Tubing

One of the things Colin couldn't wait to do in Blacksburg was go tubing down the new river.  He's heard me talk about how much fun it was in college and I have been excited to take them.  I wasn't sure about the safety of taking the kids but according to the website it said family friendly and that kids could get out before they went through the rapids.

I was a little nervous but the water was really calm and the kids have been used to riding in tubes at water country.  Each kid was tethered to Brent, Sarah or I so that helped keep track of them.  It was a really nice relaxing ride down the river until we got the the rapids.

It was a lot of fun.  And slightly scary at times. Colin wanted to do all the big rapids and jumps. He was glad Ant Ant was connected to him because she took him places his mother probably wouldn't have!  Joel and I were together and he was a little nervous but wanted to go through the rapids and then got out and did them again and again.  Brent and Norah were going to get out before the rapids but the next thing I knew I saw the going right through them. She loved them!  They said for kids to stay to the right and I think those were the most smooth and the most fun.  Joel and Brent at one time went in the middle and my heart stopped when I saw Joel headed right towards a big rock but the water was so shallow they got stuck going over another rock and that slowed them down so they missed the rock.  Joel and I missed the landing spot and had to make our way to the side of the river.  We were walking towards Brent and the others when Joel stopped because he saw a snake. He said it went away from us but neither of us moved.   He refused to move and I refused to go towards him because of the snake so we stood there a minute until I braved it enough to go get him.

Its fun taking your kids places you loved  - and here are a few pictures from when we went in college. It was always the first weekend after classes started.