Wednesday, August 1, 2007

The River Dance, River Dance '07

Since we have moved to Dallas, or Big D, we have been deprived of a river to float near us. Alexis always had access to several rivers while she was in college and it was always a fun day when you spent it on the river with your friends. So one slow day at work I drove east of town in search f the Brazos River. I found it and sure enough there were tube rental places. We were in business. I made plans with the tube rental place and told them we would be back on Saturday, we planned to take the four hour trip.

Several of us made the trip to the Brazos on Saturday; Alexis, Chris, Eric, Jack, Riddell, and me. It was a scorcher of a day and people were bound to get sun burned. The river was wide and the scenery was very nice, there was even a small waterfall that poured into a lagoon on the side f the river. It was good company and a lot of fun. Then the river went on, and on, and on. Four hours into the trip we still had not come to the landmark that meant an hour and a half left. At about five hours we drifted to a rope swing. Most of us got out of the river to release the inner child on the rope swing. We swung several times, but on one fateful swing I broke my left little toe. I must have hit in on a root. Much pain. There wasn't much we could do for it there so I just rubbed some beer on it and we went on our way.

After seven hours on the river, we finally made it to the pick up point. Seven hours in the blazing North Texas sun was awful. By the time we got out of the river, my toe was no longer recognizable as a toe. It was brown and purple and looked like a smashed rotten grape. Anyway we learned that next time we would take the short river trip, and not break our toes.

As for sun burns, there were plenty. I got a little sun on my chest, but that was expected since I have the curse of the fair skin. Alexis' legs were burned pretty bad, they have started to tan, but they are still uncomfortable. The rest of the guys were all burned pretty badly. Chris who didn't use any sun screen on his chest (but did put a shirt on about 2 hours into the trip) felt the worst.

All in all, it wasn't the best river trip ever, but it was better than no river trip I guess.