I was up early this morning tweaking menus for our upcoming trips on the Aroostook and Bonaventure rivers before we start our instructional day here at the field school. It’s not the glamorous side of guiding expeditions, but planning and provisioning are crucial parts of having a trip work at all, let alone smoothly.

The photo above is of running a rip in the mists of early morning on the Bonaventure, not hunched over a laptop adjusting food amounts on a spreadsheet or trying to bridge a language gap while on the phone attempting to set up a shuttle. But for every hour of running the rips on a perfect morning, there are probably 4 hours spent on planning, logistics, provisioning, etc. Taking care of the details in advance are what allow the group to experience mornings like the one in the photo.

I’ve learned a lot about the process over the past 20 years. It’s all about the details. These details are a big part of what people come here to learn. When done well, it looks effortless. But it never is.