From our Colorado July 2014 Vacation -lost, and now published:
I am guest posting for my fantastic husband while we are away on vacation. Just when it has become unbearably hot in Texas (end of July beginning of August) we are fortunate enough to be able to go north. This year we spent our first week in Colorado (Ouray and Gunnison). We visited with our wonderful friends, The White and Lehew families. The kids and dads got to do one of our favorite disorganized sports...Kayaking. We use inflatable double seaters that are closer to canoes in size. We have previously lashed the two together to make more of a raft but this trip the dads and kids rafted in individual canoes down part of the Gunnison river next to the KOA south of the airport. It is right near what is called a "white water park". If you are in Gunnison you will know where this is immediately. Because of the rain Gunnison had prior to our arrival, the river was up and running.
So first trip out, immediately after setting up campers, I might add, was Shane and son (we'll call Flounder) in one Kayak and Erik and two sons (Friendly Bear and Rockin Raccoon) in the other.
Things started off well!
(pictures to come - we had three cameras with us this trip.Only one has worked consistently)
When I went to pick them up about an hour and half later at Wilson's Landing, things looked a little wet. Rocking Raccoon ( the 7 year old),steps out of the Kayak dripping wet, with only one shoe, no shirt underneath his life jacket. Friendly Bear, (the 10 year old), was also drenched and the hubs looked a little sheepish. The Raccoon stated " we tumpted! ".
(Finished out by Dad:) Yes they did. Shane and Flounder made it over the final rapid. Erik and the boys got a little side ways and tumpted over right in the falls having a full yard sale. Some fishing stuff lost, both boys were baptized in the rapid more times than they wanted. The rest of the river run went fine, but those two minutes are the big adventure and the story that must be downplayed to this day....
Mom was not given the full Gunnison rapid swamping details, but occasionally Rockin Racoon can hold back no longer and tells the tump over story as if he was there the day the Hoover dam broke!... Once upon a time, in a Rapid far too large, with an overwhelming force of water... The Texans had met their match!... ;)
