Hot enough for you?

The absolute best way to survive a July heat wave and stay active is to fly to New Zealand or Chile for a ski vacation. The next best choice, one abundantly available without leaving the northeast, is to go play in the cool waters of a flowing river.

But if you've never tackled flowing water before, a great way to get your first taste is on a commercial whitewater rafting adventure. Whitewater rafting is really an ideal adventure for a hot summer day. You get a little exercise as you help haul your raft to the river. It's part of the fun. You'll get more exercise as you help paddle the raft in the whitewater. If there's an upstream wind blowing, you may have to paddle on the gentler sections to help keep your raft moving along.

There are four centers here in the northeast: The Penobscot and Kennebec rivers in Maine, the Deerfield River in Massachusetts, and the Hudson River in New York. Here's a list of guides and companies in the northeast.

The experience on every river is slightly different. On Maine's Kennebec, which I floated a couple of years ago with New England Outdoor Center, you start fast. From the second you push away from the bank, the current grabs you and you go fast, very fast, plunging into Class II and IV rapids. The higher the number, the higher the waves and the more exciting the ride. The first five miles are pure rollercoaster; the last seven miles are pure relaxation.

On the Deerfield in western Massachusetts, which my sweetheart Marilyn floated with Zoar Outdoors you start and finish slowly and get your wild ride in the middle on a number of Class II-III rapid, with one very exciting Class IV moment at Zoar Gap. This is an excellent trip for first-timers, scary-fun but not overwhelming.

The Hudson River, which I floated recently with The Hudson River Rafting Company, starts quickly with a trip down the Indian River to join the Hudson. Then it's in and out of Class III and IV rapids most of the way. There are quiet pockets between to relax and re-group, and maybe take a swim alongside the floating raft.

On a whitewater rafting adventure on a hot day, you get a little exercise, a little adrenaline, and a chance to jump in and cool off whenever you want to. What more (except, maybe, snow) could you want on a hot summer day?