Canoe Trip Down the Rivanna
Today Hugh and I went into Charlottesville to buy a canoe at Dick's Sporting Goods. We got paddles, life preservers, doggie water containers, and a "dry bag" for our camera and stuff. We were back home by 11:30am (had to stop at Waffle House, you know). We put Boopie's life saver on...I don't know if it was that act, the pickup with a canoe on it, or her telepathy but she knew something was up and she was going to be included! She whined and moaned and danced around until we had changed into swim gear, grabbed a quick bite, and got in the truck.
The drop in for the Rivanna River is only about 5 minutes from our house so we went there. One day we may be skilled enough to drop in at the creek by our house, but let me tell you I will have to do some serious exercise to be strong enough to haul that canoe up the slope from the creek to our house. I huff and puff just walking it now! I think I might be able to build up some strenth going up and down our driveway which is an equally precipitous slope!
Anyway, we dropped into the river and had to make a quick decision about whether to go up or downstream. Downstream meant a pretty serious rapid ride and upstream meant a bit more work. Upstream it was. We paddled up quite a ways. Paddling, it turns out, is some pretty heavy duty exercise for your abs, shoulders, biceps, chest, and triceps!! Hugh taught me all about technique and what to do when so you don't tip the canoe over. These were important lessons to me since we saw a snake in the water in the first 5 minutes of getting in. It is one thing to choose a spot to swim and another thing entirely to flip over unexpectedly in some rocky, snake infested area. Not to mention, the fish were gi-normous! Not that I'm scared or anything. No comments, Wyatts!
We stopped a few times before heading back down. It seemed like we paddled upstream for an hour or more but the downstream only took 20 minutes or so. We had to get out and drag the boat a few times when the water got too shallow or the rapids too strong. It was fun negotiating the "rapids" downstream...lots less work and much faster ride! Hugh thinks that next time we should put in at one point and go downstream the whole way to get out at another point. I think working upstream for the exercise and the reward of the downstream might be better but I don't know how much work Hugh is having to do to make up for me in the canoe. I'm working hard in there but I don't know how much damage my little biceps are doing to the battle upstream!
The ride was beautiful. We even saw a deer up in his hide away on the cliff above the river. We also saw a mallard duck and lots of fish! Can't wait to go again!! Can't wait to get ya'll up here to see everything!
Jolie has been asleep since we got home...she is exhausted! So are Hugh and I!
Love,
Amber
The drop in for the Rivanna River is only about 5 minutes from our house so we went there. One day we may be skilled enough to drop in at the creek by our house, but let me tell you I will have to do some serious exercise to be strong enough to haul that canoe up the slope from the creek to our house. I huff and puff just walking it now! I think I might be able to build up some strenth going up and down our driveway which is an equally precipitous slope!
Anyway, we dropped into the river and had to make a quick decision about whether to go up or downstream. Downstream meant a pretty serious rapid ride and upstream meant a bit more work. Upstream it was. We paddled up quite a ways. Paddling, it turns out, is some pretty heavy duty exercise for your abs, shoulders, biceps, chest, and triceps!! Hugh taught me all about technique and what to do when so you don't tip the canoe over. These were important lessons to me since we saw a snake in the water in the first 5 minutes of getting in. It is one thing to choose a spot to swim and another thing entirely to flip over unexpectedly in some rocky, snake infested area. Not to mention, the fish were gi-normous! Not that I'm scared or anything. No comments, Wyatts!
We stopped a few times before heading back down. It seemed like we paddled upstream for an hour or more but the downstream only took 20 minutes or so. We had to get out and drag the boat a few times when the water got too shallow or the rapids too strong. It was fun negotiating the "rapids" downstream...lots less work and much faster ride! Hugh thinks that next time we should put in at one point and go downstream the whole way to get out at another point. I think working upstream for the exercise and the reward of the downstream might be better but I don't know how much work Hugh is having to do to make up for me in the canoe. I'm working hard in there but I don't know how much damage my little biceps are doing to the battle upstream!
The ride was beautiful. We even saw a deer up in his hide away on the cliff above the river. We also saw a mallard duck and lots of fish! Can't wait to go again!! Can't wait to get ya'll up here to see everything!
Jolie has been asleep since we got home...she is exhausted! So are Hugh and I!
Love,
Amber
posted by Journey | 7:19 PM
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