White Water Rafting

Probably my biggest day for the trip! Once breakfast was over we packed up our suitcases and headed across the car park to Geyser White Water Rafting. We spent about half an hour of checking in and getting our wetsuits, jackets, booties, life-jackets and helmets fitted. Once this was completed we all grabbed a paddle and hopped on the bus.

It was a 20 minute trip to the start of the rapids, with a family of 3 from Michigan joining us on our raft, along with Ryan, our guide. Once we set off we finally realised just how cold the water was. We are in Montana's 'run-off'season where all the melted snow runs directly into the Gallatin River, leaving it at about 3C, very cold. I now know why they had us put so many layers on! For the early parts we were mostly in level 2 rapids, every now and then hitting some level 3 rapids (rapids are ranked 1-6, 6 being equivalent to rafting off the edge of Niagara Falls) all the time working really hard in the raft to the orders of our guide. We were approaching the level 4 rapids (known as the Mad Mile) but we had to pull over as Bailey had to get out of the raft whilst we tackled the treacherous first half of the Mad Mile, including the infamous 'House Rock'. As soon as we negotiated this part of the river we again pulled over to pick up Bailey to tackle the second half of this section and then ride the last half an hour to our take out spot. When we finished we were sopping wet, and absolutely freezing but it was one of the best things we have done on this trip.

Once we had returned to the main shop, we dried off and put warmer clothes on. At this point, Gena & Bluey surprised me by letting me know that they were taking me up to the mighty Big Sky Resort to do a 1.5 hour zip-lining adventure as an early birthday present. Therefore, we went straight from rafting up to Big Sky, where I got fitted out with 7 other people and the 3 instructors. We then had to go on a 20 minute hike up a steep trail to the first zip-line.

I was up first, with my family underneath the line with cameras. What a great way to see the mountains & forest - and get an adrenalin rush at the same time? The second line was the longest, taking me across a wide canyon and gave an even better view. My favorite though was the last line, where I had to jump off a cliff to start and the view was sensational. That, and the fact that I did it the whole way, hanging upside down....

 Once zip-lining was over, we were back in the car for another 5 hour drive, through and out the other side of Montana and into Wyoming, where we have reached Sheridan. We are only staying here one night and we are off to Rapid City, South Dakota in the morning. This is home to Mt. Rushmore, the Badlands National Park and 'Bear Country'- a drive through a park full of bears, that often will climb over vehicles if they think there is something in them of interest. I hear great photo opportunity!! Bluey hasn't decided whether he is going to let Bailey & I cover the wheels of our car in honey... (ha ha).

~Riley