RUGGED VACATION

This was a very...'eventful' trip. We planned to go canoeing and camping in Eminence, MO - about 3 hours away from StL. We had a late start and realized we were going to be cutting it close. See, you have to be at the canoe place by 2:00 in order to start your trip for that day. It was 10:30 when we really got on the road. I was a little anxious, well a lot anxious, that we weren't going to make it. We stopped at this outdoors store, Pat went in while I stayed in the car with the dog, and I have to say I am more than thankful we stopped there. You will see why later on...

About 30 minutes into the trip I got a whiff of dog food. Weird. Elle's stuff was in the trunk?? I turn around and ta-da! Doggy vomit. ALLLLLLLL on the back seat. Poor baby. As I said earlier, we were late. So instead of pulling over, I climb into the back seat with the dog and start cleaning. After getting her all cleaned up I decided maybe it was because she was in the back seat and got carsick back there. I moved her to the front with me, thinking that was a good idea. I mean, she rides in the car all the time, no vomit in the front seat, right??

We grabbed lunch real quick at Sonic, Elle was trying to get peoples attention - she thinks everyone should pet her.

Once you get off the interstate you're in the mountains. I'm not sure if we were in the Ozarks or where, but they were some curvy roads. Remember, Elle was chilling in the front seat -- in my lap. You can see where I am going with this....

She vommed. Between the seats, in the seat belt latch, in my hands, in my seat...I mean everywhere. We were about 15 minutes away at this point - and obviously had to stop to clean this one. Pat was trying to help and started gagging - I laughed so hard!! Then I told him we should take a picture, I didn't realize it was of me bending over. Don't guys know that is the least flattering shot e.v.e.r? Geez. 

These shorts I am wearing.........Well, being a 'light' packer - they were supposed to be my one pair for the 2 days. I was all proud of my cute 'rugged' outfits, Pat kept laughing because they weren't rugged at all. I thankfully had a pair of comfy shorts packed, so I changed (parking lot style, between 2 doors with the vomit towel shielding me - remember - we packed light, only a vomit towel available to protect me)

We made it on time!!! Here is our canoe and Elle was so glad to be out of the car. She walked right into the water. I thought she was going to love the water.......but then we went on this trip...

Here I am holding down the front of the boat

And our captain and his helper in the back

The water was beautiful - it was so clear. When it was deep it was a pretty emerald blueish color (on the left of the picture). So we are stopped right here to regroup. Within the first 10 minutes the dog jumped out TWICE. I think she was confused. It was a disaster. There was a rock bank to the side so we paddled over there to get our child in her life vest due to her unpredictable behavior.

She was ashamed of being in a life vest. So I eventually took it off because she was just sitting around and I figured she had learned her lesson.

Right here we were thinking everything could only get better.....

But then we made a turn around a corner and the river split around an island. To the left, shallow water and tons of drunkards stuck on rocks. To the right, swift water, trees down, branches sticking out. Which did we pick??? 

The right. And flipped our canoe. Yes - all the way over. Elle is life vest-less and she is my main concern. Not that our sleeping bags, tent, food, drinks, camera, clothes, etc are in the canoe too. Just the dog. Thankfully there were more drunkards on the bank of the island, because they too thought it would be a good idea to go around the other way to prevent a traffic jam - and flipped as well. They all jumped in grabbing our stuff, while Pat and another guy got the canoe and some more of our things. Some nice, wasted girl was carrying a bag for me because I was holding Elle who was shaking because she was so scared! 

This is what I learned. People come to these rivers to get drunk and float down for the day. Not overnight. So they just have coolers full of beer and it doesn't matter if they flip. BUT we, on the other hand, are troopers and planned to spend the night on the river bank. They flip = no big deal. We flip = big deal.

Now - back to the outdoors store I spoke of earlier - Pat bought this big ol' dry bag. We put all of our clothes and some food in there. THANK GOD. Everything was in some sort of 'attempt to keep it dry' bag. Like garbage bags and ziplocs.

Wet things:

sleeping bags, marshmallows, graham crackers, bread, camera (damp), tent, chairs, trail mix, goldfish, blanket, towel, dog food and toys

Dry things:

clothes, phone, wallet, some food

Lost things:

one of my shirts, my D&G sunglasses Pat gave me, Elle's stuffed beaver toy from Grandmama B 

Post flip - still smiling!!!

Around 6-6:30 we found a spot to camp...and dry off. Our canoe is pulled way up so it wont float off over night and we started to set up camp.

All of the river banks are rocks, if you go any further away from the water it's just nasty brush and sticks and trees. So we founds a sort of sandy/rocky spot and went Man vs Wild style and used our lessons learned from Bear Grylls and put a bunch of leaves on the rocks before our tent was set up. (ps. he lies, waste of time...)

We had grilled cheese sandwiches (thankfully grilling the bread helped with the sogginess) and soup for dinner. I had bread for 3 sandwiches, 1 for me, 2 for Pat. Then I dropped his 2nd sandwich in the fire. Oops. Time for smores! This was what I was, above all, most excited about. The marshmallows were disgusting. They were liquidy and smushy. See it on my hands?? Sick.

They turned into foamy liquid over the fire. But you better believe I ate it anyway! I LOVE smores (almost as much as I love all space, courtney)

Nobody got us overnight! I have a crazy imagination and was a little paranoid that we were going to get attacked by some crazy man in the woods - no worries though - we made it through the night.

Breakfast! We had bacon, eggs, and hashbrowns - yum.

Back on the water. Elle did better on day 2.

We decided to stop and eat lunch around 12:30. I had made PB&J's before we left home. Nastiest Sandwich Ever. I have NEVER eaten a more disgusting sandwich - in my entire life. I am not kidding. Soggy, gooey PB&J. I had to spit out a few bites of it.

But, once again, we're still smiling...

The trip was a total of 16 miles. We must have been super paddlers. They said you go an average of 2 miles an hour. We did the 16 miles in a total of about 4 hours. When we stopped for lunch we realized right around the corner was the end :(

This is where the 2 rivers meet. Jacks Fork and Current Rivers

After getting back to StL I was telling Mom and Dad this whole story (and they were dying laughing) and they both said "Well, since you both are still laughing about it all, and haven't killed each other yet, you must really love each other!" And I agree. I couldn't have had a better canoe mate! I am glad we both just laughed everything off - I am sure we will always remember the 'eventfulness' of this trip.

When we got home Pat surprised me and we made some real smores - just on the grill instead!

Hope you enjoyed. Who wants to join us next year!??!?!! hahahahaa