It all started out as a reckless but innocent ritual of some Western United States raft guides. A band of out of control thrill seekers who love to embellish and elevate even mundane tales of cowardice to inspirational tales of valor and glory. After a day¦s paddle the ritual began along the shores of a raging western river. Tales so adventure-packed and hyperbolic that they could rarely be completely believed. So started the idea for this book of sometimes outrageous, sometimes irreverent, but always entertaining tales of outdoor gonzo. Michael Hodgson is an Outdoor Writers Association of America, Outdoor Recreation award winning author. He has written The Basic Essentials of Weather Forecasting, The Basic Essentials of Minimizing Impact on the Wilderness, Mountain Biking for Mere Mortals and Camping for Mere Mortals.