# Trolling for material: River Superstitions



## richp (Feb 27, 2005)

Never say the "W" word out loud!

Rich Phillips


----------



## carvedog (May 11, 2005)

richp said:


> Never say the "W" word out loud!
> 
> Rich Phillips



I agree. That which is not named cannot be summoned.


----------



## Riverwild (Jun 19, 2015)

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.


----------



## noahfecks (Jun 14, 2008)

Straps need to match, same size/color strap in symmetrical location, otherwise the birds wont mate


----------



## 2tomcat2 (May 27, 2012)

Wish everyone "Good run" before a rapid of significance.


----------



## carvedog (May 11, 2005)

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.


----------



## caverdan (Aug 27, 2004)

On overnight or multi day trips.......always take a big gun loaded for bear. If you have one....you'll never see one.


----------



## MT4Runner (Apr 6, 2012)

Brush your teeth before you launch.
"Clean teeth, clean lines."


----------



## raymo (Aug 10, 2008)

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.


----------



## TuffGonG (Jul 10, 2007)

When storing a boat always store the boat with the bow pointing towards the closest body of water. When in doubt, just point her towards the closest ocean.


----------



## skywalker07 (Aug 11, 2015)

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.


----------



## MontanaLaz (Feb 15, 2018)

Always give the first sip of your first beer on the trip to the river, ideally before you even take a stroke.

When the campfire smoke is blowing at you, say "I hate white rabbits" (or just move your chair)

When pushing off every morning, someone has to say "Let's go boating!"


----------



## powrider686 (Aug 12, 2009)

Whenever anyone falls out of a boat or swims unintentionally, they must make their offering to the river by drinking a bootie beer (or sandal luge) at the end of the days trip. If you refuse you never are invited on a river again.


----------



## Waterhopper (Jul 3, 2017)

carvedog said:


> 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.


----------



## OregonianRG (Jun 14, 2010)

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.


----------



## MT4Runner (Apr 6, 2012)

powrider686 said:


> Whenever anyone falls out of a boat or swims unintentionally, they must make their offering to the river by drinking a bootie beer (or sandal luge) at the end of the days trip. If you refuse you never are invited on a river again.


I thought this was obvious (but failed to mention it myself). This is the biggest and most importantest river superstition of all!


----------



## Riverwild (Jun 19, 2015)

skywalker07 said:


> Always orient oar blades up stream



I do this as well. More from learning over the years that I'm more likely to smack sides of my bow and break a blade if spares are tied on blade downstream. I always point spares with blade upstream now, always.


----------



## pwolfehagen (Sep 18, 2018)

Bring Apple Jacks on all multi-day trips.


Paco pads must be logo side up and readable when standing at bow facing the stern.


If you need to sink something in the river tie a rock to it first.


Bring a motor and whistle into the wind.


----------



## teletoes (Apr 16, 2005)

I'll second the no bananas superstition. 

Also no Banana Boat sunscreen or Banana Republic apparel.


----------



## noahfecks (Jun 14, 2008)

sleep perpendicular to the river, that way snakes slide around you rather than coiling up to sleep with you


----------



## noahfecks (Jun 14, 2008)

raymo said:


> 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.



Fooking awesome, spoken from experience I am sure :beer:


Did you make up the AB fight song?


----------



## cupido76 (May 22, 2009)

A sip of whiskey in the river when I start a trip so the river treats me well.


----------



## raymo (Aug 10, 2008)

*Timmy Hanna(river name)*



noahfecks said:


> Fooking awesome, spoken from experience I am sure :beer:
> 
> 
> Did you make up the AB fight song?


Credit for that one goes to Timmy Hanna, telling that to a couple new river guides we hired at RMRE, we all laughed our butt's off: beers to him. I just had to share that thought....Good boating to all.


----------



## watersarah (Aug 24, 2009)

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.


----------



## Vortexan (Dec 22, 2018)

Always give the roach to the river gods.


----------



## mr. compassionate (Jan 13, 2006)

watersarah said:


> 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.


----------



## Janice (Aug 16, 2019)

The twisted strap. It will twist our boat.


----------



## Andy H. (Oct 13, 2003)

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.


----------



## Gchapman (Feb 26, 2018)

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.)


----------



## Idaho_ski_bum (Jun 22, 2018)

Trailer your boat bow forward on the way to the put in... Looking forward to river time. Trailer her bow backward on the way home... looking back to the river wanting more.


----------



## Idaho_ski_bum (Jun 22, 2018)

Also makes it easier to unload the stern gear pile into the truck bed this way!


----------



## ajacobo (Sep 14, 2012)

you can only take cool rocks or sticks home if they survive by not sliding off the decks.


----------



## billhoblitzell (Mar 20, 2017)

A few superstitions and maxims from WV and elsewhere:


Did ya get a new piece of gear to use/wear? There is a swim in your imminent future.


Related: "No one swims like family"


Also: "The amount of time you spend in the eddy above Sweet's is directly proportional to the thrashing you will receive upon running it."


Drag bag proverbs that also/maybe are applicable to life: "Drink your best beer first, then you're always drinkin' your best beer."


TL expectations for morning guide call: "Early is on-time, on-time is late."
Guide reality: "Better late than pregnant?"


----------



## David L (Feb 13, 2004)

I've got a lot of river habits, some might be superstitions. I find a way to save a beer from the pile of Grand Canyon beers I bring. It's the first beer I drink on the next year's GC trip. Feels like I'm connecting a long string of trips that way.

Ah, here's another one: At Lees Ferry I scoop up a handful of river and take a sip. Can't say why, just seems like a nice thing to do.


----------



## Conundrum (Aug 23, 2004)

I don’t name my boats til I flip them. 

On a recent trip a friend told me “Friends that count don’t” after talking about how many drinks we had the night before. Haven’t kept track of drinks on the river since. Just seems to make sense.


----------



## NathanH. (Mar 17, 2010)

If you can't spit when you're scouting, don't run it.

Always stuck by this and it's worked.


----------



## CJWeinmeister (Apr 22, 2013)

*River Superstitions*

Putting on two PFD's above a big drop practically guarantees a swim.

The longer you stare at the big hole is directly proportional to the amount of time you spend in the hole getting worked.

Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good.

You'll pay to know what you think.


----------



## Andy H. (Oct 13, 2003)

NathanH. said:


> If you can't spit when you're scouting, don't run it.
> 
> Always stuck by this and it's worked.


Or, "Always bring a water bottle along on the scout - it helps wash the taste of vomit out of your mouth."


----------



## raymo (Aug 10, 2008)

I threw-up on a scout one time and I look at everyone and said, no wonder I was sick, I had all that vomit in me.


----------



## joecoolives (Jun 17, 2009)

Thank Odin for the good run, blame Loki for the bad.


----------



## LSB (Mar 23, 2004)

Never load your boat on top of your car or trailer stern forward. It will get used to going in that direction and force you to run rapids backward.

Always drink beers that you find in eddies. It is an insult to the river gods if you do not accept their offerings.


----------



## zipbak (Dec 3, 2007)

Practice roll before a big rapid. Leave a token on Vulcan Rock before Lava. I’ve heard of painting toenails, but I’ve never done it. Spectacles Testicles Wallet Watch.


----------



## almortal (Jun 22, 2014)

Do not joke about running the meat line or making a crazy move if you plan to take the sneak. 
This is how you end up going down the middle of Horn backwards with one oar or getting yelled at by your wife for hitting the hole at the bottom of Upset "on purpose". When I said I would row Lava with no hands, she didn't pull me back into the boat at the v-wave and rowed Son of Lava herself as I watched from the eddy below Kahuna.

And saying a word does not actually make the weather change. But for the love of god do not say the W-word.


----------



## CO14 (Nov 12, 2003)

When kayaking I always dump two helmets full of water on my head and face before pushing off. I always splash my face before big rapids. I am trying to get away from wearing nose plugs as I feel that putting them on is akin to preparing for failure.


----------



## kayakerjim (May 2, 2018)

I ALWAYS listen to at least one Creedence Clearwater Revival song on the way to the river. My daughter is now following this tradition/superstition.


----------



## TheSalamanderCo (Oct 28, 2014)

*Simple...*

I simply talk to my boat out loud. Upon approaching a nerve wracking run I will pat the ash gunwale on my Mad River Outrage and tell her that I know she's going to do well and that I will try my best to keep her balanced, do her justice, stay in the moment. Seems to help. Can't hurt!


----------



## matt man (Dec 23, 2011)

Always pour some beer in the river. 
Never be arrogant, or talk smack, the river always hears and slaps the shit out of ya’ for that one!

I also sleep with my feet down stream, unless it puts me head down hill.
Renaming a boat is very bad luck. 

Don’t talk about the face in the rocks above Sunshine, before you drop in.
Always splash Van Halen rock on your way out.


----------



## nmcanoe (Apr 11, 2019)

Never talk your wife out of walking Lava Falls, saying, "Babe, you're better off with me."

Never say I'm rigged to flip...never say I've never flipped


----------



## powrider686 (Aug 12, 2009)

Ah yea, the most classic rule to live by:

Rig to flip and dress to swim! If you do that you'll always be ok, but if you don't your guaranteed to get tossed.


----------



## Janice (Aug 16, 2019)

A twisted strap can cause a twisted run.


----------



## Hendu13 (Sep 13, 2017)

Very new to rafting and love this thread but can anyone give me a hint as to what the "w" word is without actually saying it im at a loss here and don't want to say it on the river Haha


----------



## Hendu13 (Sep 13, 2017)

Oooooooo never mind it's that guys name, right!?


----------



## elreydelrio (Jan 6, 2008)

Never jack off a wildcat without a fistful of cackleberries.


----------



## noahfecks (Jun 14, 2008)

W=Mariah


----------



## speargoose (Jul 2, 2016)

Hendu13 said:


> Very new to rafting and love this thread but can anyone give me a hint as to what the "w" word is without actually saying it im at a loss here and don't want to say it on the river Haha



W cries, "Mary"


----------



## matt man (Dec 23, 2011)

The force that makes sail boats move. 
It also makes rafts move, but usually it’s going up river, and sometimes you row into it for all your worth, till your testicles fall off, just trying to not get pushed back up river. 
Therefore it is that of which we do not speak.


----------



## fajawiebe (Sep 9, 2016)

Don't let Bob near the whiskey.


----------



## Waterhopper (Jul 3, 2017)

Gone with the W


----------



## johnseri (Feb 16, 2014)

speargoose said:


> W cries, "Mary"


That's Funny---


Please keep them coming--as always this thread will be better than anything I write. But I will try to come up with something but I will also point people back to this thread. 

Eric


----------



## villagelightsmith (Feb 17, 2016)

W? W? Did it have something to do with ... or sounds like ... "otter"?


----------



## holtalska (Mar 13, 2010)

Daily, while on the river, I say a blessing to the River Gods: "Blessed are the River Gods for they know all and see all". Then, I make a sacrifice off the right side of the boat into the water of the first ounces of a Coca Cola. It's my favorite part of the Coke and the River Gods appreciate the gesture. They have never let me down. Oh, never disturb the God of Wind by using his name. He doesn't recognize "W", so it is safe to say that. Plus, never use terms such as "ditch" or run the holes on Crystal or Lava Falls. They are sacred places, not to be plied by mortals.


----------

