Whitewater Rendezvous

was about to drive her insane. “Thanks,” she mumbled, grabbing the head net and putting it on.

Chaz held out her can of repellent, and she took that, too, and sprayed her hands.

When she handed it back, she met Chaz’s eyes and saw a look of remorse there. Her anger about their encounter melted just a little.

If she was really being honest, she had to admit that she herself was mostly to blame. She had pushed herself on Chaz and continued to after Chaz had said stop. That was sure some class act, all right, she berated herself. What must she think of me now? Probably that I don’t careabout anyone but myself.

Soon they were underway, and the river’s growing challenges were enough to keep her distracted. The Odakonya sped up as they paddled along, demanding more and more of their attention by the mile.

The river kept dropping in elevation, and there were numerous rocks and boulders scattered about that they had to be careful to avoid. Once or twice, Megan was so busy watching something—an eagle soaring past, or a small animal trotting along in the distance—that she nearly crashed into some obstacle in the river that seemed to loom up at her without warning.

Shortly before they were to stop for lunch, the river took them into a narrow canyon, with steep cliff walls rising sharply on either side. On the right bank, there was nowhere to walk at all—and on the left, only a six-foot-wide strip of rocky terrain guaranteed to twist an ankle if you weren’t paying attention.

Chaz motioned the clients to beach their kayaks. “As I recall, our fi rst potentially tough stretch is up around the next bend,” she announced as she got out of her boat. “I’m going to scout ahead, and I’d like everyone to come with me.”

They all got out of their kayaks and picked their way downstream single fi le, until they came to a vantage point where they could see the most diffi cult section of the rapids ahead. Chaz pointed out the route they would take, explaining the tricky parts and how the current would act around the boulders and eddies.

“These don’t look too bad, and I don’t think any of you will have any problems if you follow my line,” Chaz said. “Everybody feeling good about that?”

The clients all nodded.

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KIM BALDWIN

“Okay, then. We’ll go through one at a time, and be sure to space yourselves out. I want to alternate the more experienced people with the lesser. So Megan will go behind me, then Pat, then Elise, Linda, Justine, Yancey, and Sally last. Let’s go!”

They returned to their kayaks and got back underway.

Megan gripped her paddle tighter. She was feeling pretty confi dent about her abilities and really looking forward to the challenges ahead.

Every bit of whitewater they hit energized her with a burst of adrenalin.

Her body was buzzing with it.

All the women made it through that stretch without diffi culty, Sally bringing up the rear in the raft.

After a quick stop for sandwiches, they came to three more places where Chaz pulled them over to scout ahead. Each time, she pointed out the route and told the women that it looked very doable for all of them, but she gave them a chance to choose to portage around it. None of them took it.

At one point Megan seemed hesitant, and Chaz wanted to suggest she take the easier option, but she felt certain her suggestion would be rejected, and she was reluctant to single Megan out in front of the others. She knew she was on thin ice, and Yancey’s quick word about the new tent-sharing arrangements had driven that point home.

It’s probably all for the best, she told herself yet again. She could do without the temptation of Megan lying beside her. And Megan obviously wanted nothing more to do with her after their stressful night.

She’ll go home and fi nd another conquest and forget all about me. That realization depressed her much more than she thought it would, and she had to force herself to focus on their fi fth stop.

“That area could be tricky.” Chaz pointed to a section beyond the curve that was crowded with boulders.

The only way through was a narrow channel of swift water that dropped at least three feet. “It’s a straight shot through if you line up carefully. And from seeing how all of you are doing today, I think everyone’s certainly capable of this. But if you have any reservations whatsoever—and I mean any— you might want to portage here.” She cast a pointed look at Elise and Megan.

“I’m good to go,” Elise said immediately.

“So am I,” Megan agreed. This next stretch did look rather intimidating, but she was not going to be the only one to walk it. Though

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Дата добавления: 2015-11-14