Mens Masters Go Camping & Whitewater Rafting

This past weekend, Men's Masters took to the great outdoors, camping at the Scarlett Knob Campground and rafting the Lower Youghiogheny River.
Our fun was a true team effort led by Supreme Organizer & Firewood Gatherer Matt Loughren.

Weekend photos can be viewed courtesy of Official Photographer John Buck, a.k.a. Omelete Chef Extraordinaire, Admiral White Gas Firestarter & Captain of Firewood Placement "for later in the night".

Almost everything about our weekend involved WATER -lots and lots of water (appropriate for a rowing team no?). Despite several incredible booming thunderstorms, complete with fantastic displays of lightning, we stayed both warm AND dry thanks to Campfire General Herb Cohen who masterfully and strategically "directed and delegated" all operations involving our campfire (except, of course, anything to do with the work involved w/ gathering and preparation of the woodpile). Herbie also brought the Cohen Family Canopy, without which our time spent together would have been drastically different. Without the Cohen Family Canopy, we might just have had to...well, i'm not exactly sure what we would have done, but I can guarantee it likely would not have involved staying at the campground much less cooking dinner and sitting around the campfire.

Speaking of which, the team ate well thanks to Asst. Quartermaster Steven Carr's organic appetizers, Chief Quartermaster Steven Irwin's main course contributions (not organic) and Dinner Chef Extraordinaire Bill Anderson, a.k.a. Master Firewood Pile Assembler. Chef Bill whipped up a meal, the likes of which we've never seen before on Masters Rowing Outings. Needless to say, everyone was happy with full bellies and no one went to bed hungry. Much to the camp's delight, our bed of coals provided all the heat for s'mores (toasted mellows betwixt graham crackers w/ a chunk of chocolate) provided by Ass. Firewood Gather/Firewood Pile Assembler/Campfire Lieutenant Donald W-P.
We also were, at no point EVER during our trip, in any danger of being dehydrated thanks to the cases and cases and cases upon cases of water procured by Special Agent Waterboy, Jeff Boldt. Many beverages were consumed, the bulk of which provided by Special Forces "I rode my mtn. bike 75 miles uphill both ways" Tom Hudak; the tastiest of which was Gator McCoy's (of the world renown Surreal McCoy's) special Woodford Reserve Bourbon.

Sunday we were joined by General Nostradamus "there's no way we're going to fall out of this raft" Chris Ryan for an exhilarating whitewater experience down the Lower Fork of the Youghiogheny River. Let's just say that when we launched, the water level was 8.3 feet. When we finished, the river was above the legal limit for guided rafting of 10.0 ft. With normal trip duration of 3-4 hours, we finished in just under one hour. We were like a national team octuple, roaring down the river right up until the very last rapid. Just prior, Steven "Gator" Irwin switched to "point" (that seat at the front/bow of the boat where one takes the brunt of all waves rapids and walls of raging waters) with Chris "Nostradamus- we're not going over" Ryan. Coming into the last rapid, the last enormous wall of water smacked Irwin like a domino, lifting him up off his seat and swooshing him, along with DWP and Ryan behind, unceremoniously into the Yough. It was absolutely FANTASTIC.

Well done men- excellent times had by all!