Cuts, Scrapes, Bruises and rushing water

Ever been to the Smoky Mtns? Ever went to the little town called Townsend and tubed the river? If you haven't - I do not recommend it.

Last Friday while Morgan and Payton were still here we decided to try tubing. This is something we have wanted to do for a while and just have never made the effort to actually do it. This fateful Friday --- we did. Darrin calls up to the place called River Rage and the lady told him that the water was high due to all the rain we have been having and the rapids were pretty quick so they were not letting 10 and under go on the upper rapids. We trek on up there. We get in and we go inside of course, we have to sign the waiver thingies. They made Payton wear a life vest which she did not want to do. However, they were making all 13 and under wear the life vests. Payon wears glasses and she originally was going to keep them on. But, we decided at the last minute that she should take them off just in case. Thank goodness!!!

We load up on the bright green van with 1 other couple. They take us up the road a mile or so and drop us off. We make our way down the little slope and get into the VERY COLD water. Cold doesn't describe it accurately. It was freezing. Like, when you are walking in your legs start turning numb it is so cold. We get onto our tubes and off we are down the river. Sounds fun, right?!?! That is what I thought in the beginning also. "This isn't SO bad" I said to myself. We got past the 1st set of rapids pretty successfully.

On to the 2nd set of rapids....this is where things start getting ugly! Morgan was leading us, Payton was behind her, I was behind Payton and Darrin was somewhere behind me. As Morgan starts down this set of rapids her tube did a 360 and she was in the water. She quickly managed to get back on her tube. Next Payton comes out of hers. She grabs her tube and as I was passing by I grabbed her arm and was holding her arm on my tube and she was holding her tube with the other arm. Her legs were hitting the rocks and she was saying to me "it hurts, it hurts". I told her that I knew but we had to get through these rapids into the calm so she could get back on her tube. She managed to get back on her tube somehow and as soon as she did off I went!! My tube goes floating down the river to my horror. If you come back with out a tube they charge you $20.00!! I was not happy about this...for about one second. In the next instant, I was fighting for my life. Okay, okay maybe not for my life but definately for my sanity! I was caught in the rapid and couldn't get out or up. All I could do was try to get up, the rapid kept pulling me down. I was face down and was trying to grab the rocks but they were too slippery. I guess I fell about 100 times (okay maybe not THAT many) right on my knees and just kept going down the rapid. At this time, I was screaming at the top of my lungs. I yelled for Darrin and he was like "just get up". Now, if I could "just get up" don't you think I would have??? That would have been much easier than trying to get up, falling, trying to get up, falling, over and over. Finally, Darrin got to me and helped me get over to the side. My knee was bleeding and needless to say I was DONE. I wanted out of this river and I wanted to go home! Once I got out of the river and started walking up the river bank I noticed that there were people standing on the side. I am sure having a good laugh at this crazy family of four and especially the adult woman screaming like a banshee. At this point, I didn't care. I was just thanking Jesus that I made it out alive!! Morgan and Payton caught my tube. My options at this point were 1. get back on my tube and tough the rest of the ride out 2. Walk to the road and wait for a bright green bus to pick me up 3. Sit down on the side and cry until someone felt sorry enough for me to take me back to my car so I could go home! I decided to get back on my tube and tough the rest of the ride out...I couldn't fall off anymore, RIGHT?!?! WRONG!!! I get back on my tube and am on my merry way and I had the unfortunate experience of going over another rapid. Guess what?!?! Off I came again! Darrin tried to help me again but at this point Morgan and Payton were gone and we couldn't even see them. I told Darrin to go with them I would be okay. Thankfully I fell between one huge rock and one small rock. I say thankfull because I was able to get between them to get back on my tube. Needless to say the rest of my ride on the upper river was spent in deep, deep prayer. Prayer for God to keep me on my tube and to save my life because I was sure that I did not want to die by this river and its evil, evil rapids!! After what seemed like a lifetime we finally go to the exit point. I was singing God's praises when I seen that sign. No kidding!!

We got to the car and had lunch, put some stuff on my many cuts. My knee was already swollen and bleeding. Darrin, Morgan and Payton really wanted to go on the lower river and I let them talk me into this. Why? I have no idea!! Before we left I made sure to ask the guy if the lower was ANYTHING like the upper and he assured me that it was not. The lower is where they take little children. After we eat we get back on the bright green bus and head off to the lower river. We once again get in the freezing water and start out. The man did not lie, this was completely different than the upper river. Not that I lessened my prayers any though! I needed Jesus to carry me over this water. :-) There were a couple of rough spots but Thank the Lord that He kept me on my tube! Payton got stuck and one point and I went to help her out and finally got her out after about 5 minutes and then they were all gone and I was left stuck by myself. After some fancy maneuvering I got myself over to the left side and was able to get out of my tube and walk over the part I was stuck in and hop back in. After about 2 hours of painful work (this river was SLOW so we had to use our muscles to get through it) we finally got to the exit!! I was praising God again! Although, I almost missed it.

Tubing on the river was an experience...one I never want to repeat! If you go...don't say that I didn't warn you. :-)