Day 4 - Taking on the Arkansas River

Today was a major adrenaline rush! I mean WOW!!!! We went white water rafting down the Arkanasas River and it was so EXTRAORDINARY! We found a great deal on line and booked the trip while we were still back home. We traveled with a company called Kokopelli and I would recommend them to anyone! It was only our raft, two guides (one was training) and kyaker. The river was extra high due to the snow melting and it was EXTREMELY cold. We booked an all day trip which included 16 miles on the river and lunch somewhere in between. It was a perfect day and just kept getting better and better. Here are the highlights from the trip:

1. Our guides names were Justin and Cha Cha. (Cha Cha was probably around 50)

2. It was only the 6 of us in the boat.

3. Scott and Harper road in the front of the raft the entire trip. They got smacked around quite a bit, but they were both quite amazing.

4. About half way the first part of the trip, Harper was incredibly cold (the water had to be around 50/55 degrees) Even though we were given both wet suits and jackets, the cold just seemed to pierce right through her body. It also didn't take much longer to do the same for TOrii. Both of them had to really fight through their discomfort and find ways to enjoy the ride. They did!!

5. The scenery was GORGEOUS!

6. I almost fell out of the boat twice. The second time I literally fell out of the boat backwards and Cha Cha came over and saved me. While I was falling backwards, Scott and slipped into Harper and almost took both of them out. I was crazy.

7. Lunch was great as we made sandwiches and thawed out in the sun. We also put on fleece jackets which made all the difference. We wore these the rest of the trip which made it even better.

8. The girls really pushed themselves and when push came to shove they both really loved it.

9. We actually rode through two class 4 rapids and survived!

10. We laughed A LOT.

After the trip was over, which took 2 hours less than usual because the river was flowing so heavily, we got in the car and headed towards Colorado Springs where we will spend the next 3 days. Harper fell asleep in the car, we saw a Coyote running along the side of the highway, and we enjoyed some beautiful scenery. Once we got back to the hotel, we sat in the hot tub for about 20 minutes and then came upstairs to watch a movie. We were exhausted to say the least.

(Sadly, I do not have very exciting picuters.)