What started out as a good idea..turned into a stupid dangerous one very quickly...look this happy smiling group, so trusting...all ready for a good time floating down the river...
...anxious to have some fun we drove up the road a little further than the "usual" drop in place people float the river...because we thought, (unsure why we thought we had any expertise) we knew better and found a better place to drop in....4 miles higher up the road.
I was so busy helping my 65 year old parents down the rocks safely I didn't notice...
...Hunter took off his life jacket in the car and didn't get it back on before he started to float away...oh no.
Before I could blink all the people I loved were being quickly being swept away down the river...
What was the problem?: We were in fast low flowing current with large rocks, it stretched at least 4 miles long with one child life jacket less who could swim well in still water however didn't have a chance in a current and 2 aging parents that either just had major knee surgery or heading towards hip surgery...and did I mention all of our inner tubes where too small? Where everyone else was putting in was where the SLOW and DEEP ride would of been..however that isn't what we chose to do....oh no why follow the crowd?
Everyone had a different take on the experience...
...Hunter took off his life jacket in the car and didn't get it back on before he started to float away...oh no.
Before I could blink all the people I loved were being quickly being swept away down the river...
What was the problem?: We were in fast low flowing current with large rocks, it stretched at least 4 miles long with one child life jacket less who could swim well in still water however didn't have a chance in a current and 2 aging parents that either just had major knee surgery or heading towards hip surgery...and did I mention all of our inner tubes where too small? Where everyone else was putting in was where the SLOW and DEEP ride would of been..however that isn't what we chose to do....oh no why follow the crowd?
Everyone had a different take on the experience...
1. Jessica...balled the entire time.
2. Matt cursed the entire time.
3. Dad smiled the entire time
4. Jenn prayed the entire time.
4. Mom closed her eyes and rode backwards the entire time.
5. Hunter talked his way through it to Grandma the entire time.
6. Logan was scared speechless the entire time.
After narrowly missing a fish hatchery, climbing/falling to the side of the river only to climb through bushes through to the back of some farmers house with 3 crying kids and my mom...we walked our sorry selves for a mile or two down the road while passer by drivers waved and smiled...if they only knew I was holding myself back from throwing myself to the ground and kissing it, but I thought such an act would scare the kids further...
Matt and Grandpa continued down the river so they could get the car...they made it safely but not without a bloody shoulder and a bunch of scrapes.
I know if you have floated a river you are probably saying what is the big deal? Trust me on this one, this was no slow flowing river... if it wasn't indecent exposure I would show you a picture of my butt with the half dollar sized black bruises on my butt...but I won't...at least not this time.
4 comments:
Trust her it was one "hell" of a frightening experience. It wasn't even on my "bucket list" but it will be added posthumously. How Grandma survived going backwards the whole time holding onto Hunter's hand so tightly it hurt is one miracle. Hunter had the good sense for all of us to say finally - "grandma let's go ashore" But when I came flying by Hunter et al in the only good size tube and yet I still had a bang on my hip that bled the river was too swift and so I just kept going. When I finally gound some calm water and jumped out of the tube it was so deep I had to swim ashore. Thank heavens we all survived -
Well now for my comment..... WHOSE STUPID IDEA WAS IT ANYWAY THAT WE SHOULD GO TUBING AND THAT IT WOULD BE FUN..... I know who NOT to trust with my life any more.. I'm still shaking from that "FUN TIME" .. and swear I will NEVER go again. Most boy scouts help little old Grandmas across the street but my boy scout grandson had to help this grandma down the river. Thanks Hunter ... I could never have made it without you.
Well I'm glad you all made it safely back home. I agree that was pretty stupid.
Hey now...I USUALLY come up with lots of good, wonderful, bonding, memory making, fun, awesome activites...one dud isn't so bad! Just because you almost lost your life you all don't have to get yourselves in a tizzy.
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