Churning The Kern - Rafting California's Sierra

Written by Josh Edelson


Continued from page 1

I've joined up with a company called White Water Voyages, of whichrepparttar owner, Bill McGinnis, was named one ofrepparttar 105901 top paddlers ofrepparttar 105902 century by Paddler Magazine. Aside from being an excellent paddler and obtaining a Master's degree in English Literature, McGinnis pioneered White Water Voyages to be one that focuses on having an unmatched quality of service; and unmatched it was.

While stopping for lunch, I began to realize that our guides were not just professional paddlers, but also excellent chefs. Now I tend to eat a lot, especially if I don't have to pay extra for it. Try as I did, I simply could not put a dent inrepparttar 105903 cornucopia they had arranged at each meal. I'm talking sandwiches, cookies, crackers, lemonade, boat-shaped watermelon and pineapple, vegetables platters, and salad; this wasn't just average river food. Each and every item was extremely fresh and tasty.

I don't mean to make you hungry, but if you don't mind, I'd like to take a little more time talking about this incredible fare because it was excellent, and I'm hungry. Atrepparttar 105904 camp site (which I'll get to in a minute), I had smoked salmon for dinner, corn onrepparttar 105905 cob, fresh salad and beans, and a brownie soufflé that was ridiculously rich in chocolate. Then we woke up to eggs, sausage, bacon, omelets, and giant fluffy pancakes with real maple syrup. Cereal with milk, coffee and orange juice — I don't eat this well at home and here I was inrepparttar 105906 middle ofrepparttar 105907 wilderness, eating like a king. Now If you'll excuse me for a moment, I need to take a break fromrepparttar 105908 article — I need to make a sandwich.

Ok, I'm back.

Sorepparttar 105909 food is incredible andrepparttar 105910 service is definitely unmatched. Let me tell you about a few ofrepparttar 105911 guides. First there's Neal, a burly-bearded surfer dude whose reputation as a skilled paddler is closely challenged by his uncanny ability to makerepparttar 105912 world's best pineapple boat. There's Darlene, an account executive from L.A. that drives up to Kern County every weekend to be a river guide. Then there's Felipe, a scrawny little Costa Rican boy withrepparttar 105913 skills of a river god. All throughoutrepparttar 105914 trip,repparttar 105915 guides Ooohed and aaaahed at his tenacity to "surfrepparttar 105916 hole" (a concept in whichrepparttar 105917 raft actually "surfs" upstream in a U-Shaped portion of water, stallingrepparttar 105918 raft mid-rapid). Lastly, there was Bruce, AKA "Curly from 'City Slickers'." Curly pilotedrepparttar 105919 food and first aid kits downrepparttar 105920 rapids, leaving an offering of river rocks torepparttar 105921 river gods for safe passage at each stop. But he didn't just put them in piles, he would deftly balance one upon another, creating graceful, eccentric cairns.

Read this entire feature FREE with photos at: http://www.jetsettersmagazine.com/archive/jetezine/sports02/raft/kern/kern.html

By Josh Edelson, Southern California Correspondent, Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com



Josh Edelson, Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent. Join the Travel Writers Network in th elogo at www.jetsettersmagazine.com


Faultless Big Wheel Bike Tours in Palm Springs

Written by Lena Hunt Mabra


Continued from page 1

My setup is all set up and I have no worries but to strap onrepparttar helmet, grabrepparttar 105900 water bottle provided, and load up on nutritious snacks. Oh yeah, andrepparttar 105901 several cookies that Heidi baked earlier!

Evan, with his incredible cycling skills, leadsrepparttar 105902 way and Heidi follows inrepparttar 105903 SUV. This is so awesome—food, drinks, and safety trailing behind me and all I have to do is set a pace that’s superb for impromtu exploring ofrepparttar 105904 desert discoveries around me. Hot, dry desert frames snow-capped mountain . . . where else but in California! This is a sensory natural experience on a two-wheel steed and not throughrepparttar 105905 windows of a car. It’s also an excellent way to fend off those extra calories from Palm Springs ’ fine dining experience.

We make a gradual descend and I’m unaware ofrepparttar 105906 3000 foot decline until, well, until I start doingrepparttar 105907 research for this feature. I know Evan is a speed demon and a little more hardcore, belonging to some extreme cycling group, but he adjusts his speed to canter to mine. I know his heart rate isn’t elevated, but mine is andrepparttar 105908 adrenaline is pumping as I griprepparttar 105909 handlebars tightly.

The tranquil beauty ofrepparttar 105910 expansive desert is a sharp contrast withrepparttar 105911 many-hued mountain background that calms my mind, rejuvenating my spirit. The scenery is exhilarating, balancing outrepparttar 105912 serenity with energy and aliveness.

We stop any time I want to explore andrepparttar 105913 chlorophyll green of a plant growing in dessicated solid hardpan is amazing. Heidi plucks a leaf here and there and tells me to feel it, smell it, or crush it. She announcesrepparttar 105914 name and medicinal uses for each herb; I picturerepparttar 105915 Indians who used to live here. Read this entire feature FREE with photos at: http://www.jetsettersmagazine.com/archive/jetezine/sports02/bike/bigwheel/bigwheel.html

By Lena Hunt Mabra, Cozumel Correspondent, Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com

Lena Hunt Mabra,Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent. Join the Travel Writers Network in the logo at www.jetsettersmagazine.com


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