My family’s favorite vacation was taking a 3-day raft ride down the Green River near Moab, Utah. The trip was a growing experience for all of us (my husband and our 3 children then ages 5, 8, and 10). We are from upstate NY, a relatively flat area of the state, so the mountainous landscape with its rivers carving through the canyons was simply amazing to experience. During the trip, each of us, got a turn in the kayaks that accompanied the bigger rafts. We encountered mostly – grade 2 and 3 rapids, but I was in the kayak when we encountered the grade 4 rapids (as was my brother-in-law, in a separate kayak). The fearful anticipation and hearing this water passage ahead of me, still lives in my head. I remember thinking, “Oh my God, I’m not ready for this” when the there I was, zooming through the river. I hit a pocket of something that launched me off my seat, my oar releasing from one of my hands. In that slow-motion instant, I can see myself reaching in desperation to reclaim my oar, which miraculously found its way back into my hand as I sailed on through the second rapid, my heart racing. The fear and thrill I felt, morphed into relief, and finally, awe. That moment will always stay with me. My brother-in-law was not so fortunate when he hit that spot, he was tossed our of his craft, luckily to be rescued by the larger raft and bring him to safety. The beauty and power of the river ride allowed my family to gain the admiration and reverence for our nation’s rivers and the land that surrounds them. I was so moved by this trip, that the following year I made a dance piece with my contemporary dance company called “Western River Expedition”. We performed this piece for 10 years after the trip; I’ve shared our river ride and the beauty and challenges of this excursion with audiences throughout the Northeast.