12 on the 12th: A tale of two rivers

Yesterday, we explored the town of Pagosa Springs. The boys were fascinated with the gentle flowing water that flowed in front of the Pagosa Hot Springs and begged to try tubing "tomorrow" I promised "maybe Dad will take you".

That river looked kind and gentle. Floating down the river sounded like a fun way to spend a Sunday morning.

So, today rolls around and we load up the family van...Auntie Terri (my BFF from college, and more family than friend) is visiting so the plan was for us to send the guys down the river while us ladies went to the Pagosa Springs Spa.

Note: this was the plan... and well, it didn't really pan out that way.
Here, in 12 pictures with short explanations, are the highlights of the day:


First Stop: the tube rental place. Oh my, look at the fun bus. They take you up to the starting point and you float down the river in your inner tube. The dashboard of the bus had a plethora of rubber duckies and they even encouraged you to use a sharpie and write your name on the back of the seats. Sounding pretty kid-tested, mother approved, right?

So, not wanting to miss the photo op of my guys floating peacefully down the river, laughing all the way, Terri and I wait in the park for the boys to make their first pass through.
Oh my, the interesting things you see in the park on a Sunday morning. First up, these ladies rehearsing for next weekend's Renaissance Festival. Belly dancing harem ladies? Um, OK I suppose they do things differently here in the mountains than down in the city.
While waiting, I send Terri back to the car for lunch supplies. It seems to be taking the guys a long time to float down stream. Should I start to worry?
Still waiting, another kid proudly displays the fish he found. Not caught, just found. Uh no thanks, as I passed on his offer to take this fish home
That calm river we played in yesterday? Was most definitely flowing faster today...such that this lady fly fisherman came by and started to try her hand at catching some lunch
Ah, finally, here they come...
And the happy family united together....and below the guys ready to wrap it up and call it a day

So, how here we are back at the condo...where Auntie Terri enjoys a good book
Thing One takes a well deserved afternoon siesta
And Thing Two discovers that there is just as much fun to be had here at the condo hot tub.

What didn't get captured in pictures was the fact that this river is a bit deceiving compared to where we played yesterday. OK, significantly more deceiving than yesterday's calm and gentle waters.

Missing is the picture where my big handsome hubby got tossed twice from his tube, lost his hat and almost his glasses. He now sports a big old bump on the back of his head.

We also opted not to photograph the river rescue involving Thing One and his run away raft. Thank you kind stranger who caught him and walked him over to calmer waters.

Nor did we catch me, the look of guilt and remorse in my face when I realized that my guys aren't as water savvy as I thought they were. Nor were the conditions as calm and easy as the rental people led us to believe. Lady, we're tourists, city folks, we don't know these things....

At times Hubby said the boys looked down right scared....lacking the bulk to slow down their speed and lacking the agility to control where they went floating to. The river depth varied greatly from waist high (as measured by my waist when I waded in fully clothed, trying to help drag Thing One back to shore) to no depth (as measured by the bruised buttocks that all three guys now sport)

So, us gals never did make it to the Hot Springs...and really, that's OK...because right now I'm just grateful to have my 3 most treasured gifts home safe with me...battered, bruised but safe just the same.