The family and I were supposed to be at Myrtle Beach this weekend, but the trip was canceled due to circumstances beyond our control. Instead, we'll be going to St. George Island in September. The kids were disappointed about our change of plans, but took it all in stride. We decided to go tubing in Helen yesterday, since Chris had the day off and all. Tubing. I must admit that I had never been tubing before, even though I live less than an hour away from Helen, GA... the tubing capitol of the world.
Okay, I'm sure Helen is in fact NOT the tubing capitol of the world, but you would have thought it was by the way people reacted when I told them I had never been before. Apparently I'm one of the few people in Northeast Georgia who had never had the experience of floating down the Chattahoochee River in an enormous inner tube.
So we decided to go. Chris and a friend of his had taken the kids tubing a few years ago and had a horrible experience. Jordan got scared and wanted out of the water, so Chris was forced to get out and walk all the way down to the bus area. Not fun. I assured him that this time would be different.
On the way into the mountains Monday afternoon we noticed storm clouds off in the distance. We kept driving and it began to rain. The boys began to whine and cry, thinking that their day was "going to be ruined". The rain passed quickly, and by the time we arrived in Helen the sun was shining.
We paid for our tickets (only 3 bucks each!), bought 1 push-off stick for five more dollars (I thought I wouldn't need one... we would be floating, right?), strapped Jordan into a life jacket, and chose our tubes. The boys opted for floats with a bottom. Chris and I had the regular, doughnut looking ones. We attached our floats together, Chris with Jordan and Shaun with me. We made our way down to the river... and noticed a crowd of people screaming and jumping out of the water. Turns out, a snake had been spotted. A few men tried unsuccessfully to catch it while the rest of us stood by and watched. Finally we decided it was safe and gingerly climbed into the river.
I managed somehow to land where I was supposed to, in my tube. Chris and Jordan got in their tubes and shot on down the river like lightening. Shaun and I got stuck on a rock. So I did what I had to do. I got out of the tube and nudged us over the rocks. I then attempted to fall back into my tube, and landed in the river. Shaun, along with both of our tubes, began to float away. Thankfully, a kind stranger grabbed him and waited patiently for me to make my way down to him. This was no easy task for an uncoordinated woman such as myself. Those rocks were so slippery. I slipped and fell again, this time landing my knee right on a sharp corner of a rock. Ouch. By this time Chris has stopped to find out what had happened to us, and of course he saw the whole thing. And of course he laughed. It's a good thing I'm used to being so clumsy. I really don't get embarrassed much when I fall anymore.
We finally made it to Chris and Jordan so that Chris could help me get back into my tube. We floated along calmly for about five minutes, then ran into some rocks again. And again, I had to get out, push us over the rocks, and try to get back in... because of course Chris and Jordan had shot ahead of us again. I wound up in the water again. I began to wonder what in the world I had been thinking when I suggested that we all go tubing.
It was touch and go for awhile... long stretches of smooth sailing followed by bouts of rocky, shallow water. We finally made it to the halfway point, where you can choose to either get out and go home or keep floating for the "long run". This is where it began to rain. Really rain. It was pouring. Chris suggested that we get out. I agreed. The kids strongly disagreed. So, good sports that we are, Chris and I decided to keep on going.
The good thing about the rain was that it forced more water into the river. At least that's the way it seemed. Either there was more water or I finally learned how to tube, because it was actually very peaceful in the rain. Most of the people had gotten out at the halfway point. Shaun and I had a nice talk as we floated along. We only got stuck a few times and I didn't even have to get out of my tube to un-stick us.
All in all, it was a good trip. Not quite as relaxing as I thought it would be. I had visions of the four of lazily floating down the river, not getting stuck on rocks, bruising our knees, being separated, or getting rained on. But it was still fun. We even have plans to go back. I did learn some important lessons for next time: shell out the five extra bucks for a push-off stick of my own... wear my bathing suit, even if I wear a shirt over it (almost losing your shorts as you're stuck in the river with water washing over you is not fun)... wear sunscreen, no matter how much Chris assures me that we'll be in the shade the whole time (not true-if it hadn't rained, we would have been fried).
One more memorable moment: Coolers and drinks are not allowed on the river, for obvious reasons. The family and I are floating along next to a couple who can only be described as "redneck". They were very nice, just countrified, if you know what I mean. Suddenly, the man jumped out of his tube and waded over to the river bank, where he snatched a cooler. He hopped back in his tube, opened the cooler and took out a beer. As he cracked it open he looked at me, smiled, and said "This ain't my first rodeo". Ha ha ha! Then Jordan asked Chris, "Is that rum?" Ha ha ha again. The things my kids pick up from the "Pirates" movies.
When the ride was over we rode the bus back to our car. I changed clothes and then we went out for pizza before going home. It was a good day. We really can't wait until next time. We're going with some people from church. Crazy-fun people. Should make for an extremely memorable trip.
Okay, I'm sure Helen is in fact NOT the tubing capitol of the world, but you would have thought it was by the way people reacted when I told them I had never been before. Apparently I'm one of the few people in Northeast Georgia who had never had the experience of floating down the Chattahoochee River in an enormous inner tube.
So we decided to go. Chris and a friend of his had taken the kids tubing a few years ago and had a horrible experience. Jordan got scared and wanted out of the water, so Chris was forced to get out and walk all the way down to the bus area. Not fun. I assured him that this time would be different.
On the way into the mountains Monday afternoon we noticed storm clouds off in the distance. We kept driving and it began to rain. The boys began to whine and cry, thinking that their day was "going to be ruined". The rain passed quickly, and by the time we arrived in Helen the sun was shining.
We paid for our tickets (only 3 bucks each!), bought 1 push-off stick for five more dollars (I thought I wouldn't need one... we would be floating, right?), strapped Jordan into a life jacket, and chose our tubes. The boys opted for floats with a bottom. Chris and I had the regular, doughnut looking ones. We attached our floats together, Chris with Jordan and Shaun with me. We made our way down to the river... and noticed a crowd of people screaming and jumping out of the water. Turns out, a snake had been spotted. A few men tried unsuccessfully to catch it while the rest of us stood by and watched. Finally we decided it was safe and gingerly climbed into the river.
I managed somehow to land where I was supposed to, in my tube. Chris and Jordan got in their tubes and shot on down the river like lightening. Shaun and I got stuck on a rock. So I did what I had to do. I got out of the tube and nudged us over the rocks. I then attempted to fall back into my tube, and landed in the river. Shaun, along with both of our tubes, began to float away. Thankfully, a kind stranger grabbed him and waited patiently for me to make my way down to him. This was no easy task for an uncoordinated woman such as myself. Those rocks were so slippery. I slipped and fell again, this time landing my knee right on a sharp corner of a rock. Ouch. By this time Chris has stopped to find out what had happened to us, and of course he saw the whole thing. And of course he laughed. It's a good thing I'm used to being so clumsy. I really don't get embarrassed much when I fall anymore.
We finally made it to Chris and Jordan so that Chris could help me get back into my tube. We floated along calmly for about five minutes, then ran into some rocks again. And again, I had to get out, push us over the rocks, and try to get back in... because of course Chris and Jordan had shot ahead of us again. I wound up in the water again. I began to wonder what in the world I had been thinking when I suggested that we all go tubing.
It was touch and go for awhile... long stretches of smooth sailing followed by bouts of rocky, shallow water. We finally made it to the halfway point, where you can choose to either get out and go home or keep floating for the "long run". This is where it began to rain. Really rain. It was pouring. Chris suggested that we get out. I agreed. The kids strongly disagreed. So, good sports that we are, Chris and I decided to keep on going.
The good thing about the rain was that it forced more water into the river. At least that's the way it seemed. Either there was more water or I finally learned how to tube, because it was actually very peaceful in the rain. Most of the people had gotten out at the halfway point. Shaun and I had a nice talk as we floated along. We only got stuck a few times and I didn't even have to get out of my tube to un-stick us.
All in all, it was a good trip. Not quite as relaxing as I thought it would be. I had visions of the four of lazily floating down the river, not getting stuck on rocks, bruising our knees, being separated, or getting rained on. But it was still fun. We even have plans to go back. I did learn some important lessons for next time: shell out the five extra bucks for a push-off stick of my own... wear my bathing suit, even if I wear a shirt over it (almost losing your shorts as you're stuck in the river with water washing over you is not fun)... wear sunscreen, no matter how much Chris assures me that we'll be in the shade the whole time (not true-if it hadn't rained, we would have been fried).
One more memorable moment: Coolers and drinks are not allowed on the river, for obvious reasons. The family and I are floating along next to a couple who can only be described as "redneck". They were very nice, just countrified, if you know what I mean. Suddenly, the man jumped out of his tube and waded over to the river bank, where he snatched a cooler. He hopped back in his tube, opened the cooler and took out a beer. As he cracked it open he looked at me, smiled, and said "This ain't my first rodeo". Ha ha ha! Then Jordan asked Chris, "Is that rum?" Ha ha ha again. The things my kids pick up from the "Pirates" movies.
When the ride was over we rode the bus back to our car. I changed clothes and then we went out for pizza before going home. It was a good day. We really can't wait until next time. We're going with some people from church. Crazy-fun people. Should make for an extremely memorable trip.
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