The All-Outdoors Whitewater Rafting California River Blog

Oh Diesel to the D-A-N.  What shall we write about you?  The story of how you got your knickname?  No no, the story about the circus is so much better.  And yet, I lack proof that the events unfolded as you say they do and thus, cannot breathe a word.  I must keep my credibility.  And so, your mysteries remain safe.  For now…….or until they are eclipsed by some new hilarity that you cook up in that wacky and mischivious brain of yours…..

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Meet Mr. Nash, one of the lynch-pins of our Tuolumne River operation!  Guiding for us since…..oh lord a long time I’m not even really sure……. Noah has guided basically all of our rivers over his career with us, ran our Merced operation for a spell, and shepards the newest members of the flock at our annual Whitewater Guide Schools.  In the off-season you’ll find him channeling spider-man as he scales rocky precipuces and catching air on the snowy slopes high above Tahoe.  Oh, and as you can see, Left, Nashty is also quite the Grill-Master.

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Where to start here with Colin?  The organic garden in a bathtub?  No, too typical.  Doesn’t set him apart.  Maybe the work with the orphanage in Nicaragua?  eh.  Again, nothing new there–so many people do that stuff.  The irrigation system powered by old bicyle parts?  yawn.   I give up.  So on with the rafting–fondly called The Hatchet, Colin is one of our trusted guide trainers,  a disciplined and serious crafter of whitewater professionals.  In fact, as you can see from the portrait above (Colin is in the middle), The Hatchet takes “professional” behavior seriously–so much so that sometimes we office people have to remind him to loosen up and enjoy the job…..  

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Lenka is a rare bird, both exotic and practical.  She was born in the Czech Republic so she brings Eastern European flair to our Walnut Creek office–and she also keeps it in top form with her impeccable attention to detail. The woman can work wonders with Excel that would make admin assistants the world over drool!  And that’s before she explains it to you in two languages and then heads out the door to train for a marathon.  Like quite a number of AO employees over the years, Lenka also found true love through us, meeting and marrying her sweetheart, AO guide Howard in our office.  Here they are on a summertime Tuolumne River trip……

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A few years ago Roxanne high kicked her way out of the dance studio and into the land of All-Outdoors.  Along the way were stops in Mexico, New Jersey, and a stint as a morning radio show host!  All those early mornings might explain her addiction to vanilla lattes…….Now that she’s with us, she is a key player in our reservations office and keeps the energy high with her sweet personality.   Sometimes that high energy bounces her right out of the boat when she comes out rafting–so although she definately knows her stuff about California rafting, she might not have the best advice for avoiding “out of boat experiences.”  Or maybe it’s just a “do as I say, not as I do” type deal unless you fancy a little whitewater rock n’ roll …

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Some people are just content with what comes their way, happy to sit and let life float past them, instinct urging them to take the path most travelled. Take Jordan for instance. We all have to study a language in college right? He chose Arabic–for the easy A. Obviously. Or after the rafting season last fall, Jordan followed the hordes yet again and trekked into the mountains to do what everyone does to while away the hours: hunting for elusive mushrooms in the underbrush of the Pacific Northwest. But the thing that really makes me yawn–I mean come on, don’t we all do this??–was his sailing trip around the world. If I have to hear one more carbon-copy story about Indian passport clerks or tropical sunsets from the bow of a ship I swear I’ll fall asleep.

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With a voice as big as All-Outdoors, Beth makes her presence known.  Whether she’s rockin’ the dance floor, leading a river trip, or hanging out with friends, her good humor and love of life is impossible to miss.  On the more serious side, she is equally at home in a labcoat, studying the mysteries of the scientific world.  This is Beth’s second full season with AO and we hope we can continue to lure her away from her petri dishes and bunson burners for at least a few more summers…..

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Oh Lynsey, maker of crocheted skirts, owner of a vintage sewing machine, and …….. power tool queen?   I defy you to find another girl like this–river guide, class B driver, and maker of homemade curtains.  Apparently the Home Economics Dept was right next to the Machine shop at her high school.   Lynsey hails from South Dakota, and brings with her that Mid-Western talent for chit-chat, a good old-fashioned work ethic, and an iconoclastic sense of humor that defies description.

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Joe came to All-Outdoors from the snowy slopes of Colorado ski resorts. Apparently he wanted to get a tan after all that time in a parka……Whatever the reason, he joined us a few years ago and pretty much became indispensable from Day One. He keeps the troops in order by day as he manages our busiest operation, the South Fork of the American, and busts out slick dance moves by night. Both professional and always ready to have a good time, Joe is frequently requested by return guests.

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Like the best spies and undercover agents, Tessa isn’t quite what she seems. Under her ready smile and fun-loving personality she hides many talents. She can cook up a fabulous fillet of Salmon, crochet a hat, guide gnarly whitewater, and, when TSibbs subs, handle a roomful of rebellious teenagers with aplomb. Not only that, she loves literature and can separate a dangling participle from a split infinitive with steely accuracy. Well-traveled and limber, Tessa may lead you on a sunrise Yoga session on a 2-day river trip and tell you stories about hotdogs in Chile, Idaho whitewater, or reveal the secrets of the Pharoahs.

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