Caitlyn John
Emrick-Cutler Scholar
Southwest Rafting, Southeastern Utah

“Day 1: Welcome to the Southwest. As I taxi down the runway, I ponder why I choose to visit the great Southwest. I wonder why I didn’t choose an East Coast location, one I could have traveled to on the familiar back right car seat I had endured so many family vacations. Yes, it is true that many of our family vacations had been to Utah, but none were outside Salt Lake City to visit my grandmother. I had never seen the breath-taking, red rock arches that adorned every post card and license plate. I had never really experienced the desert or any other western terrain. For this reason, I decided I had to see the Southwestern United States for real. I further decided to step into a new experience, rafting. As an avid hiker and rock climber, I figured rafting would be a new skill I could add to my resume..."

"The Outward Bound website was a huge help in finding, scheduling and applying for my trip. I reread the application materials and packing list over and over again, attempting to prepare myself for this new experience. The unknown and unexpected aspect was daunting and, at times, scary, but I wanted an adventure. Still, I comforted myself with the fact that rafting seemed like a skill I could easily pick up with my background as a swimmer..."

"Day 2: Stepping Stones. I was wrong. The experiences I have had in the pool and in the weight room on the rowing machine had not nearly prepared me for the actual experience of rafting as much as I believed it would. I was used to pools that were so clear, I could count the tiles from the surface. On the Green River, I could not make out my toes after wading in up to my ankles. I had no idea what I was stepping on. This proved to be a mental challenge, stepping out of my comfort zone. Another mental challenge I faced that day was learning to follow. Even though I thought we should be paddling one way to get around a bend in the river, I had to follow the captain, or the whole boat would be going in circles..."

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