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Trolling for material: River Superstitions

11K views 61 replies 46 participants last post by  holtalska 
#1 ·
I'm thinking about writing something about river superstitions and, naturally, I knew that I should start here. I'm happy to entertain everything from actual river lore to your own weird OCD rituals. As I always, I can't promise I'll include yours, but I will promise to "try" and put something entertaining together.

Thanks in advance for any ideas...

btw
Does anybody else believe that small black oblong rocks are really bad luck?

Eric
 
#4 ·
Always run the dish line with the current. Dirty upstream thru the line and clean downstream. Helps dishes flow faster.

I always lock up my dry boxes overnight.

I try and point my toes downstream when in camp sleeping for the night.

A river otter sighting is very good luck.
 
#7 ·
When I first started guiding on the bigger rivers I became convinced that the reason I hadn't flipped was because I had chew in for all the bigger drops that could flip you. So I had to re-up before I ran anything. So dumb. This led to me forgetting one time until entering the rapid so I quickly dropped the oars to bang some dip in and I nearly blew the line because I wasn't rowing. Then I figured out that I would rather flip and have my face intact more than having face cancer. Thank God.

I still always, always, always put on my left boot first when going snowboarding. I once forgot and took off my right boot to put on the left one first. And I had a great day, so it must have worked.
 
#15 ·
I still always, always, always put on my left boot first when going snowboarding. I once forgot and took off my right boot to put on the left one first. And I had a great day, so it must have worked.
+1. I'm a skier, but the left boot always goes on first. This actually started so I can have my left boot on before driving to the parking lot, cuts down on launch time at the hill, but I need the right foot for driving, so the right boot goes on when I get there. Nowadays all my shoes go on left foot first.

QUOTE=skywalker07;748753]

Always orient oar blades up stream i.e. spare oar has blade at stern and blades at rear of truck.[/QUOTE]

+1. This orientation is more hydro and aerodynamic, anyway. BTW, I never use a ski rack, but if I did, skis would always be oriented this same way. I also like to sleep riverside with my feet downstream. And I like the offering of the first beverage to the river.
 
#10 ·
Always thank the "River God" before and after a trip or anytime you think, he gave you a little extra help. If you look out, the tent in the morning and the first thing you see is your tent, in the distance, keep crawling and don't look back, you might be identified, where all asses look the same.
 
#12 ·
Never bring bananas on a boat. From what I understand this one comes from back in the day when you had a ship with bananas on it, the rest of the fruit you had would spoil faster than usual because bananas cause other fruit to ripen. Superstition continues. Also who wants their dry box to smell like bananas?

Always orient oar blades up stream i.e. spare oar has blade at stern and blades at rear of truck.

“The big R” similar to the “W” mentioned above.
 
#16 ·
Don't pitch your tent in a swale when thunderclouds are forming overhead. Don't pitch your tent after dark on an anthill. Chances are those little buggers will get moving in the morning before you do. Don't brush your teeth after dark after you have had a few without a flashlight. You may get your Benadryl cream mixed up with your toothpaste. Unfortunately, I learned all of these pointers the hard way.
 
#25 ·
Splash water on your face at start of trip/ above significant rapids to greet the river gods and ask for safe passage.

Oar blades to the stern also makes accessing the spare easier for the boatman - assuming your spare is held by two straps ( one nearer the blade and one nearer the handle) the boatman can release the strap that's closest ( that'll be the one near the blade) and pull the handle end thru the strap it's in without having to release it. If the blade was towards the bow you would have to climb forward and release that strap too.
 
#27 ·
Splash water on your face at start of trip/ above significant rapids to greet the river gods and ask for safe passage.

Oar blades to the stern also makes accessing the spare easier for the boatman - assuming your spare is held by two straps ( one nearer the blade and one nearer the handle) the boatman can release the strap that's closest ( that'll be the one near the blade) and pull the handle end thru the strap it's in without having to release it. If the blade was towards the bow you would have to climb forward and release that strap too.


Similar to your first, I always take a swim before launching prior to a day of rapids or before a significant one; you won't flip/swim if you do this first.
 
#29 ·
Any time someone gets something stolen that was near and dear to their heart, I like to talk a lot about "River Karma" like it would do something or deter others from being asshole thieves.
 
#30 ·
After two hot sweaty days on the Rogue, you MUST wash your dirty, smelly body, shave, and put on clean clothes before Blosom Bar on the third day. Treat her like a lady and she'll be kind to you. (I didn't follow this rital on my last trip down and had the worst run I've ever had through Blossom.)
 
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