"I thought how lovely and how strange a river is. A river is a river, always there, and yet the water flowing through it is never the same water and is never still. It's always changing and is always on the move. And over time the river itself changes too. It widens and deepens as it rubs and scours, gnaws and kneads, eats and bores its way through the land."

From "This Is All" by Aidan ChambersGrab your canoes, kayaks and paddles, there's still time. Don't have any gear? There's still time to travel the Lehigh River in the Wildlands Conservancy's 21st Annual Sojourn, and all the gear you need can be provided. The Sojourn is scheduled for June 24-26."Many rivers have a sojourn and we're proud to be part of it," said Diane Motel, Director of Educational Programs for the Wildlands Conservancy. "The sojourn is three days, beginning in Jim Thorpe and ending in Easton - if you can experience all three days you'll experience a totally different part of the river each day.""The flora and fauna are different every day," she explained. "We call it the Metro Wilderness - because most of the time you have no idea that you're paddling near a big city; and that's partly because you'll be part of a community while you're on the river."The Lehigh River Sojourn is open to anyone - you don't need to have any paddling experience. Children from 5-14 years old can participate, in the company of a parent or guardian, and their fees are discounted. The Sojourn is supported by a safety team and instructors. All gear and transportation is provided - as long as you let organizers know what you need in advance. If you're using your own gear, you must wear a life vest and helmet. Breakfasts and lunches are also included.Motel is right - each day is markedly different. The Sojourn begins in Jim Thorpe, as participants meet at Pocono Whitewater to experience the fast water of that section of the Lehigh River. On the second day, paddlers will travel from Lehigh Gap to Tri Boro Sportsmens Club; the third day covers Sand Island Park to Hugh Moore Park in Easton."During meals and breaks there will be nature-based programs, for example, on the first day, Todd Wood, of the Department of Environmental Protection, will talk about abandoned mine damage, including its impact and remediation efforts," Motel said. "We'll also explore the interior of Sand Island Park.""The whole sojourn is very family-friendly," she added. "And you'll be supporting conservation efforts on the river and surrounding areas."The cost for the first day is $75 ($65 for children) and $45 ($25) on days two and three. To register, and for more information on the daily schedule of events, contact the Wildlands Conservancy at 610-965-4397, extension 118, or

dmotel@wildlandspa.org.