As most of you know, Miss Trixie and I have been driving for Narrow Ridge Outdoors/ Mountain Man Rafting for several years now. It’s a fun endeavor, we get to meet all kinds of great people, and we work with a bunch of stellar youngsters, which is always invigorating.
Just this past week we were busy shuttling vans down to pick up rafters who were enjoying a great day on the river when someone flagged us down on the highway. She had seen our logo on the van and said, “I am so glad to see you as there are some people who have fallen in the river and need help badly.”
Disclaimer: what follows may or may not be an accurate reflection of events.
So, we kicked into our rescue training mode and quickly found these poor folk clinging to rocks in the raging rapids, all life about to ebb from their cold bodies. Trixie remarked that they were a lot “older” people and I think she said that since she herself is starting to add on years like a runaway abacus.
But anyway, Ole Dutch and Miss Trixie assessed the situation and realized that the kayakers were close to unconsciousness so we both dove into the torrent disregarding the threat to life and limb of our own bodies. All I could think about as I swam out to them was poor little Cooper being an orphan if I did not live through the ordeal.
A few quick powerful strokes brought us to them and while Ol’ Dutch secured a firm grip on the gentleman and began an exit to the shore, Miss Trixie had quite another predicament to face. For you see the poor woman lost her grip just as Miss Trixie got to her and slipped away into the raging torrent. She made one last grab for the drowning woman and miraculously came up with a handful of pigtails with which she was able to tow her to shore.
As I write this, Miss Trixie’s eyes have gone to rolling around in her head like marbles. I have offered her mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, but she has refused to be rescued thus far.
Back to my story, even though we were now safe and sound on the bank, the poor kayakers were in miserable condition having been subjected to the icy water of the river for many hours. Fighting near hypothermia ourselves we nonetheless were able to carry these folks to the warm van and get them inside. We then began rubbing their extremities trying to keep them from going into shock or having a heart attack and certain death.
Miss Trixie saw that the woman was in really bad shape and given her history of survival on Mt. Everest, she grabbed Cooper and like a mini hot water bottle, thrust him down against the womans ample bosom.
Gathering every ounce of reserve strength ourselves, we were finally able to drive back down the valley and deliver them into safe hands for further treatment and we counted our lucky stars that it was not worse than it had been.
Both Miss Trixie and I were exhausted beyond description, but we had rafters and fishermen depending on our delivery of vehicles, so we just changed clothes and hit the road. Ol’ Dutch had to “man up” and Miss Trixie put on “her big girl panties” in order to complete our jobs and not disappoint those depending on us that day.
You never know each day when you begin how the Lord will use you to help others I guess, and this day was no different in that regard. Being in the right place at the right time is sometimes all it takes to be a blessing to someone else.
Miss Trixie is now full-on frowning at me over the description of the rescue and wants me to clarify some parts of it before I submit it for publication.
Well, in fact a woman did flag us down and knew that Mountain Man has a reputation of rescuing folks in dire straits, that’s true. And two people did fall out of their kayak and in fact, they were very cold and in danger of hypothermia when we found them. Another truth. And we did take them back to town to safety and warm clothes.
But the rest of the story is what they call Literary License and makes it a lot more interesting at least. (Plus, do not fear, Cooper was not harmed in any way.)
And if you enjoyed that one you should hear the one about Little Sarah and the grave up on Del Norte Peak. It’s a dandy.
As Miss Trixie always says, Ol’ Dutch never lets the truth get in the way of a good story.
Kevin Kirkpatrick and his Yorkie, Cooper, fish, hunt, ATV or hike daily. His email is Kevin@TroutRepublic.com. Additional news can be found at www.troutrepublic.com.
