I had the great honor of joining the all women’s Team River Runner paddling trip in May of this year as the safety boater. This trip was full of fantastic women coming from all corners of the nation. Team River Runner (TRR) teamed up the Durango Adaptive Sports Association (ASA) to bring the spectacular weeklong San Juan river trip to life in Utah. We experienced tranquil flatwater stretches encased in the stunning canyon walls of the Utah dessert. The area was spotted with birds and other beautiful wildlife hiding in the rocky terrain lining the river. It was kidding season, so we had the great fortune to see a good number of baby goats! But silence wasn’t common. It turns out our group loved to sing! Of course, we also found out that everyone didn’t remember as many song lyrics as they thought…..

Amongst the flats, we had the exciting challenge of white water. Some women lead the charge on the front of the rafts, others showed their skills with inflatable kayaks, and finally we rounded out the group with our hard shell kayak divas. In between the amazing time on the water, we were treated like royalty by the raft guide leaders and expert chefs, Ann Marie Meighan (Program Director) and Iris Gardner (Assistant Program Director), from ASA Durango. Who says you can’t have appetizers, yummy main courses, plus fresh baked fruit cobblers or brownies on a river trip!

At more than one campsite, we managed to turn the muck at the water’s edge into a giant, muddy slip-n-slide which made for interesting and often amusing gear transfers. Our nights were filled with laughing around the campfire while an almost full moon heaved itself above the canyon rim somewhat obscuring the thousands of twinkling stars. What started as a group of unknown woman turned into a self-contained, sand-encrusted, mud-streaked unit, with our own language, smiles, and singing…can’t forget the singing!

At TRR, we focus on using paddlesports for health and healing. Our group had the opportunity to focus not only on the undeniable group fun of a weeklong paddling adventure but also the chance to be supported with open listening, sharing of stories, and personal reflection. This important extension of healing was actively supported on our trip by AnnaBelle Bryan, a Research Manager for the National Center for Veterans Studies at The University of Utah. AnnaBelle said “It was a great week of working together …. I hadn’t experienced such camaraderie since I was in the military.” AnnaBelle is leading a research group that is studying the positive effects organizations, such as Team River Runner, can have on the continued success of returning military and their efforts to reintegrate back into society. Getting the “numbers” to back up the outstanding results we see and hear via countless personal stories will continue to be an active goal for future TRR trips and paddling sessions.