Our Weekend in Wonderland

My sister-in-law, Joann, called me last Wednesday. Her family has been rafting down the Snake river every summer for the last 10 years. They go about every third weekend throughout the summer. They are such a fun group! They call themselves The Mad Hatters because it is a requirement that you wear a silly/crazy hat when you float down the their in their raft. Her dad, Captain Jack, has his own raft and their family is big enough that they usually have plenty of grown ups or big kids to help paddle through the rapids. Last weekend they didn't have enough people going so she asked if we could. My boys are big enough now that they are considered "paddlers" and not "free loaders" (those who are big enough to go down the river but not big enough to be a paddler). We didn't have any other major plans so I took the boys up to Wyoming. We were sad that Jim needed to stay home to work :( but he encouraged us to go. We never know when the next opportunity to go will be.

We got on the road about 2pm on Thursday afternoon and made it up to the campsite along the Greys River a few hours later. We had some dinner and got settled in for the night.

The next morning was chilly. The campers didn't get up and moving as quickly as was hoped. I know I was running slow! I was up late on Wednesday packing, I got up early to finish packing and drove the whole way to Wyoming. We had a rough first night in the tent. Macy, the dog, threw up on her bed (there were so many interesting new smells for her to smell and things for her to eat) and then didn't she want to go back to sleep. She thought it was play time! When people started getting up they were not moving as fast as Captain Jack wanted them to move. Breakfast was later then usual and so was everything else. They usually try to get in three runs down the river on Friday but we only got in two, one before lunch and one after.

This is the boys just before the first run in their crazy hats. Austin's is a kid's plastic army helmet, Kyle's is a beanie with a baseball on top and Josh's is a pink octopus.

This is the group photo of the first run of the year!!!

The best place to take pictures is at the rapid called Lunch Counter. Here they are just going into the rapid. I almost didn't make it down to get the picture because the river was running so high and fast!

And here they are, just after Lunch Counter and their wild ride.

The group was able to do two runs on Saturday when they usually do one. The boys and I got camp all packed up and loaded up in the car. We played at the park with the little kids while waiting to go on the second run. I was able to get video of them on that run:

It was a super fun weekend. We really appreciate the Arrington family for thinking of us!!! I made sure they knew that anytime they need paddlers to think of us ;) and I hope they do. Here's wishing them another TEN years of rafting one of the best rivers in the west!