We would be spending the night in our tents at the Ewings so I wanted to pack a single bag to take with us. Our tiny house seems to be getting tinier by the minute but we figured it out and were almost ready to go after breakfast. We had rafting plans this morning which was way more important than finishing!
First we had to all get fitted for wetsuits as there was no way any of us wanted to experience the 45 degree water without one! The kids giggled as Dave got his on saying he looked like Gru from Despicable Me!
Check out this ego!
Once our bus arrived we loaded our bags on and were under way to the boats. I was feeling a little dizzy and realized our bus driver was having a little fun with us in the roundabout. I'm sure the other cars in the area were amused seeing a white school bus circling the roundabout over and over until we finally shouted loud enough for him!
We were greeted by our guide Cassie and instructed to take our places on the boat. As we gently moved down the river she began to teach us all we need to know. Grammie and I were the only ones on the boat that had experienced rapids before so there were a lot of nerves needing settling. As she was going through the "this mostly likely won't happen but just in case" things, the kids' eyes kept getting bigger and bigger. Thankfully, she finished pretty quickly and we were under way.
We practiced a few times following our lead guys and the kids got the hang of it pretty quickly. We went through our first few rapids easily and learned a lot about the Tetons and the Snake River along the way. We even spotted an osprey, two bald eagles, and a couple river otters swimming and playing. We weren't really up for bringing our cameras so you'll just have to imagine all that!
About halfway through the trip she asked if anyone wanted to jump in. Of course we encouraged Ryan and she encouraged Laney so they walked to the front of the boat. It appeared they might be losing their nerve so I jumped up and passed my sunglasses off as I jumped in!
I can most asuredly say that is the absolutely coldest water I have ever experienced in my life. It literally took my breath away so quickly I couldn't even speak. Ryan jumped in and immediately said to me between gasps, "I want to get back out NOW!". Laney jumped in and screamed as she came up. After about 30 seconds we all felt a little better so we floated with our life jackets until our guide suggested we come back to the boat.
It was when we got out that the cold set in from the wind so she had us paddle for awhile to warm up. We went through a couple more rapids then was the "Big Kahuna" where we would be photographed. This was to be the biggest rapid of our day and it definitely did not disappoint!
After making it through, Cassie asked for any more volunteers to jump in. Dave hopped up to the front of the boat in hopes he could talk Brayden into going in. We had the conversation just that morning about how he regretted not swinging on the rope swing when we'd gone kayaking last year. I was hoping he would change his mind but today was not the day. I laughed when Dave jumped in as he gasped for breath just like we had. He was back in the boat in a few seconds and he and I switched to the front of the boat to lead the rest of the trip.
It was a blast to be at the front feeling the bulk of the water as we went through each rapid. There were times we were so far out of the water I was paddling only air! And there were two times I was bounced so hard I thought I might fly out of the boat! Once we were finished we made the trek back to the buses and were able to stand in the sun after we peeled off our wet suits.
The ride back to the campground was just as eventful when after telling us a second bear malling story, we had to paddle our way out of the roundabout. We did much better than our first attempt in the morning!
While we were waiting for our bus that morning the kids noticed a sign hinting to kids to find some painted rocks in the courtyard so as soon as their feet hit the ground they were all looking. Within about 30 seconds they all found a rock and traded it for candy and ice cream at the office. Four of the Clarkes also received their "SWIM TEAM" bracelets for braving the water. Of course Brayden was a tad bit jealous!
We finished packing up to move for the night in a few minutes and after a quick stop at the store were welcomed back with big smiles. We went to find the plaque shortly after we got there and were treated to a whole different view of the Woodbury Preserve. The preserve is a gorgeous tribute to the man who treasured his time here with his family and protects and provides an area for elk and moose in the area in addition to many other animals. Mrs Marilyn also told the kids the stories of the beavers that had been causing flooding for years on the property and how they have been able to work with the beavers to create a beautiful wetland for all the native animals in the area.
Once we got back to the house I made Mrs Patty give me jobs in the kitchen so I could help out. I really enjoyed listening to all the stories and meeting even more people as we helped prepare everything for dinner. The kids absolutely loved playing bocce ball with Heather as everything was being put together!
After dinner we set up our tents and got all ready for the night. The kids were very excited about our soft carpet of grass we would be sleeping on for a change! By the time we were finished and back at the house, everyone had moved inside and were just about ready to call it a night. We settled down in our sleeping bags and were lulled to sleep by the creek right outside our tent doors.
***We're headed back into the woods for awhile but I will try to find some wifi to update when possible!***
