 3 months old. My grandparents had a place at Havasu Landing, but living so far away we were lucky to get there once a year. My best memories were of getting up early in the morning and going fishing with my Grandfather. He was a California history buff and he loved the desert. He spent alot of time at the river and had pictures of the London Bridge going in. As I got older I was able to spend the summers with my uncle working for him in Joshua Tree. We would work like crazy during the week so that we could spend our weekends at the Lake. It may sound funny, but I can still remember driving through the desert at night with my cousins listening to Hotel California. I still remember how great the desert smelled after a storm.

Havasu was, is and will continue to earn it's reputation. I have never been on any lake where there are so many accidents. Every boating accident I have ever seen was on Havasu. The flat bottoms were the worst. Back in the day all they wanted to do was race each other. On big weekends it was common to see at least two boats sink. These guys would sink there boat, pull it out, drain the water, change the oil and be back racing in just a few hours only to do it again. One time I remember sitting in the channel in our boat when a flat bottom with open headers pulled up next to us. One of the occupants stood on the rounded corners of the boat and fell directly on the hot pipes. I could hear his skin sizzling. The only thing he could do was to put his hands on the pipes to pick himself up needless to say it wasn't pretty.

I have alot of memories of the Lake and the desert and they are all good!!

 

[cofooter]

My favorite times were probably in high school in the early eighties. I used to go to Havasu on the big weekend with four of my friends. One had an old Tahiti jet. Another had a Chevy truck. Me and one of my buddies were a year younger than the others so we had to ride in the back of the truck. Not so bad going out Friday night, but brutal heading back Sunday or Monday afternoon. We'd put a pony keg in the back of the jet boat and head to Copper Canyon til dark. Usually didn't have a place to stay so we either slept in the boat in the channel, or slept on the grass way before anything was developed in that area. Never got hassled. Went to my first bar (Grumpies in Havasu - not sure if its still there) when the drinking age was 18. We'd usually head down to Sundance Saturday nights. These were the days before DUI or safety checkpoints. We were just a bunch of dumb punk kids that should have known better, but had a blast. Good times.

 

[Havasu Rehab]

Man, there are so many good posts in this thread :thumbsup. IMO, there's something in common between them all. Family, friends, and true honest happiness. To me, if you look at the core of the boating lifestyle that's what it's all about. Family, friends, and happiness. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

[SJP]

This is a really hard question but I will give the group my top five.

1. First trip to Havasu - senior year college spring break 2000'. I am orininally from back east and grew up on a lake so this was my first west coast lake trip. My college roommate chose his parents wisely. Our group rolled into town with a new Escalde towing a pair of sit downs and a matching GMC with a wake board boat (loaded tower). At this point in time they really did not exist. House boat out of the Meadows loaded with everything beer, booze, food, including DJ decks, lights etc. First class all the way. Shit, I thought everyone did it this way and I was hooked! Spring break was still in my opinion, a little more of an event, rather than just standing in the channel with your dick in your hand. Houseboats were still allowed into Copper Cannon and the shit that went down would make floating turd blush. The camera phone was thankfully not invented but the memories of that trip are forever seared into my memory. An absolutely unbelievable first trip.

2. In my early 20s living on Newport peninsula a gal I dated took me to her father's river house in Golden Shore's. For those not familiar this is a small town outside of Topach off of old Route 66. Super chill town, her dad is an unbelievable craftsman, machinist, engineer an all around guys guys. His garage is amazing. I had the opportunity to spend many weekends and days hanging out on that stretch before pirate cove. I will not go into a papaG rant but I can completely relate to what those guys are griping about. After we got off the water open sand hill desert dunes in the back yard on real VW rails (no rhinos yet). I started to go out there and hang out in his shop without my girlfriend at the time. I still stop by his place once in a while and say hi. My river hat I wear is a Golden Shores Route 66 hat from a trading post in town. Great times...

3. So getting a little older and wiser (hopefully) and my fianc? and I get our first place in LHC. We get things setup and spend our first days in the new place on our Honeymoon. Awesome week - best week on the river.

We enjoyed many good times at that house with friends but spending the first week there alone with GEP was the best.

4. Winter trip - New Years Party - my wife's family brings their motor homes out. Cousins brought their quads and everyone had a really good time. Their grandfathers last New Years. Great time - kind of one of those random trips that will never happen again.

5. Coming to grips with the fact that I and now my family are addicted to river lifestyle we decided to get a more permanent place in town. Our trips are more frequent now at this point and blend into one. I now enjoy seeing my boys throw rocks off the wash, jump off the back deck of the pontoon, or ride in the rhino. Waiting for the day they can drive their own stand up ski themselves. Excited to help create memories with them on a weekly basis.

SJP

 

[Havasu Rehab]

One of my best memories about the river wasn't even at the river. I just turned 16 and bought my first truck. A 1994 Ford Ranger. It was a 4-banger with no A/C. My best friend and I jumped in the truck before sunrise and headed east on the 10 towards Havasu. My foot had that gas pedal pinned and we were doing a scorching 80 mph. We pulled into Desert Center right as the sun was coming up, my buddy was passed out so I was up alone. I remember looking out the window and breathing in the fresh desert air and admiring the desert landscape. I thought to myself I'd really made it in life. I was in MY truck with my best friend headed to the place that brought me the most happiness. Those were the days...

 

[DragDad]

1972, Lake Shasta. We had a brand new Wreidt Maverick jet boat... I thought I was the coolest little shit in turd city. I was 12. We dirt-camped on a place near Silverthorn resort called ski island for three weeks straight. We took the first day to build ourselves a dock from logs and plywood we found in the lake. That way, we never beached the jet. Some people we met had daughters, so all us boys ended up with girlfriends for the 3 weeks. With their families and ours, we all set up a 12-man ski ride, 6 adults with a kid on each set of shoulders. Got up behind a big block day cruiser.. was amazing. Wish I could find the pictures. The following year, my parents divorced and dad sold the jet. Thankfully, my older brother got married and bought a boat soon after.

Was a good time to be 12... even with the drama.

 

[DaytonaBabe]

I didn't grow up on the river, so my best river trip is much more recent. The weekend of 8/20/2011 has been my best river weekend thus far. After months of being lucky enough to be involved in the planning process, we got to be with two of our greatest friends as they got engaged at sunset overlooking the river. My husband and I had the pleasure of hosting engagement luau that night and all of our closest "river family" were there to celebrate these two awesome people. To make the weekend even better, after years of trying to convince him to come out, my brother and his friend made the trek to the river all the way from Texas and promptly fell in love with the place. I haven't ever had a bad river trip, but I can say that this one was truly the most perfect to date. Absolutely epic. :thumbup:

 

[rivermobster]

Crazy Horse, mid 70's I think? Towed my buddies Rayson Craft flat out there, an iglo of wine coolers sitting between us, shared by about 6 peeps in my truck, we would hand fresh glasses out to the people in the bed through the slider.

After skiing all day, we went to the bars just to see how long it would take for them to kick us out! After getting thrown out of most every bar in havazoo, we went back to the camp ground to crash. There was a huge bowl of fruit salad in one of the coolers, so somebody whipped it out. there were maybe 12 of us sitting at the table? Everyone grabbing some fruit and passing it down. well of course eventually it became a food fight, and we were throwing cokes and fruit at each other! Ended up jumping in the lake, and locking myself in my truck. Woke up and it was 200 degrees in there, i dont know how i didnt die. :rolleyes

Went for a swim, put the boat in the water, but we were to lazy to ski. Around noon, my friends dad says, go get the boat outa the water NOW!

Huh?

Now! Move your ass!!!

So we did....

About the time we got the boat on the trailer, a HUGE monsoon hit!!! It was a madhouse, but we were ahead of the game. Got back to camp and hid under my truck, and watched everything that wasn't bolted down fly by. When i went to get out from under my truck, i caught my shoulder on the licence plate frame, and ripped a huge hole in my shoulder. My friends dad poured some Jim Beam on it, and told me it will be fine.

I still have that scar on my shoulder. That was a trip for the books...

 

[Hugh Jascaulk]

My introduction to the river was a week long trip over Easter break, 1971. My dad and older brother were very active in the boy scouts, and he got some plans to build folding kayak out of plywood and canvas. About 20 kids came to the house every weekend and built their own kayak. I was only 8 years oold at the time, but of course I also built my own. The kayaks turned out bitchen, we each painted our own in some very creative designs. I remember mine as red with a lightning bolt running down the side. When they were all finished, we headed to Holiday Shores in Bullhead for a week long trip down the river. We each loaded up our kayak with our personal stuff, sleeping bag and munchies, while my dad loaded up the boat, a 17' Cobalt tri-hull to lead the trip. We'd paddle for a while, set up camps along the river and had a blast. Since all the other boys were at least 5 years older than me, and could paddle a lot faster, my dad would often throw me the ski line and tow me past everyone else, so I would be out front. One day, one of the girl scout troops out on a canoe trip had a little capsizing incident, and lost he bag that contained all their money for their trip. My dad told us all to to get in the water, dive down and see if we could find their missing bag. I'll never forget diving down and finding the bag, this little 8 year old was their hero.

When camped out at night, we'd have camp fires, caught big ass bullfrogs and tortured the girl scout camps by throwing the frogs in their tents. Paddling the river was pretty easy with the current, but when we got to the lake with no current and windy as hell blowing upriver, I struggled. I remember all the older kids just smoking me down, leaving me all alone. My dad taught me a lesson that day, didn't toss me the ski rope and made me paddle all the way to camp, Crazyhorse by myself, just to prove that I could do it. Crazyhorse was a wild time even back then, streaking was the big thing then, and I remember all the people streaking around camp.

It was that trip that made me fall in love with the river, spent countless days as a family boaing all summer until I graduated high school. My dad bought a 22' SKV and we felt like the king of the lake back in the 70's. Bought my own house and boat there soon after I got married and have been enjoying every since. Now days my dad comes up for a weekend and can't believe how much the city and the boats have grown. Got to thank him for giving me the love for the river.