Bachelor Party Weekend!
I was placed in charge of planning Bachelor Party weekend for a group of 8 guys, with only one pre-requisite from the groom to be. He wanted to go White Water Rafting and he heard that Northern Outdoors was the best place to do it.
Following his lead, I organized our group and contacted Northern Outdoors to begin planning our trip. The staff I spoke to by phone were very informative, and made booking a breeze. We decided to drive up on a Saturday, stay overnight, and raft the Kennebec on Sunday morning. Upon arrival, we were greeted and checked in by Tina who had a good sense of humor, and was willing to suffer the usual hilarity that one might expect from a bachelor party group. We then checked into the Timberdoodle Condo which was conveniently located next to the main lodge. The accommodations were perfect for a group of our size.
We gathered for dinner at the restaurant/pub and enjoyed some burgers, as well as several offerings from the Kennebec River Brewery. After dinner, we found plenty to do, without having to leave our location. We enjoyed drinks and cards games in our condo, games of cornhole in a courtyard area, drinks at the bar, swimming in the pool, and relaxation in an enormous hot tub. Most of our group called it a night around 2:30AM and before we knew it, Sunday morning was upon us. We enjoyed the breakfast buffet before gathering for pre-rafting instructions and gear pickup. Then it was off to the Kennebec River to begin out rafting adventure.
Only a few members of our group had rafted before, and the staff (Zach & Peter) made sure that everyone was prepared for what to expect and helped put everyone at ease. The weather began as cloudy with almost a slight chill in the air, but soon, adrenaline would take over and weather would not be a factor. When we got to the river, our group was assigned Dawn as our river guide. Although I’m sure the other rafts had great guides as well, I’m confident in saying that we couldn’t have asked for better guide. Dawn guided us down the river, instructing us, and encouraging us, all along our route. We didn’t unintentionally lose anyone along the way, but we did take the opportunity to take a dip at several authorized areas. The water was downright frigid, but exactly what one needed after a prior evening filled with a perhaps a few too many liquid treats. It was a most welcome wake up call!! Halfway down the river, we stopped for a grilled lunch, and everything was delicious. After lunch, the sun broke through and provided a great setting for the remaining leisurely trip down the river. One member of our group enjoyed the opportunity to use an inflatable canoe, while others took time for another plunge. Everyone in our group had an amazing time.
Once back at the lodge, we gathered to share some laughs while viewing a slide show and video of our morning and daytime excursion. Then sadly, it was time to depart for home. It was indeed, a great weekend and I can’t say enough about the staff at Northern Outdoors and quality of the experience we enjoyed.
We can’t wait to plan another trip!
Mark G
Bradford, Massachusetts
Rating: 5 *****
