Canoe trip!! and #179 (you can choose which photo counts as 179!)

We did it!!  We canoed down the Kansas River on Sunday!  I have been wanting to do this for ages and ages.  Finally, we just did it.  It was awesome!  Ok, really it was pretty dang HOT!  It was easily 100* and who knows what the heat index was!  It wasn’t really that bad on the water and I am pretty comfortable in the heat so I felt pretty good.  We had a total of six canoes in our group.  I am actually eager to do it again.  This time we really weren’t familiar with landmarks and although I was told that it would take about 5 hours to go from Lecompton to Lawrence we really weren’t sure how much “play” time was incorporated into that.  We took some time to play in the water and relax but we kind of kept pushing forward.  We didn’t want to be out for 8 hours or something crazy like that.  The kids would play for ever so we had to compromise on play time and canoe time.  Surprisingly, the current wasn’t as strong as I would have thought.  It definitly took some paddling to keep us moving along.  On the other hand, when we were out and standing in it, it felt pretty strong.  I don’t know, maybe we could float down on inner tubes like they do in Minnesota…

It was a good trip, allowing time to get to know some folks we didn’t know well and some time to hang with others we already knew.  The kids seemed to think the whole thing was pretty cool.  Marek especially liked sitting in the middle of the canoe, not paddling but sitting back and relaxing in his little chair.  Marcus is not very excited about the heat and although he enjoyed the trip he would have enjoyed it more if it wasn’t so hot.  He drank the most water of all three of us.  I was worried that if we were on the river much past 6 hours we wouldn’t have enough water.  I am a big drinker so I’m pretty hydrated most of the time.  This trip dried me out a bit. 

 

With the group and the unknown conditions of the river, I chose not to take my camera.  I took a disposable (not yet developed) and my phone (in a water proof, floating box!).  Next time I think I will take my camera although there was only bright blue water and sky and green, green all around to photograph – other than the beautiful people of course!  We did see a Bald Eagle floating on the updrafts of hot air. 

We had a good time but when we got home we were pretty tired out.  We just relaxed and hung out the rest of the night. 

It was a good day!

I know, I’m making a weird face.  But, that’s me!!

~ Denise