Battered & Bruised

Sunday, D & I went with the church youth on a white water rafting trip. They needed more adult volunteers and we need to be more active, so a perfect combination, right? I was excited but nervous... It has probably been nearly 15 years since I have been on a white water trip. But, hey, how bad can it get, right? Right?

Well, the adults all split up, one per raft of kids. Somehow, I managed to get in a raft full of complete dare devils and one insane guide. The Ocoee river is not crazy but there are some interesting rapids. By the end of the trip, I was covered head to toe in bruises. Good times. The two guys in our raft, sat at the front, and I think, never paddled on cue. The guide called them "peanut butter and jelly" because they were so stuck together. I think they went overboard at least 5 times.

I went overboard 3 times with the finale a flip... on purpose. Our guide said that the only way he ever got out of the boat is if he we happen to flip. And we might "happen" to flip if the left side leans right and the right side leans right,... and bam, in we went. We rode the boat back upside down, just because.

The first photo op was fun, I almost went in. The guide made everyone move back a seat. I was next to him, three on the back row and then two in the middle row with NO ONE in the front. So we basically hit the water and went vertical. Hysterical. The first time I went overboard, was a "surfing" incident. I think we all went out on that one, and just floated for awhile. The photo of that was fantastic. The second time, I don't remember what happened but it was funny.

I had a shoe print on my chest, don't think it was mine. I have massive bruises on the inside of one leg and the other hip. I have a scattering of other bruises and a scraped knee. But, I have learned a valuable lesson.... Youthful exuberance is contagious, but they doesn't mean that it doesn't hurt. Right?