mardi, juin 27, 2006
thanks to you now I get what I want
Ah, summer in Calgary. Today after work Devin picked me up equipped with picnic supplies and a frisbee. As we crossed the Bow River I saw people rafting. So although we just went yesterday, I called froo and said, "I just have one question for you - are you a hard-core rafter or not?" Luckily, froo enjoys a good Bow River float and she was game for another adventure. We met her at Edworthy Park, fed her some dinner, then trekked up to Bowness to launch.
A refresher for those who might forget my previous rafting stories: rafting requires a lot of preparation time. Devin measured how far we floated yesterday and it was sixteen kilometres of Bow River! Check out this map to see the distance we covered. So what that means is that prior to going to the launch point, two cars must meet at the get-out point to deposit a vehicle. Yesterday we floated all the way down to Prince's Island, so it was at least a three-hour trip. Today since it was post-work and the daylight and warmth were fading, we made it a relatively short float - just under two hours from Bowness Park to Edworthy Park.
After a strategic assessment of what can be left at the get-out point, we pile into froo's car (she's the owner of all rafting gear, so her car is usually pre-loaded) and make the drive to Bowness. Then it's an unloading and inflating process. Luckily froo invested in a couple of quality air pumps, so we're quicker than we used to be back in the day, but it's still a reasonably time-consuming process. Getting down to the water's edge, piling into the boat while trying not to wade too much in the icy Bow River and avoiding getting dirty shoes in the boat is also a tricky proces. Then it's push-off, and some paddling to get to the "channel" - the main current in the middle of the riverbed.
The river changes over the summer season. We have a relatively high water level right now after our heavy June rains, so the current is faster, too. froo and I have floated the Bow so many times that we know most of the tricky parts - where the water is choppier due to large rocks below the surface, or too shallow, but it still requires vigilance to assess any potential threats during the float. Okay, okay, we do manage to sunbathe, drink wine and eat Doritos, but there are a few places that mean sitting up and preparing to paddle. We're rafting champs. And Devin will be in no time, if we keep up this schedule of rafting on as many hot days as possible.
Navigating to the get-out location is usually slightly tricky, too. The Bow doesn't have many friendly shores that taper gently. We're always climbing over large rocks with the still-inflated raft over our heads, trying not to fall backwards into the river. Luckily we're getting better and better at that, too. Then we all pile our weight on to the boat to deflate it slowly, while the skoonies (mosquitos) attack us and the grass tickles our ankles.
Photos from yesterday's and today's rafting adventures are here. | ¶ 12:04 a.m.
Ah, summer in Calgary. Today after work Devin picked me up equipped with picnic supplies and a frisbee. As we crossed the Bow River I saw people rafting. So although we just went yesterday, I called froo and said, "I just have one question for you - are you a hard-core rafter or not?" Luckily, froo enjoys a good Bow River float and she was game for another adventure. We met her at Edworthy Park, fed her some dinner, then trekked up to Bowness to launch.
A refresher for those who might forget my previous rafting stories: rafting requires a lot of preparation time. Devin measured how far we floated yesterday and it was sixteen kilometres of Bow River! Check out this map to see the distance we covered. So what that means is that prior to going to the launch point, two cars must meet at the get-out point to deposit a vehicle. Yesterday we floated all the way down to Prince's Island, so it was at least a three-hour trip. Today since it was post-work and the daylight and warmth were fading, we made it a relatively short float - just under two hours from Bowness Park to Edworthy Park.
After a strategic assessment of what can be left at the get-out point, we pile into froo's car (she's the owner of all rafting gear, so her car is usually pre-loaded) and make the drive to Bowness. Then it's an unloading and inflating process. Luckily froo invested in a couple of quality air pumps, so we're quicker than we used to be back in the day, but it's still a reasonably time-consuming process. Getting down to the water's edge, piling into the boat while trying not to wade too much in the icy Bow River and avoiding getting dirty shoes in the boat is also a tricky proces. Then it's push-off, and some paddling to get to the "channel" - the main current in the middle of the riverbed.
The river changes over the summer season. We have a relatively high water level right now after our heavy June rains, so the current is faster, too. froo and I have floated the Bow so many times that we know most of the tricky parts - where the water is choppier due to large rocks below the surface, or too shallow, but it still requires vigilance to assess any potential threats during the float. Okay, okay, we do manage to sunbathe, drink wine and eat Doritos, but there are a few places that mean sitting up and preparing to paddle. We're rafting champs. And Devin will be in no time, if we keep up this schedule of rafting on as many hot days as possible.Navigating to the get-out location is usually slightly tricky, too. The Bow doesn't have many friendly shores that taper gently. We're always climbing over large rocks with the still-inflated raft over our heads, trying not to fall backwards into the river. Luckily we're getting better and better at that, too. Then we all pile our weight on to the boat to deflate it slowly, while the skoonies (mosquitos) attack us and the grass tickles our ankles.
Photos from yesterday's and today's rafting adventures are here. | ¶ 12:04 a.m.
