A blue canoe paddle marked our destination: Pine River Paddlesports Center in Wellston, about an hour south of Traverse City. We drove up to the wide property, scattered with blue rafts and home to a cozy lodge, smoke curling up from the chimney. Enveloping the scene was the Pine River, which we would be rafting today.
During this guided voyage, we would float the placid surface of the Pine with Jacob Miltner. A family affair, Pine River Paddlesports Center was founded by Jacob’s father, Mark Miltner, in 1971. Today, it’s operated by Jacob and his wife, Alaney. As we exited our vehicles, Jacob paused from pumping up rafts to greet us. After the initial paperwork, we assembled in a semi-circle for a safety briefing. Alaney doled out life jackets, along with hand-frosted sugar cookies. The company mascot and hairiest employee, Hoxey the husky, lay in the snow, eyeing the proceedings nonplussed.
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