The waves in Mixmaster Rapids on the Main Payette were huge and splashy. What a hoot.

The river is running at about 4,300 cfs, which is an ideal flow. It has come down in the last few weeks and we're getting into nice, splashy summer flows.

The river, north of Horseshoe Bend, is great for an evening float after work. Kayakers and rafters can blast out of work at 5 p.m. and get on the river by around 6 p.m. That's if you have all your gear in your rig at work. Just head out. The only bother is the 5 p.m. traffic.

If you're not an intermediate (Class III) whitewater boater, it's also a great time to book a trip with an outfitter. They were running trips last night when we were on the river. (See a photo of one outfitter launching last night.) Some outfitters offer dinner trips. Look in the Yellow Pages under Rafting.

Weekday boating is nice because you don't have the crowds. I boat on weekends mostly and the parking lots on the Payette River system are jammed. The rivers are pretty busy too. Week-night boating gives you a chance to experience a little more solitude, if you can call it that on a river next to a highway.

Still, to have a whitewater river so close to the Valley is great.

Even though the river has come down, the rapids still offer quite a bit of challenge. Go Left, just below Banks, has a couple of huge holes that you really want to avoid. Mike's Hole is as swirly as ever and Chief Parrish has big boils. AMF is its usually gnarly self with the huge hole on the left.

Enjoy an evening float. See you on the river. Don't go without lifejackets, a buddy and other safety gear.