For the past fifteen years my childhood friend has invited me to join him on his annual Cast and Blast trip on the Grande Ronde River in Southeast Washington. Three days in a beautifully remote canyon to take advantage of the scenery, mule deer season and the steelhead. run. Most years the invite came at the last minute in the form of a phone call: “You joining us on the Cast and Blast this year?”
The call usually came from the grocery store parking lot in Lewiston as he stopped for last minute provisioning. My kids, my job, and 2000 miles prevented me from joining him until this past year.
2019 would be different. That summer I was offered a wooden sailboat in need of some rehab. Unbelievable opportunity, but I would need to pick it up in Newport, WA. My great uncle built it in the 70’s but it sat in his barn since 1985. A boat project, along with the chance to see my cousin in Malden, convinced me to make the journey to the Grande Ronde in October 2019.
Four childhood friends and enough food and drink for a week - we were ready for our 3 day trip into the wilderness. We had two 14 foot drift boats ready to go. I had read Roger Fletcher’s book on drift boats, but this was my first time aboard one. I was immediately hooked. Light enough for two guys to launch. The shallow draft allowed passage through low water. The high rocker enabled us to maneuver through rapids and around submerged hazards. The beam gave us stability to stand - and room for a cooler. As an avid backpacker, I particularly enjoyed access to a cooler and some of the best food I’ve ever eaten in the wilderness.
On my return journey across the great plains three thoughts kept circling in my mind:
1) Stay ahead of the blizzard.
2) Would the 1985 trailer make it to Madison.
3) What type of drift boat should I build first.