We're moving into the shorter, slower days of fall, and our first season as KingFisher River Company has officially wrapped up. Blake took apart the Sweep Boat today and started getting it stored away for winter. We're picking up the projects we saved for these days and already starting to get ready for 2027.

As I find a few more moments in my day to take a breath and realize I don't have anything extremely pressing on the to-do list that needs my attention right away, I've started reflecting on 2026.

I was a little skeptical about diving headfirst into this. We have two young kids, a property that needs plenty of work, and I have a full-time job on top of it all. We had no delusions about this summer being easy. In fact, I was dreading just how hard it would be. We've been in this business long enough to know the work it takes to run a trip, not to mention all the behind-the-scenes work that goes into keeping everything running.

We hoped it would be a big season, a busy season, and we knew we didn't quite know what was coming. But we believed in ourselves and came into it with years of experience in this industry. Mostly, though, I believed in and trusted Blake, my husband. If you've spent time with him, particularly on the water, you know he brings something special. He has such a passion for the river and for the ways we can experience it. Ultimately, my faith in Blake and his ability to run incredible river trips was what made me ready to take the leap.

And this summer was so hard! But also so rewarding. We had so many dreams, ideas, and visions for the kinds of trips we wanted to run. Trips we would want to go on ourselves. We wanted to do something a little different, and we did! Of course, it didn't all come together exactly as it had in our heads, but we learned, adjusted, perfected, and turned those dreams into real trips with real people. And each one was unique and special in its own way, on a level that's hard to put into words.

The early morning floats on the Sweep Boat, with hot coffee, local pastries, and good company. They happened! As the fog lifted and the birds shook off the dew, we were there, floating by.

Our dinner floats took some perfecting, especially when it came to timing, but they happened too! Really good, locally sourced food along the river, watching the sun set and floating under the stars, with the silhouettes of the Beaverheads and the sand cliffs along the Salmon River.

The fun of the whitewater, on both the Sweep Boat and the paddle boats. The laughter, toes in the sand, and joyous shouts of kids jumping off rocks into the water. Evenings with families gathered around the campfire, listening to the Salmon River move by. It all happened.

It's not that I was surprised we actually pulled it off. Okay, I was a little surprised. But what I didn't expect, what I hadn't planned for or written into the picture of the season in my head, was the joy and surprise of the people we took down the river.

I knew we just had to get people to the river. I knew they would enjoy it, that Blake would run great trips, and that the river would work its magic. But I was surprised by just how deeply people felt it, even after just one day, and how openly they expressed it.

"It was so much more than I expected."

I heard that from our guests over and over again. I read it in the reviews, and it really all came together for me. This is why we're here. This is why we're doing what we're doing. We know how to facilitate a great river trip, and we did it!

We did it! We made it through our first season. We dealt with the unexpected turns, ran some really great trips, and we (I) survived it.

We also got to get our kids on the water and really start raising them out there. Moxie already helped out this summer, washing every life jacket that came back from a day on the river with excitement and joy. It won't be long before she and Auger get to go to work with Dad, hop on the bus with him in the morning, and help set up lunch. We are so looking forward to raising our kids on the river and in this business, teaching them an appreciation for hard work and a passion for what they do. This summer gave us a small taste of what's to come.

We also want to give a big thank you to the people who worked alongside us this season. Ellary spent much of the summer guiding trips with Blake, and Bobby kept the Fun Bus moving, getting it where it needed to be. We also had so many other people jump in for a trip here and there, each bringing their own personality, energy, and something special to the experience. Every one of you added something to the trips and helped make this first season what it was. We know you had a choice in where you spent your time and who you worked for, and it means a lot that you trusted us enough to be part of something new. We are so grateful for the time, effort, and everything you brought to KingFisher this summer.

There were so many people who supported us this year, and we were blown away by it all. Our friends, family, and community showed up for us in so many ways, and we are filled with gratitude.

Thank you all for your encouragement and care. Thank you for cheering us on. Thank you for sharing our content on social media, booking trips with us, referring clients, gifting gear, and showing up in all the ways you did. We knew we had an incredible community of people behind us, but to actually see and feel everyone's support was something else. We appreciated it more than we can say.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

2026 was one hell of a season. A great first season. And we are already so excited for the next!