(EMAILWIRE.COM, March 31, 2009 ) Angels Camp, California – Worried about your drinking or your mortgage? Not getting along with your wife? How are you going to come up with your daughter’s college tuition? Or maybe you’re an old-fashioned kind of guy, with an old-fashioned problem: why doesn’t my girlfriend understand me? Why do we have so many fights? How do other guys handle these problems?
Don Hatch River Expeditions announced today a special men-only whitewater rafting expedition through Dinosaur National Monument on August 20, 2009. The four-day rafting, hiking and camping trip, open open to males over the age of 18, encourages participants to address their fears while in a wilderness setting. Put down the remote, get away, simplify, rejuvenate, dream new dreams, and believe in yourself again. No previous camping, rafting or outdoors experience is necessary in this unstructured menÂ’s retreat. The only ground rules? The expedition is alcohol and tobacco free.
Rough it within reason in the stress-free environment of an organized rafting trip. Hatch knows a thing or two about playing host – the company has been guiding people downstream for 80 years. Their Green River rafting trip through Dinosaur National Monument offers a Colorado rafting journey set in an abbreviated version of the Grand Canyon with red rock cliffs and amazing open-air archives of fossils and geological wonders. Complementing the days spent in a raft are endless exploratory side hikes in river canyons, quiet beach camps and moderate whitewater.
Joining the trip will be veteran menÂ’s group leader Carl Dick. Dick has a long, successful history as a public speaker, contract negotiator and sales manager. In his early career, he successfully negotiated contracts and sales for Johnson and Johnson and Baxter International. His own company topped Inc.Â’s Top 50 list in the early 1990s. His leadership role has taken him from his Colorado home into the world of Recovery in hospitals, detoxification centers and prisons. Most recently, he has helped form menÂ’s groups based on Recovery from drugs and alcohol.
George Wendt, Founder and President of Hatch’s parent company - O.A.R.S., stated from his Northern California headquarters, “Carl is a long-time O.A.R.S. adventurer and whitewater rafting enthusiast. While traveling with Carl recently, I noticed his innate ability to connect with other travelers on a very deep level. I watched time and again as people experienced an unexplained confidence in him. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but he has a unique ability to draw people out and allow them to safely deal with issues and challenges they haven’t entirely processed. I thought – here is someone who would be ideal to create a trip around. I look forward to losing myself deep in a river canyon… and refocusing on what truly matters. Getting away from daily distractions always helps me to re-prioritize and gain clarity.”
From his home in Colorado, Mr. Dick commented, “I help people reflect on their choices and take responsibility for their current situations. Instead of commiserating endlessly about what is not working, I focus on solutions. George and I envision this journey as an opportunity for men to speak freely about their deepest feelings in a nonjudgmental setting. Participants may choose to discuss their fears or they may simply listen. There is no intended structure or expectations. Who knows where our unencumbered conversations may lead?”
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The HATCH family name has been synonymous with river running since 1929. With blessings from the National Park Service and the Hatch family, in 2007 Don Hatch River Expeditions became a part of the O.A.R.S. Family of Companies. It has been a seamless transition and one that offers generations of Hatch adventurers more opportunities on dozens of rivers throughout the West. Since 1969 the O.A.R.S.Family of Companies have set the standard in first-class rafting, sea kayaking, hiking and multi-sport adventures, with destinations and unparalleled experiences on over 35 rivers and coastlines of the world. O.A.R.S. caters to active travelers of all ages and abilities with more than 75 unique itineraries worldwide, including one-day and weekend escapes. For more information on the O.A.R.S. Family of Companies, including Grand Canyon Dories; Rivers Fiji; Rivers, Oceans & Mountains and Don Hatch River Trips, call 1-800-346-6277. Email the company at info@oars.com or visit www.oars.com.
