Day 10 - A MUST READ!

Today was extremely adventurous...it all started with a great breakfast at a diner called Nora's. Then Neil and Chrissy (Mike's old college buddy & his girlfriend) took us on a straight up mountain hike. The path had lots of wildflowers, very pretty, but the 2 mile hike up was pretty strenuous. Once to the top there was a beautiful lake...also at the top was a couple and their part border collie dog who had never swam before. We were entertained for a long time watching this dog jump in the water trying to swim out to get the stick his master had thrown...he would start doggie paddling a bit to early - it was soooo cute! We even took a video of him...I'll post that later.

After the hike back down, we went back to Neil's house. Behind his house was Flat Creek...he began telling us how they float down it on inter tubes. Mike's ears instantly perked up & he was all for a good float down what we thought was a lazy river. The only instructions we received prior to setting foot on the creek was "keep your butt up on the rapids so it doesn't hit rocks & paddle with your arms". Sounds pretty simple...oh and the water was freezing cold. Since neither Mike nor I have shoes appropriate for the river (aka Teva's), Mike decided to wear socks and his slip on Adidas sandles, but he duct taped them to his feet so he wouldn't lose them. I on the other hand only had some Nike flip flops that I had been using as "shower shoes" at the camp grounds & just took a chance on losing them.

So we stepped in the creek and sat on our tubes...off we go pretty quickly floating down stream. The first couple rapids were fun...I was laughing and screaming at how cold the water was and so far no butts had been scrapped on rocks, no problems! Then a few more rapids later, Mike and I were very close together....I am heading through the rapid first, but my tube spins around and bumps into his tube just as I take the downward plunge into the rapid...and I flip over & out! Not sure how long I was under, but because the water was so shallow, my feet were hitting rock after rock...somehow I ended up in my tube instead of on it - not good, just meant more feet dragging on rocks below. So I finally get my legs through the tube & back on top....minimal damage done, little shaken up but not much of choice, going to power through the rest of the 2 mile float. Mike tried to stay close to me, but I would occasionally lose him and end up in the bushes along the creek...OUCH!
A little ways longer, we stopped so we could all catch up with each other. At this point, my feet hurt from the rocks, my arms hurt at my attempt at paddling, my body hurts from steering myslef into branches & tree limbs along shore & my ego is shattered for I suck at tubing! At the stop, the rapids and current are still very strong. I can't back on my raft or get my feet planted on the bottom so the raft falls out from under me and goes floating down the creek along with both my flip flops! Neil's girlfriend, Chrissy immediately hops on her tube to go after my belongings. Meanwhile, I'm now trying to stand up with NO shoes on and I'm failing miserably...so here comes my knight and shining armor to my rescue! But I must sit on his lap while we float down to catch up with Neil & Chrissy and get my tube....not good, I am so scared that I will make both of us flip out just by me trying to get on with him....but we manage to float down stream and I hop off and decide I shouldn't risk anymore tubing. Everyone was very understanding & so Mike and I waited on Neil & Chrissy to go get the car which was over a mile away. Then the tears start...I felt like the biggest loser ever....guess I wasn't meant for Extreme Sports!!
Best part of the story is while we were waiting on them to get the car....we had gotten off the creek in a residential area and as soon as Mike I set our tubes down at the corner of the street, here comes a man on a mission, "do you know you're on private property, you can't just walk through here!"...he has obviously not taken his medication this morning and Mike calmly tells him we were floating down the river, my girlfriend fell off and got freaked out so we got off here & we're just waiting on the car......I immediately start crying again (I know, big wuss) because not only do I suck at tubing, but now we're in trouble for trespassing......but the man's soft side came through as he saw my tears and he wanted to make sure I was ok.....he then proceeds to tell us how nasty that creek is and how we better take showers immediately because there are human pathogens in the water. So now, I suck at tubing, I've trespassed & now my health is at risk because I have human pathogens on me! Great!
So we wait & wait and finally they come with the car....and yes, I immediately took a shower when we got back to their house. Again, so far no damage, just a few bruises & scraps...lucky! I definitely won't be tubing again any time soon!

Later that night, we played corn-hole & had a big cook-out....Neil is a good cook - we had shrimp & chicken, pastas, & crab dip & mushrooms & fruit....good stuff!