Rafting Companies in Winter- Still Kickin’
Posted February 14, 2006 by Robyn SuddethMany people entertain the false notion that rafting company owners and managers enjoy this sort of la-di-da seasonal life in which they just get to play and laze
around all winter long, waiting for the rivers to reappear and life to return to their tiny foothill town. The truth is that there is still a ton of work to do after that last bus pulls into the All Outdoors parking lot at sundown and turns its engine off, marking the conclusion of the season. Several managers stick it out with owner Scott Armstrong in Lotus, doing incredibly exciting things such as gear maintainance and inventory, property work, and designing improvements on boats and vehicles.
For people like us who love being outside and active, this type of work can sometimes make one a little delirious… every once in a while resulting in humorous outbreaks or expressions of insanity. Kevin Elardi, co-manager of South Fork Operations, often manages to help us all through these times by expressing his own winter delirium with an incredible amount of clarity and wit.
The following is a sign he posted on the All Outdoors guide house garage door. In my opinion its a pretty good summary of the type of work that gets done between seasons and the resulting mental state of those who persevere through to the next Spring:
“Hello Friend, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears!
Please Please Please Please do not take anything out of these sheds or put anything into these sheds unless you talk to Kevin and only Kevin.
I am in the process of organizing and cleaning gear and boats and any disruption to these fragile environments could cause a core melt down which, in turn will result in the end of civilized humanity. If this happens the dark side will once again rise to power.
On the flip side, if this does happen I will be looking for people to sign up for the dark side. All you need is a good work ethic, an outgoing personality and a desire to torture and torment others.
Thanks, and have a nice day
Kevin”
Well said, Kevin. Well said.