Tuesday, May 24, 2011

White Water Rafting

I'm back! I made it up north and back and made it out all in one piece! As I mentioned before on Friday, I was heading up north to visit my friends and go white water rafting for the first time. Let's just say it was awesome! I'll post more later on the trip but right now here's the low down on the rafting...
(getting ready to head into a rapid)
Saturday morning we got up bright and early and made the two hour car trip to Ohiopyle, located in western Pennsylvania. We went with White Water Adventurers Inc located along side the Youghiogheny River. We chose to do the lower yough, which is normally a class III and takes anywhere from 3-5 hours to complete. However, with all of the rain the water was up a considerable amount to 9 feet. It made the trip only about an hour and a half and bumped it up to a class IV. I can't even imagine doing the Cheat River which is a class IV/V. Tons of rocks that are usually exposed, couldn't be seen and a guide was required to be in every raft.

Anyways, the 6 of us piled in our raft and got underway with our great guide Andy. Who by the way was completely awesome and cool. He knew his job in and out and I'm pretty for sure all of wouldn't have made it down the river without him. Plus we all thought he was funny, cool and not bad on the eyes. 
(can't see us? Yeah neither could we. Andy had a nice view though)
So we're going down the river and we hit a rapid. I got rocket launched out first thing. Literally, we had probably been in the raft maybe, maybe 10 minutes. 
(See the two flailing legs in the air? That's me)
The best part of the rocket launch was having no idea that I got thrown out until I was sucking water down my lungs. However, Andy came to the rescue and tossed me back into the raft like a bag of cookies. Hello... I was dead weight. I held onto that oar like a champ though! Death grip! Both times actually....
(In calmer waters: Guide Andy, Leanna & Hope)
Everything after that was going great, down the river. We finally get to the last rapid and we hit a rock. We were all talking and apparently not paddling (oops, who would have thought you really had to do that on a rafting trip?!) and completely hit a giant rock. Needless to say it happened so fast, all of us except our guide got knocked out of the boat. I think it rattled everyone because we ended up getting pulled out of the water by 3 different rafts and I even saw the emergency rope get thrown out into the water. Thankfully, once again I got tossed back into the raft like a bag of cookies. 

After we made it back to dry land, we posed for a photo....
The group plus 2 guides. 
My Personal favorite favorite was of me goofing off before all the mayhem began...

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go and count all the bruises I acquired. Haha! But it was an awesome time and I'd definitely go again. 

18 comments:

Ashley said...

I definitely would have freaked out! I have no desire to go white water rafting!! You're a brave, brave soul! :o)

Rachel said...

That looks like fun!

Kerr said...

sounds fun! I went in high school on a class trip and quite a few kids got tossed out of the rafts!

Justine said...

I've always kind of sort of wanted to go rafting, but just never got up the courage. Now that I'm gestating a human, it will probably be awhile before I get an opportunity to go. It looks like so much fun though! I'm glad everyone returned safe and sound! :)

Summer said...

OMG that looks so fun and scary LOL. I love the pic of you goofing off before ya'll went rafting! That pic of you with your legs flailing in the air is so funny and I am so glad you didn't get hurt. WOw those waters looked pretty rough girl. I betcha you are all banged up. YOu are a brave girl and I am glad you had lots of fun, oh did you get Mr. Hottie raft guide's number you should totally go out with him...hey he saved ya twice LOL

xoxo
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Hutch said...

I love white water rafting! Not sure how I'd feel about being tossed out though, eek!

ag. said...

awesome! i went white water rafting for the first time this past summer and LOVED it! was so nervous to start but adrenaline just took over once we got going!

Steph said...

Sounds like a great time! I'd love to go sometime this summer. Did you get Andy's number? ;)

lil desiqua said...

Looks like you had a great time (minus getting rocketing out of the raft)! But at least there was a strong guide to reign you back in!

I went rafting once in PA, but I don't remember where. It was with a bunch of random other adventurers in college- but it was much calmer than your experience!

That pic of your legs in the air is priceless! Glad you had fun!

Amanda @ It's Blogworthy said...

girl...you are crazy!!! I'd never do that. I'm too chicken. Looks like fun though!

Carol {Everyday Delights} said...

So so fun! And great pics!

Krysten @ Why Girls Are Weird said...

Sounds like an amazing time!

Deidre said...

Fun!! very brave. I am not into water sports, although I think i'd feel safer on a raft than a kayak!

Just me: A beautiful disaster! said...

Looks AMAZING!!!

Shoshanah said...

That sounds like so much fun! I'd love to have the chance to do something like that

Jax said...

Ha! Glad you had fun! Love the "tossed in like a bag of cookies" comment! haha! :) These photos are great!!!

Amber @ A Little Pink in the Cornfields said...

I have always wanted to do rafting trip like this!!!! Looks like so much! That grin on your face in the last picture has me cracking up! Love it!

Unknown said...

White water rafting is so much fun! I can't believe it's warm enough out there to go rafting yet! I've done the Snake river twice and another river in Oregon once. It's way fun.