So how does a trail dog club rationalize a day of paddling and still consider it on topic with our theme? Hmmm, it's a stretch, but Appalachian Trail thru-hikers that jump off the trail in Luray to canoe to Harpers Ferry, where they pick the trail back up, call this 'Aqua Blazing' so we'll Aqua Blaze too!

Then again, do we really need to rationalize a day on the river with our pups? ;o)

Here's what you need to know:
You can kayak or canoe, the price for kayaking is $39 per kayak and the price for canoeing is $32.50 per person. Reservations need to be made in advance, so you'll have to prepay this one. Please pay the canoe price even if you're considering kayaking. The price difference for those kayaking will be due on the day of the trip. Dogs much bigger than medium size will probably be too big to fit in the cockpit of a kayak, so you big dog owners will want to consider canoeing.

If you own a boat, or can borrow one, you're more than welcome to bring it. The outfitter will charge a fee from $10-15 to shuttle it for you.

We will paddle 12-miles on the South Fork of the Shenandoah river for about 5-hrs. This has mostly class I rapids with one class II that can be portaged (bypass on foot) if you're not up to it. Then again, if you run it and really like it, you can do it again by dragging your boat back up river! The section we'll be paddling is the "most remote section of the river including the challenge of Compton Rapid (class II), the sudden ledge, and the old mill race." It really is a beautiful, peaceful stretch.

We'll bring lunch items with us and have a picnic somewhere along the way. There will be plenty of time to relax and swim and play with our pooches. The outfitter will provide us with boats and human PFDs. They will shuttle us upriver and drop us off to begin the float back downriver towards our cars.

This is rain or shine, but if the weather is less than perfect, we will shorten our trip. Thunder & lightning or other dangerous conditions will cancel the trip, safety first, but be prepared that we may not get a refund if we do cancel.

What to Bring:

• Suntan lotion and a hat
  
• An old pair of sneakers or water shoes (river rocks are sharp)
  
• A short piece of light cord or bungee straps to secure items in the canoe
  
• A picnic lunch
  
• Drinking water or drinks (No Glass Containers, Please)
  
• Fishing tackle (rental tackle available)
  
• Your fishing license
  
• An open mind (to be filled by today´s great adventure)
  
• Trash bag
  
• Change of clothes for the ride home
  
• Insect spray
  
• A signed copy of the release form found here: http://downriver.com/...

I am putting our dogs safety first for this trip and your dog must be able to swim and must wear a float vest. I know most dogs swim quite well, but dogs are very apt to capsize a canoe and you'll have so much else going on that your dog will be in danger if it gets injured in the flip. No exceptions to this, if you show up without a vest, you don't get to paddle with us.

PetSmart sells some very nice vests in several sizes. If you don't already own one, please take your dog with you to make sure you have the correct size and get your dog used to wearing it ahead of time by letting him wear it around the house or on walks. If you have the option to look for vests in different styles, look for a vest with a grab handle. It really helps for hauling a soaking wet dog back into the boat after a swim.

Bring a leash for use on shore. Don't ever tie your dog off while on the water. A leash could get snagged by the boat, by debris under the water, etc... and if attached to your dog could become a real problem. Keep it handy for use on our breaks on shore, but do not use it on the river!

Directions:
Please use the directions found here: http://downriver.com/... Meet at the outfitter at 8:30am.