My mother-in-law has a magnet on her fridge that says “Let go or be dragged.” After going on my first river trip in 2015, I realized there couldn’t be a better mantra to have while on the river.
You will probably go through the same feeling of excitement, anticipation, nervousness and questioning that I did. I remember asking my co-workers if I should bring this, bring that, how hot, how cold, where should I … You get the idea. I was not unlike any of the thousand-plus passengers we take down the river every year.
But it was about noon on the first day of my first river trip when that little magnet on my mother-in-law’s fridge popped into my head. “Let go or be dragged.” I realized that I’m in more than capable hands on a river trip in the Grand Canyon. I don’t need to worry about what the elevation gain of the next side hike will be, or where we are going to camp, or is the next rapid going to be huge or puny.
I let go and was in the moment. Frankly, I was in the moment for 7 entire days. You very well could try to figure out every detail before the trip and ask for a daily itinerary (the guides don’t have one anyway), but you’d also be driving yourself crazy.
So do ask questions, get dialed in and be prepared for your river trip. But make sure you remember to let it all melt away as you push off from Lees Ferry. Take the advice we give you before the trip. Follow your packing list. And then … let go. This is your big chance to open yourself up to the possibility of a truly amazing, potentially life-changing experience. Make sure you have room for that opportunity in your heart and mind.