The First Descent

In my world travels I’ve found some pretty cool places to drop out for a day or two, to do some hammock time (You can’t touch this), or to adventure yourself. On a recent trip to Honduras I had the chance to return to the Rio Congrejal near Las Ceiba, Honduras. About fifteen minutes up the rio from town is a place called the Jungle River Lodge. The Jungle River is an open aired bar and screened in dorm style sleeping place literally hanging over the Rio Congrejal. For less than $20.00 you can stay the night, enjoy a fresh fruit breakfast and zip-line through the jungle. In my book that’s a better deal than any luxury hotel with its “FREE” continental breakfast.

On this occasion after a day of hot work we decided to rent inner tubes from the local Llanteria (tire shop) and float the river. For ten bucks we got four over inflated tubes and jumped in at the Jungle River Lodge for about two hours of riding the rapids, a kind of first descent of the Rio Congrejal by Gringo’s in inner tubes (as far as we know). The very first rapid swallowed my tube, or at least I thought it did, which left me coming down the rapids “au natural”. My good friend and Homeboy (also from Morgan Hill) Tommy Groen, whom I went to high school with hiked back up stream and found it circling in the eddy on the other side of huge rock.

Also with me was Dan Cooney, master tool organizer, planner, artisan, detail carpenter and founder of LOML Design( www.lomldesign.com ), Andy Carmichael the muscle and DJ of the trip responsible for all heavy lifting, reaching of high objects and finding the right playlist for iron working and of course Sean Felker, engineer extraordinaire and true brain of the operation. I acted as chief translator of job site Espaniol and “Head Seeker Outer” of places to find good grub. I also have the final say and responsibility for all work (something best done from the shade).

The moral of this story is, when in Honduras, work hard, perspire a lot, and then save a couple hours for a float on the Rio Congrejal.