White Water on the Kern

Last weekend we packed up to do some camping and for Dan & Reed to go whitewater rafting with his scout troop. As you enter the canyon where the river is there is a Death Clock, currently at 268 deaths since 1969. (only 9 were wearing life jackets) As we drove past the river I started thinking.... hmmmm... I want to go. So, since Dan has done the river 5 times and I have only done it once, he gave me his spot. (true love!) The girls, and especially Ruckus, enjoyed our riverside campsite. There was a little river diversion that ran through our campsite so it was perfect for the girls to play in without me worrying about them being swept away by the fast current. The river was running at 110% so it couldn't have been better. This was the first year for the guide on our boat, so that made me nervous. It seemed when there was a life or death situation on the river she was absolutely silent and didnt call out anything. As we ran the river, the 2nd big rapid (class III) we got pinned against a rock and when our boat was tilted more than vertical, our guide called highsides. We flipped and rode the next 2 rapids without a boat. Reed and the other boys in the boat were very good and stayed calm until we could be picked up by another boat. The rest of the river was uneventful and we had a great time.