So, while Mr. was full speed ahead on this whole water rafting caper, having been before and having no fear, his wife (that's me) was dubious.
Some of our tour group opted to skip the water rafting and head to Wal Mart. I was torn. If I'd been by myself, I don't know if I would have gone or not. I really wanted to go, and I really didn't want to go.
The tour bus pulled up to the Raft Masters area in town. We got off the tour bus and headed to be 'outfitted'. We lined up to get our body suits and booties, then off to select a helmet and get our life vest. So far... lots of stuff. A body suit! Please! Thankfully, the vest was a nice touch which softened some of the shape revealing of the body suit. At this point, looks was the least of my worries.
I still wasn't sure I wanted to go. The dressing room was a fun place to zip body suits and share the fun. Somehow with each step, commitment to actually going rafting was drawing closer.
We were lined up and personally fitted with the life vests: arms up, arms out, arms down. 'Can you breathe?' They needed to be secure (tight) enough to do their job just in CASE.
With trepidation I got on the bus that would take us to the river where we would be launched into the Arkansas River to raft the Big Horn Sheep Canyon. We were to 'Experience the Thrill without the Chill'.... whatever that means. Basically, I realized that all was lost. Translation: Our tour bus and driver were gone, and I was left with no means of getting back to it other than that water experience.
Once on the Raft Master's bus headed to the water, the fun began. If you've flown before, you know the drill. Tell the worst case scenario about what to do if the airplane cabin looses pressure. Thankfully, that doesn't last long. Let me tell you, the information given on the pleasure ride to the water was long and involved. We heard every possible situation and what to do. All those 'If you are thrown out of the raft' things were mind boggling. I had no reason to want to leave the raft, but I sure had lots of instructions for what would happen if I did. To be fair, I'm sure this was important information. Really. It just didn't help me any in terms of really wanting to get in the raft in the first place. Where was my nice tour bus and driver by now? I wondered if the people at Wal Mart were having fun!
I can't say that Mr. was much comfort. I think it is hard for an adventurer to understand a non-adventurer. He kept looking at me, and I kept dreaming of Wal Mart. Then I heard some sweet words that lifted my spirits. They said that if you just wanted to hold on and ride along, get in Dylan's boat. Those words gravitated me firmly in the direction of Dylan's boat... with or without Mr.... I was going in Dylan's boat... I'd push everyone else out to get to Dylan's boat. Well... maybe not that.
Now, in all seriousness... I'm glad I went. We had a ton of fun and the guides at Raft Masters instilled lots of confidence. I knew from asking that Dylan has had 13 years experience just at Raft Masters, and this run was one of the easier ones. I knew I was safe. I did take some sage advice given by someone else who had been water rafting before (not Mr.)... I headed for the BACK of the boat. Mr. was in the front. I was okay with that. Part of our instructions were to hold on to each other. That may have been more important in the front. I held on to the side and anchored my forward foot firmly in the little pocket in the bottom of the raft and my other in the crevice of the boat bottom and side. I was snugly placed and didn't think I'd need any of those 'what to do if you fall out of the raft' instructions.
So... here we are. Mr. is in the front right. I'm on back left.
Now just look at Donna's face... front left!! Me? I'm smiling in the back!
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