Summer = Swimming!!!!
A few weeks ago I decided to try tubing on the Des Moines river. Tubing seems to be something of a Midwestern thing -- at least, it's certainly not a Colorado thing, since rivers in Colorado are generally too cold, and often too fast, to tube in. Tubing is exactly what it sounds like. You get in an inner tube and float wherever the river takes you. Groups of people can tie their tubes together. Traditionally beer (which rides in its own inner tube) is consumed.
Tubing is delightfully free... if you happen to be going in a group, and have cars big enough to hold the group+tubes at both the entrance and exit points. Otherwise, you have to pay someone to ferry you between the point you got out of the river and the place your car is parked.
The "someone" I paid was Seven Oaks Recreation, which also runs the local ski slope. (I went snow tubing there last winter.)
I was sort of expecting them to use the snow tubes for summer tubing, but in fact they appeared to be actual inner tubes. I paid for myself and a "cooler tube" -- otherwise known as a "beer tube" -- to float my lunch and (non-beer) beverages. I had assumed this included the cooler, but no, it's just a tube. You use a hard-sided cooler and stretch the tube around it so it floats. My soft-sided cooler isn't watertight, so that would have been a problem, but they kindly loaned me a spare hard-sided cooler that was in the lost and found. (Of course, for the price I was paying, seems like they could afford to have some spare coolers on hand!)
As I walked out, one of the staff members asked if I had sunscreen. I assured him I did and he said, "Good! You'll need some." I was tempted to ask, "Do my legs really look THAT pasty white?" but I didn't -- since I already knew the answer. (Yes, they really do.)
I rode to the launch point on a school bus at about 12:45. Other riders included a family of 4 with 2 dogs who were going to be canoeing ("Will the dogs sit in the canoe?" I asked. "We sure hope so.") and several very profane female undergrads. (And you know that if *I* think they were swearing a lot... they were swearing a lot.)
I was the first tuber on the river, possibly because I was the only one not in a group so the staff knew they could get me underway fast. I had been planning on stopping on a sandbar for lunch, but I liked being out in front of all the groups (some of whom were rather loud) and I decided to maintain my advantage. Note to self: egg salad not a good sandwich choice for eating while floating in an inner tube. Hope the fish like egg salad, since they certainly got some!
Floating down the river was a lot of fun, but you do have to pay attention to make sure you don't get stuck in downed and/or low-hanging tree branches near the sides of the river. Once in particular I deliberately wedged myself into a tree to let a big, loud group of guys get ahead of me and out of earshot. The current sped up going around the tree and I had trouble getting out again! One of the guys asked if I needed help as they floated past. (They were loud, but apparently helpful.)
I saw lots of birds, including great blue herons, kingfishers, and -- best of all -- a mature BALD EAGLE! I couldn't see a nest from my vantage point but I heard some boaters talking about it and later a staff member confirmed that eagles nest along the river there. There were bank swallows nesting in the banks and zooming low overhead, and cliff swallows nesting under the bridges I floated under.
I also pulled over to the side for a bit to read a trashy vampire novel. Good times. Inner tubes are too reclined for easy knitting, though. Next time I'll make sure anything I need during the float is in the cooler and only stuff I won't want until afterwards is in the dry bag, since the dry bag is sort of a pain to open on the water. (Aside: the website said there were "dry bags" for $0.50/$1 for small/large bags. I had assumed they meant rentals... but it turns out the "dry bags" were quart/gallon sized Ziploc bags! I was using a real dry bag that I bought for scuba diving.)
That particular float down the river is apparently 8 miles and takes roughly 2.5 hours.
I didn't take many photos since I don't have a dry case for this camera, but I did take a few:
This is a high train bridge you float under on the way down. A sign on the bridge read something to the effect of "Construction work on bridge. Be aware of the risks." Er... no one mentioned risks! I assume they meant the risk someone would drop something on you. All that happened was that the construction workers had a shouted conversation with the profane co-eds.
The "beer tube":
This bank was filled with holes containing bank swallow nests:
In other water fun news, yesterday I played hooky and went to West Des Moines. Despite having just been in Des Moines last weekend, I had some errands to run in the area, and I wanted to play around in the water some more. Around here they don't seem to go in for big water parks. Rather, each recreation district builds it's own small "aquatic centers". The one I went to had a lazy river with inner tubes, two tube slides, two body slides (one very fast and exciting, one very slow and boring) and two drop sides -- which do exactly what they sound like, short slides that drop you 4' or so into 13' of water.
I would like to note that a "lazy river" is less lazy than floating down an actual river. However, it's less expensive (rather ironically, since the "lazy river" had to be built, maintained, and lifeguarded, whereas the Des Moines river is free). I splashed around for about 2 hours in the afternoon, until 5:30 when adult swim commenced. (I'm an adult, but you're expected to not only BE an adult, but also to engage in adult activities -- ie, lap swimming or water-walking in the lazy river.) I actually water-walked for about a half-hour, and my legs were like jelly afterward! It's hard work.
Just like many outdoor pools, everyone under 18 had to clear out for 10 minutes every hour. I used to hate that when I was a kid, but I love it now... especially since adults are still allowed to go down the sides, meaning almost no waiting.
We're supposed to get a similar (but I think slightly smaller) aquatic center in Ames opening sometime this month. Should be fun.
Afterward, I went to the Wes Des Moines farmer's market. It's sort of an every-Thursday-summer-evening street fair with live music, food, and really not all that much in terms of actual farm products. I might do the aquatic centers again (there's two in the area and they have different slides) but I think I'll skip the farmer's market.
Man, I love summer!
Tomorrow there's a festival in town for the Fourth, plus (of course) fireworks. My last Fourth was sort of a downer, despite it usually being my favorite holiday, so I'm looking forward to this one... even if I do miss the Festival for the Eno in Durham.
Tubing is delightfully free... if you happen to be going in a group, and have cars big enough to hold the group+tubes at both the entrance and exit points. Otherwise, you have to pay someone to ferry you between the point you got out of the river and the place your car is parked.
The "someone" I paid was Seven Oaks Recreation, which also runs the local ski slope. (I went snow tubing there last winter.)
I was sort of expecting them to use the snow tubes for summer tubing, but in fact they appeared to be actual inner tubes. I paid for myself and a "cooler tube" -- otherwise known as a "beer tube" -- to float my lunch and (non-beer) beverages. I had assumed this included the cooler, but no, it's just a tube. You use a hard-sided cooler and stretch the tube around it so it floats. My soft-sided cooler isn't watertight, so that would have been a problem, but they kindly loaned me a spare hard-sided cooler that was in the lost and found. (Of course, for the price I was paying, seems like they could afford to have some spare coolers on hand!)
As I walked out, one of the staff members asked if I had sunscreen. I assured him I did and he said, "Good! You'll need some." I was tempted to ask, "Do my legs really look THAT pasty white?" but I didn't -- since I already knew the answer. (Yes, they really do.)
I rode to the launch point on a school bus at about 12:45. Other riders included a family of 4 with 2 dogs who were going to be canoeing ("Will the dogs sit in the canoe?" I asked. "We sure hope so.") and several very profane female undergrads. (And you know that if *I* think they were swearing a lot... they were swearing a lot.)
I was the first tuber on the river, possibly because I was the only one not in a group so the staff knew they could get me underway fast. I had been planning on stopping on a sandbar for lunch, but I liked being out in front of all the groups (some of whom were rather loud) and I decided to maintain my advantage. Note to self: egg salad not a good sandwich choice for eating while floating in an inner tube. Hope the fish like egg salad, since they certainly got some!
Floating down the river was a lot of fun, but you do have to pay attention to make sure you don't get stuck in downed and/or low-hanging tree branches near the sides of the river. Once in particular I deliberately wedged myself into a tree to let a big, loud group of guys get ahead of me and out of earshot. The current sped up going around the tree and I had trouble getting out again! One of the guys asked if I needed help as they floated past. (They were loud, but apparently helpful.)
I saw lots of birds, including great blue herons, kingfishers, and -- best of all -- a mature BALD EAGLE! I couldn't see a nest from my vantage point but I heard some boaters talking about it and later a staff member confirmed that eagles nest along the river there. There were bank swallows nesting in the banks and zooming low overhead, and cliff swallows nesting under the bridges I floated under.
I also pulled over to the side for a bit to read a trashy vampire novel. Good times. Inner tubes are too reclined for easy knitting, though. Next time I'll make sure anything I need during the float is in the cooler and only stuff I won't want until afterwards is in the dry bag, since the dry bag is sort of a pain to open on the water. (Aside: the website said there were "dry bags" for $0.50/$1 for small/large bags. I had assumed they meant rentals... but it turns out the "dry bags" were quart/gallon sized Ziploc bags! I was using a real dry bag that I bought for scuba diving.)
That particular float down the river is apparently 8 miles and takes roughly 2.5 hours.
I didn't take many photos since I don't have a dry case for this camera, but I did take a few:
This is a high train bridge you float under on the way down. A sign on the bridge read something to the effect of "Construction work on bridge. Be aware of the risks." Er... no one mentioned risks! I assume they meant the risk someone would drop something on you. All that happened was that the construction workers had a shouted conversation with the profane co-eds.
The "beer tube":
This bank was filled with holes containing bank swallow nests:
In other water fun news, yesterday I played hooky and went to West Des Moines. Despite having just been in Des Moines last weekend, I had some errands to run in the area, and I wanted to play around in the water some more. Around here they don't seem to go in for big water parks. Rather, each recreation district builds it's own small "aquatic centers". The one I went to had a lazy river with inner tubes, two tube slides, two body slides (one very fast and exciting, one very slow and boring) and two drop sides -- which do exactly what they sound like, short slides that drop you 4' or so into 13' of water.
I would like to note that a "lazy river" is less lazy than floating down an actual river. However, it's less expensive (rather ironically, since the "lazy river" had to be built, maintained, and lifeguarded, whereas the Des Moines river is free). I splashed around for about 2 hours in the afternoon, until 5:30 when adult swim commenced. (I'm an adult, but you're expected to not only BE an adult, but also to engage in adult activities -- ie, lap swimming or water-walking in the lazy river.) I actually water-walked for about a half-hour, and my legs were like jelly afterward! It's hard work.
Just like many outdoor pools, everyone under 18 had to clear out for 10 minutes every hour. I used to hate that when I was a kid, but I love it now... especially since adults are still allowed to go down the sides, meaning almost no waiting.
We're supposed to get a similar (but I think slightly smaller) aquatic center in Ames opening sometime this month. Should be fun.
Afterward, I went to the Wes Des Moines farmer's market. It's sort of an every-Thursday-summer-evening street fair with live music, food, and really not all that much in terms of actual farm products. I might do the aquatic centers again (there's two in the area and they have different slides) but I think I'll skip the farmer's market.
Man, I love summer!
Tomorrow there's a festival in town for the Fourth, plus (of course) fireworks. My last Fourth was sort of a downer, despite it usually being my favorite holiday, so I'm looking forward to this one... even if I do miss the Festival for the Eno in Durham.