English Connection

We had a great opening day on the river to start off the 2008 season! On May 3, we were lucky enough to meet Jim and Jen who bring a new meaning to long distance relationships. We were so glad to be part of the ten day itinerary that would help Jen show Jim all the wonders of Oregon.

Dr. Jen impressed us all with her excellent birding and identification skills. In fact, it was a triple eagle day. We saw two bald eagles and a golden eagle. There were many other birds including a stoic great blue heron and a family of killdeer on the rocky beach where we lunched.

Jim settled in quickly to his new environment and tried his hand at navigating a 16 foot raft down the mighty Rogue River! He managed very well and impressed us all with his rowing abilities and strength.

All in all, it was a day to remember and our best wishes go out to Jen and Jim as they continue an intercontinental courtship! Thanks for a wonderful day!

Nesting Issues

The osprey returned from their long migration in mid March. They have been hunting and fishing to regain their strength and now it is time to build a nest. Osprey generally return to the same nest year after year.

This year at ORRO Headquarters there has been a shake up in nesting sites. Canada Geese decided to move into the osprey nest. There was a raucous and some fly by diving, but the geese stayed. The displaced osprey hovered nearby watching the nesting geese in their home, seemingly waiting for vacancy.

Finally, as nature dictated, the osprey had to accept the change in living environments and moved their nest site. They are busy building a new nest which will take about seven days. The male and female osprey work diligently as a team throughout the building, nesting and raising of the fledglings.

Stay tuned for further development in homeland security!

Oregon River Rafting

Boss Man

There is only one Boss Man and he has paid his dues and earned the title. Boss Man keeps his eyes on the entire operation, one day at a time. He is the keeper of the books, the shuttles, the trip set up, the camp sites, the safety, the ratio of guides to guests, the blue boat captain and the keeper of keys! Boss Man is also the Webmaster, SEO Dream Team and the list goes on...he is our very own lucky charm and O'Brien's runs like a well oiled machine because of Boss Man!

Breakfast on the River

Do you ever have a craving for the smell of bacon cooking outside? We sure do! We usually satisfy this hankering for tasty meals by simply cooking a great meal outside! At Teen Raft Camp and Family Camp, breakfast is a highly celebrated meal.

Campers will warn us the night before, "I am not human until I have drunk a pot of coffee" or "I don't eat much for breakfast, so don't worry about me" or "I've never tried River Scramble, what is it?"...the sense of apprehension seasoned with the tiniest bit of curiosity and the smell of outdoor cooking is a sure fire way to entice the appetites at breakfast.

We have prepared the '72 Morning Egg Salute', which by the way was more than enough food for a Family Camp of 14 people! We have also eaten 'Campers in a Sleeping Bag', which could bring back memories of Pigs in a Blanket. Then there is the Blossom Blueberry Pancakes...ooooh! Can you smell them now?!

One of our favorites is the Sunrise Spread. It includes River Scramble, Bacon, and Peach Cobbler. Yep, Peach Cobbler for breakfast served from a Dutch Oven, cooked over the morning fire, and made with Grandma Wade's Biscuit Recipe! It is such a favorite at the Teen Raft Camp, the kids actually ASK to help wash the dishes! Hmmmm, there's never any leftovers either!

Manly Trip

We booked a trip for a family reunion last summer and members of the family ended up with conflicting schedules, so instead of bagging the whole trip John rebooked it with his buddies. Thus, the Family Trip became the Manly Trip!

These fellows from Coronado, California were some of the greatest folks you could ever want to meet. They were real-life, retired, well-respected, bona fide super heroes! Our lives have become enriched by spending a few days together Living the Dream on the river and in camp.

Here's a big cheer to Mike, Tom, John and Jim! Thanks for the Happy Memories!

Oregon Family Camp

Testing The Waters

We opened our 2008 season with a raft trip yesterday. It was beautiful! The water was a crisp blue green, the mountains have a drift of snow left on top, the birds were chattering in abundance and the sun was shining a dazzling 85 degrees. That's pretty warm for an early April day.

We packed along a lunch full of fresh vegies, Hippie Pasta Salad, cookies from the ORRO headquarters' oven and some cold drinks. We ate at a sandy beach and watched some fishermen catch steelhead. The fish was 22 inches long and they needed 24 inches to keep it. The fishermen were mildly disappointed, but we were thrilled at the action and the catch.

Above our heads, snuggled in the nearly budding cottonwood trees were a pair of bald eagles in a giant nest. The nest itself is nearly nine feet across. As we were finishing lunch, one of the eagles took off for a flight. They are glorious birds. We couldn't have had a better lunch site!

The water was moving quickly as there is plenty of volume in the Rogue at this time of year. It is also cold at 50 degrees, but that didn't stop one of our guides from jumping in for a hmmmm, respite?! Floating the Rogue with family and friends, life just doesn't get any better!

Rogue River Rafting

Rogue River Weather

The weather in the Rogue Valley is truly remarkable! There is a sign that hangs over one of the main streets in Grants Pass that says, "Its the Climate". Well that certainly holds true.

Today it will be 80 degrees. The folks at the Pear Blossom Run are thrilled! The water temperature of the Rogue is warming up to nearly 50 degrees. We have close to 200% of the average snow pack in the mountains and there is still about 11 feet of snow piled up at Crater Lake National Park.

There is always something wonderful to do outside in Southern Oregon. By the way, you never have to worry about the weather, just be sure to wear the right clothes! Today, that will be hats and shades!


Rogue River Rafting Trips