{"id":19165,"date":"2019-03-16T09:00:09","date_gmt":"2019-03-16T16:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/community.nrs.com\/?p=19165"},"modified":"2019-04-01T16:09:01","modified_gmt":"2019-04-01T23:09:01","slug":"lessons-from-the-salmon-river","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/community.nrs.com\/duct-tape\/2019\/03\/16\/lessons-from-the-salmon-river\/","title":{"rendered":"Lessons from the Salmon River"},"content":{"rendered":"

Not until I\u2019m already neck deep in the river, pumpkin-sized rock hefted heavy in my arms and feet marching a steady beat forward, do I remember that I haven\u2019t finished my writing assignment.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m standing in a slow, cold section of the Main Fork of the Salmon River, on the northeastern edge of the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness, Idaho. I\u2019m here on a six-day guided river trip and writing workshop, hosted by the Freeflow Institute<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

This trip is unlike any other river trip I\u2019ve taken in the past. To start with, the trip is guided, which basically means all necessary tasks are taken care of for us: rigging, de-rigging, setting up camp, and meals. The only \u2018chores\u2019 we\u2019re required to do include setting up our tents, pouring our own wine and writing. This is, after all, a writing workshop along the banks of the Salmon. The real task set before us each morning, then, as writers, is to do just what Freeflow was designed to facilitate: take our craft outside, to focus on listening, looking and leaning in.<\/p>\n

Each morning we gather and talk craft with prizewinning author and conservationist Bill DeBuys. Each day a new topic emerges, around which Bill helps us build a discussion of thoughts and tools. By the time we\u2019ve drained our last cups of coffee, Bill gives us a writing assignment to ponder throughout the day. As the sun rises over the canyon walls and crests the beach, we break for breakfast.<\/p>\n