What are some of the things about the river you remember?

That just don't seem to be around anymore?

I'm not sure why, but my last trip out there I was kinda having flash backs.. I remember "crab grass" and lots of it. There wasn't that many houses in the little community we were in, and it seemed like there was a shitload of crab grass everywhere. The kind of grass that you can walk on barefoot, but it still kinda hurts your feet?

Needless to say Astroturf as well.. Everything exterior was astroturf, and people that had wood or concrete, well... They just didn't know what they were missing.

RD

It was a cool spring night, perhaps 50 degrees, roughly 20 years ago. Around midnight, I had a girl out in the boat and I was doing my best to bone her.

The reason I say doing my best is that it was so cold, it took a few minutes to get things happening. Once things started happening, it was going great for about 45 seconds until we heard a boat. I turtled. We put our duds on as quickly as possible and went back to the cottage frustrated.

Nothing further happened that night.

The next morning, I built a big fire, put a quilt out in front of the fireplace, and screwed her all day to the heat and flickering flames of a crackling fire. It was easy, compared to the boat. She was plenty eager and took care of every erection I had that day.

That evening, when we left, I could hardly walk and she wasn't in much better shape.

I remember Brown killed a bunch of hippies there once...

I miss the girls that didn't know anything about the river. Now days, these girls go out there like they own the place................ River girls have become scandelous. Back in the day, you took a girl out to the river to show her an experience that was unforgetable. Now...........you can't shut them up because they are telling you how they usually go to such and such, and how everyone knows her there.........

It was not unusual, in the middle of the week in summer to be cruisin' along the river.

Parker Kids with a waterski, wakeboard, or kneeboard would be standing on a ramp or dock and hitch hike a pull / ride from anyone willing to take them along.

Sure, we'd pick them up, sometimes up to 3 kids, put them in the kids ski rotation, tow them several times, and drop them off later on.

Used to even pack extra sandwitches for stragglers.

Never, ever see kids do that anymore.

I miss the smoother water before 30+ boats were the norm.
.
I actually miss camping out on the waters edge for the weekend, drinking "Jungle Juice" like it was water.
Having to turn on the heater in the truck so it didn't overheat climbing back up the I-8 grade.
The simple days of river activities.

I miss camping at Buckskin under the cabanas waiting for someone to challenge us to a race…. and winning most of them. I miss going to Sundance for wet t-shirt contests.

I miss the days of getting woken up by some guy driving his flatty balls to the wall on perfect glass.....and then later in the day (about sundown) the same guy racing anyhting that will pull up next to him.

The days when "Honcho" was the big boat on the strip. and every other "big" boat was a 21fter.

Being able to ski, kneeboard, tube, etc.. all day long on good water.

being able to jump in the boat from bar completely shitfaced. and push off the dock to "raft up' and float home instead of driving, without being hassled by the Cops.

the slalom course down by the (now protected) reeds. That was where the best water for skiing was on the strip.
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Suzuki Ignis Specifications

I remember when:

A 24’ boat was considered big, since most everyone had an 18 to 23 footer.
People actually used to ski, and not just stand around bullshitting one another.
Spending a bunch of money on a stereo system for your boat was unheard of.
You had to be really, really, really drunk to get arrested.
People thought PWC’s were cool and be fun to have.
It wasn’t about the boat you had or how much money you made, it was just about having fun and boating!

Nord said:

I miss the girls that didn't know anything about the river. Now days, these girls go out there like they own the place................ River girls have become scandelous. Back in the day, you took a girl out to the river to show her an experience that was unforgetable. Now...........you can't shut them up because they are telling you how they usually go to such and such, and how everyone knows her there.........

Click to expand...

The only way that for this to happen now is to find a girl whose parents sheltered her for 18 years, or find one visiting from Canada!

The Smell! As soon as i get to the river i roll the window down and take a big whiff, there is nothing like the smell of the river in summer!!!

When we stayed at the cabanas at Parker, poptops were new and cutting the hell out of everyones feet, most of the guys still carried a "churchkey".

When the wind came up at midnite and everyone went door to door (well, camper to tent) and everyone helping to get the boats on the trailer before they swamped.

Zinc oxide was the only sunscreen worth a damn...so we either burnt or looked like Bozo.

When a friend of our went to Monkey Wards and bought a ski boat.

The first time I saw an ATC (three wheelers) going full tilt at a sand bar.

The smell of two stroke exhaust.

The look on my dads face when a new relative walked off the sandy beach with leather dress shoes across the bow of his new Rayson Craft.

Wooden waterskiis.

When rose and fresca was a wine cooler.

I remember going to the river when I was nineteen, and being able to drink legally.

First thing you heard in the morning was a dry header flatty screaming down the river, followed by the sound of someone cracking open a beer.

Wow, lots of good memories..........................

In 1971 Pops 24' Schiada one of a kind Daycrusier. Largest boat on the river.

Mexican Food at River Lodge

Steak House at Echo

Sea and Ski did not work worth a shit

Tubing with....a tube from a big rig

Riding my Honda XR75 dirt bike all through Echo, out the back and over to big bend.

Skiing down at Bluewater

Glass Alley was actually glass smooth

Sundance will always be missed. Soon to be Condos I guess.

Watching the dock at Fox's sink with to many peeps.

We spent most of our time when I was kid at Aha Quin so these memories are all from there...

Jumping in at the ramp and floating down to the last dock, then heading back up to the ramp to do it again...

Tieing ski rope to a tree overhanging one of the docks then floating out into the current and holding onto the rope while 'surfing' on a surfboard...

Swimming to other side because the water level was so low...

Heading out in the winter and riding the dirt bikes in the desert...

Getting chased because I was riding a dirt bike in the park limits which was a no-no at that time...

The occasional taisteful titty flash was nice. "Before the watch me stick this bottle up my ass and get fucked in the ear crowd was around."

Sundance when it was going off..Getting up in the morning at 6 still buzzed to water ski the smell of the river not moving all night i will always remember.Ah villa just going off with huge bon fires and everyone cruising in there rides.

Throwing up :beer

The ski show they used to put on at Echo back in the day. Mike Mac showing off his tricks, the barefoot skiing, air chair, pyramids and such. That was so awesome to see as a kid.

Ready mentioned, zinc oxide! Oh my gosh the pink zinc I used to put on my face!

When the 21' day cruisers were the bomb out there.

The loud open motors w/ the headers all shiny... sounded and looked so cool!

My brother still has my mom's personalized wooden water ski, it's a classic! Antique for that matter!

Back when you could rent the mini boats from Lakeside, when it was called Lakeside Rentals, those were so fun and you didn't have to be 16 to drive!

The music, not to mention the 8 track decks!

Oh and being able to make a large float and not get scared or ran over... we use to float all the time and get picked up 2 hours later. Those were the days.

Wow, so many things it makes me want to go get my old albums out... Great Thread Dave!

of Av-Gas before 6AM, trying to get out of the reeds...

Sundance, always.

Watching a bunch of younger truck drivers get shitty at Foxes and following them home on there new 550 jet skis...

Skiing just about all day.

It goes on and on.

Ya know, I am gonna just toss this out and hope I am not stepping on any toes.
TPC, you, RD, and some of the other Colorado River Lifers oughta get together and collaborate on a book about life at the river in the Golden Age of Havasu and Parker; before the big boats, big developments, big time changes came along. i know you guys could come up with enough pictures to make one hell of a coffee table book. You know, give the reader a feel of the scene, "Back in the Day". Back when people went there to be there and enjoy the river scene, not to be seen and stroke their own egos, which, from what I read on the net, is the primary activity for many people these days.
There is a whole generation of people growing up and recreating down there who have no clue what the history of the area is. Perhaps they could learn from it, and it certainly wouldn't hurt to document the past before the pictures and people who have the memories and the pictures ain't around no more.

If ya'll jump on this, I want 5% of the net, and a signed copy..

Lost French chicks at the Needles R.V park

- A big Coffee table book, with a page A forward by Boatcop.

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I miss the water ski ramps on the water at Sports Valley.
I miss Sports Valley, and the cool new home raffle they ran each year/yearlong.
Remember the blue print hanging on the wall near the entrance?

At one time, Sundance was a nicely run place. Or it sure as hell appeared that way to me.
I went year after year with the LAFD boat and ski club, and the adventures were always legendary.

Loved to sit at the cozy booths beyond the Sundance main bar, and look out the enourmous front opening onto the river.

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Sunday Morning Golfcart run to the Del Rio Bar and Grill. Note: milk mustache on Maynard.

Flyinbowtie said:

Ya know, I am gonna just toss this out and hope I am not stepping on any toes.
TPC, you, RD, and some of the other Colorado River Lifers oughta get together and collaborate on a book about life at the river in the Golden Age of Havasu and Parker; before the big boats, big developments, big time changes came along. i know you guys could come up with enough pictures to make one hell of a coffee table book. You know, give the reader a feel of the scene, "Back in the Day". Back when people went there to be there and enjoy the river scene, not to be seen and stroke their own egos, which, from what I read on the net, is the primary activity for many people these days.
There is a whole generation of people growing up and recreating down there who have no clue what the history of the area is. Perhaps they could learn from it, and it certainly wouldn't hurt to document the past before the pictures and people who have the memories and the pictures ain't around no more.

If ya'll jump on this, I want 5% of the net, and a signed copy..

Click to expand...

I've got my moms old album from her old river days too Those are so much fun to look at. I don't have a lot, but so glad I do have the ones I have. I've showed Sean them before and he just can't believe it use to be that way.

One thing for sure is my pictures are far more racey than hers

One more thing I miss... the water slide at Badenochs when they had the old docs, gas pumps and slide!

There ya go. Linds is another co-contrbutor of photos.
I hope Ross is sitting at home with the wheels turnin'

Ziggy said:

I miss the smoother water before 30+ boats were the norm.
.
I actually miss camping out on the waters edge for the weekend, drinking "Jungle Juice" like it was water.
.

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yopengo said:

I miss camping at Buckskin .................................. I miss going to Sundance for wet t-shirt contests.

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Riverbound said:

I miss the days of getting woken up by some guy driving his flatty balls to the wall on perfect glass.....and then later in the day (about sundown) the same guy racing anyhting that will pull up next to him.

The days when "Honcho" was the big boat on the strip. and every other "big" boat was a 21fter.

Being able to ski, kneeboard, tube, etc.. all day long on good water.

being able to jump in the boat from bar completely shitfaced. and push off the dock to "raft up' and float home instead of driving, without being hassled by the Cops.

Click to expand...

lebel409 said:

The smell of two stroke exhaust.

Wooden waterskiis.

When rose and fresca was a wine cooler.

Click to expand...

whiteworks said:

The occasional taisteful titty flash was nice.

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I remember most of this stuff, too. A couple I just wish I remembered.

I remember being able to go stay in a tent without even having a boat and still have fun.

Rafting down from near the dam to Big Bend.

I remember smoother water, and loud ass boats. Boats haulin ass at sunset.

Flyinbowtie said:

Ya know, I am gonna just toss this out and hope I am not stepping on any toes.
TPC, you, RD, and some of the other Colorado River Lifers oughta get together and collaborate on a book about life at the river in the Golden Age of Havasu and Parker; before the big boats, big developments, big time changes came along. i know you guys could come up with enough pictures to make one hell of a coffee table book. You know, give the reader a feel of the scene, "Back in the Day". Back when people went there to be there and enjoy the river scene, not to be seen and stroke their own egos, which, from what I read on the net, is the primary activity for many people these days.
There is a whole generation of people growing up and recreating down there who have no clue what the history of the area is. Perhaps they could learn from it, and it certainly wouldn't hurt to document the past before the pictures and people who have the memories and the pictures ain't around no more.

If ya'll jump on this, I want 5% of the net, and a signed copy..

Click to expand...

To make a really good book, you would have to use the picture negitives. Problem is that after 40/50 some odd years, I have to think that the negitives have long been trashed.

Does anyone remember the Cable Chair crossing just up from Big Bend and the Buckskin Gas dock?

Before the flood of the eairly 80's all that rock junk at the up river left turn just past upper Buckskin/river lodge used to be just a shallow sand bar. On high river days you could drive right through there.

I miss the easy up my parents rigged out of a parachute?! It was crazy and Im sure the sun came right through it. I miss hippy cove BEFORE it was hippy cove, the glassy river and nobody but you out there..... I miss being sunburned to a crisp and sleeping on a sandy sleeping bag in a blazing hot tent..

MissB said:

I miss the easy up my parents rigged out of a parachute?! It was crazy and Im sure the sun came right through it. I miss hippy cove BEFORE it was hippy cove, the glassy river and nobody but you out there..... I miss being sunburned to a crisp and sleeping on a sandy sleeping bag in a blazing hot tent..

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I've always slept inside the mobile home with AC, and always will!

Unless there's a power outage then its :beer till you pass out

DeltaSigBoater said:

I've always slept inside the mobile home with AC, and always will!

Unless there's a power outage then its :beer till you pass out

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Same here.
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Adult Video Tubes

I miss several things about the river:

1) High horse power boats running up and down the strip with open headers, balls to the wall, with minimal safety devices. This was back when people were allowed to make their own decision and not have everyone dictate what could/could not be done.

2) People with the "good old boy" attitude. You know the guy who will be the first to step in to help you out just because you both enjoy a common interest (the river). It was reciprical. Now it seems that a ton of: thugs, cage fighters, bad asses, hot heads, etc. are the norm not the exception to the rule (at least on a holiday weekend.)

3) Waking up at noon and not having to worry about getting good water for skiing.

4) Jet skis were not common to see & the riders of the jet skis actually knew what they were doing. Ie. looked behind them when turning.

5) The ability to go out and have a good time without having to concentrate on what everyone else is doing around you. Back then, most people knew what was going on and followed the rules of the river.

6) SUNDANCE!!! I remember driving my parents back from there after a night of partying. Back in the good old days.


I could go on and on about what I miss about the river, but at the same time, I still enjoy it more than any other place in the world.

I remember leaving the boat tied up 10 feet off shore and sleeping all night on the bow :beer

knuckle head said:

I remember leaving the boat tied up 10 feet off shore and sleeping all night on the bow :beer

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I still ocassionaly do that....maybe its becuase im too :beer to make it up the stairs
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Toyota ftx specifications

I remember everyone waving, or at least acknowledging their fellow boaters. I also remember when we brought the 21 ft. jet and 2 or 3 Jet Skis so we could make S&G runs, and piloting the jetski the same way as skippering the boat. I remember when several people stopped to check if a fellow boater was ok bcuz someone told you when you first started boating "next time it could be you, so stop". I miss the overall Comraderie that existed and seems to have disappeared the most, but their are pockets of the Old School River Peeps still to be found here and a few other places.

so many good times brought up in this thread.

But even though alot of this is gone, It is still my favorite place in the world!!!!
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FORD BUILDING

Riverbound said:

so many good times brought up in this thread.

But even though alot of this is gone, It is still my favorite place in the world!!!!

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Amen :beer

BadBlown572 said:

I miss several things about the river:

1) High horse power boats running up and down the strip with open headers, balls to the wall, with minimal safety devices. This was back when people were allowed to make their own decision and not have everyone dictate what could/could not be done.

Click to expand...

:beer

I wasn't boating at the time the Sundance was around, but I would have loved to have seen it. Here is my thread on HB about it.

http://www.hotboat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=151380&highlight=sundance

I miss my steady diet of government cheese,
and living in a van down by the river

I miss cut-off shorts. No one wears them anymore.

Alcohol.......lots of it. Had to take a few years off after the sobriety thing started!!!:beer

My Man's Sportin' Wood said:

I miss cut-off shorts. No one wears them anymore.

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Its all you

LOL, I think I might have some, maybe I'll dig them out.

I remember that's all my dad had. Cut off shorts. There were no swimming trunks, those were for fags! LOL

The "river experience" was different around here when we were kids, but I'll throw it out there.
My dad's old mustard colored tri-hull, loaded to the gills with camping stuff so he didn't have to make another trip down river to the ramp to get the rest of the stuff.

Finding your camping spot on the river was hoping one of the "good ones" wasn't already taken & sometimes even if it was, people didn't mind & would share the spot with you.

When making camp, one of the first things that got done was hang trash bags around, so no trash was ever on the ground. That was a biggie with my dad. Always leaving your spot cleaner than you found it was scripture. It was isolated out there, pretty far out in the country, so lots gas cans were always in attendance as well.

The rest of it was pretty common, rope swings, wooden skis, tubing on a real tube out of a tractor or a big rig. Rubbing yourself raw riding said tubes & always making sure that bigass valve stem was pointed down before they hit the throttle, lol... No kneeboards that I remember except our friends had something I think called a Bob Sked? A primitive towable that you could sit on, lay on, or stand up on. Bright orange, hard plastic, I do remember that.

One boat ramp that everybody had to use at the end of the day, yet there were no altercations or arguments as to whose turn on the ramp it was. If someone was feeling brave, there was an oyster shell beach you could use to launch/retrieve boats from. Sometimes it didn't matter whether you used the ramp or the beach, there was going to be spinning tires & people jumping on the back bumper to help achieve some sort of traction.... oint:lamo

Jeez, I could go on all morning. This is a good thread. Somebody mentioned a book several posts back, that would be cool as hell. I would buy one for sure. I really like threads like these. Beaverretriever's Sundance thread on Hotboat is a great example, that is a cool thread as well. :beer

Peanut butter and sand sandwiches.

Sleeping on a cot on the beach with a thin layer of sand in the heat with sunburn so bad everytime you moved it was like laying of sand paper.

Not owning a boat, just showing up, and sking all day long with Angie's Dad getting a kick outta pulling us as much as we wanted.

Building big bonfires at night even if it was hotter then hell already, and then blowing stuff up.

When you could actually have a conversation with people and there was not three boats with loud stereo's all trying to out do each other.

Piling everyone on a giant raft and just floating for hours with no one around and calm glassy water.

Oh and I miss Glastrons that sking speed was just floored. That always seemed to be the perfect speed.

I can't remember the last time I skied.


Angie's cut off's :drool

My daughter has a 8mm transfer to VHS video of the family water skiing from Bluewater to the dam, with a beer stopover at what is now Buckskin.
Filmed about 1959, the entire length.

It is an amazing movie to watch.
I've asked her to get it digitalized and You Tube it,, so we'll see.
Maybe I'll have to throw a little more lettuce into the request for her time and trouble.

A year later they flipped the homemade ski boat, and that side of the family has never returned, nor ever boated again.

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We invite some friends to the river, and they will only believe Parker is Wheelers (next to the bridge cal side) from their past memories. They've never visited the Strip North of the Headgate dam.

Sportin' Wood said:

Peanut butter and sand sandwiches.


Oh and I miss Glastrons that sking speed was just floored. That always seemed to be the perfect speed.

I can't remember the last time I skied.


Angie's cut off's :drool

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Always welcome to join us. Glastrons were perfect for skiing. You couldn't get the speed wrong,,, just 100% throttle was perfect for everyone.

The old glastron tri-hull,spent many of hours on one as a kid,My uncle thought it was the best thing since sliced bread i remember it being a little rough on the lake isabella chop.