From our Corner | June Musings

A life + studio update,

Full-time river guide turned part-timer. Instead of running high-water commercial trips on the Middle Fork with a crew of six brave souls, I’ve been leaning into mellow town floats—where the biggest challenge is keeping the golden retriever from launching out of the drift boat every 20 minutes.

Gone are the mornings of loading trucks with rolled rafts, aluminum frames, heavy coolers, and camp gear. These days, I’m packing a lunch and my laptop as I hustle out the door to my new nonprofit job here in Salmon. I just wrapped up my first month. It's a big shift from full-time guiding—but different can be good. But I’ve got to say, I absolutely love being in town during the summer. Hanging out with friends during River Fest weekend, going to Sweet Water for a concert, celebrating Pride and No Kings on the same day; this sleepy little rural town isn’t very sleepy at all. 

Don’t worry—the river still finds a way to call us back. As I write this, I’m sitting in the Room of Doom (our lovingly named guide hangout at the Lewiston warehouse). Tomorrow, I launch on the Main Salmon, rowing a dory for six days, sharing stories and cocktails with a crew of friends and wide-eyed guests on their summer escape. Honestly, it feels a bit like a vacation for me, too. Maybe this is what it means to have your cake and eat it too? Time will tell.

Back in the studio, summer tends to slow production down. I’ve been less inclined to fire up the laser cutter, and more eager to work on projects outside. Still, I’ve carved out time for a few special pieces—sewing up a first run of canvas bags. These will be available primarily in person at our summer markets, but any leftovers will be listed online at the end of the season. If you’re itching for one and can’t make it to a market, just reach out—we’ll figure something out!

All for now,

Sarah