So it was warm, not hot out yesterday, so I went rafting, just floating around and slowly moving along with the current. I saw water snakes, deer, cranes, fish jumping out of the water and just plain enjoying the peace. I did get into some problems this time out though. When I went back to shore to land I had a lot of trouble getting out of the raft. These things are big, but very light and they "shoot" from out of under you when you try and get out. Well this happened and I fell into the water. Don't worry I make sure it is very shallow where I doc and people are around. I told some swimmers my situation and that I needed help to get out and get my raft back to the truck. They helped me out no problem
I knew I'd slip on the wet rocks and appreciated the extra support from them.

two of the men carried my boat back for me while there assumed GF's helped me
get out of the water and stood up. They were cute and I felt extra special, lol....hey, I'm still a guy you know but I really appreciated the help/

This new rafting hobby of mine is great and I love it, but I need to develop more and safer ways to manage it myself. It sucks to have to wait and ask people to help me carry it to the water and/or help me get in it. It's hard to balance on one leg while making sure the raft doesn't push itself out from under me while I roll over the side and plunge into it. I need someone to hold the boat while I do this circus act. I'm fine while in it, wear a life vest, have my emergency phone on standby and fully charged, carry an umbrella in case it gets hot on my head, plenty of water, food and rest the night before.
I don't want to stop doing it and people will help me, but I don't like asking all the time and what if no one is there to help? I like spending 5-8 hours out there I get carried away and I love it....just the other day was a close call and I'm afraid I might make a mistake that will be my last.

I saw this other guy with a raft about like mine, doc and get out like it was nothing...he threw it over his back and walked up the ramp to his car.... I was envious and I know just last year I could of done the same, but right now I am just too unstable, especially doing a balancing act in water and/or carrying my own raft on my back...I'll fall so I don't chance it.

Anyways here is a slideshow of shots I took yesterday. Even with the getting in and out problems, it is so worth it!

http://s1272.photobucket.com/user/Vi...are/slideshow/

Love your pictures, you got great feet!!!! Keep doing. People who help are passing through, helping makes them feel good and alive. Most you will never see again. So ask for help.

Be a guy, enjoy other's girlfriends. Like somebody elses hot tub you go in, they are low maintenance! 8-D

I have a built-in pool, for awhile could go down pool steps, drop my self onto float. Always reminded myself "Now is not the time to lose my moxie (grit, bravery)". Can't do it now, but glad I did while I could. Be safe, think/plan your alone moves and you'll know when to stop doing it. Made DH nervous I did it alone and he was at work, but hey........

Thanks for sharing Eric.. Just beautiful out there. Is there
a friend who could share these trips with you? Is your raft
big enough for two?

I hope you can find a way to do this more often. Maybe you
could ask a friend to drop you off and pick you up? Then you
would have help getting in & out of water. You are so
brave to do this.

I'm sure the people are more than happy to help you.
Wouldn't you be, if the situation were reversed?

It may be getting older, But Sal has a lot of Moxie.

Eric, I am w Sally, find a friend to share this with. You know, the Buddy System.

Thanks for the post- I enjoyed it,
ANN

It looks so tranquil. I have something that I hold onto that gives me peace when some one has to help me. People receive a blessing just by helping some one. Whether it is a blessing for themselves or it is teaching a child that they are with the graciousness of helping some one else or what. That is what God put us all on this earth to do. You never know what you may have done for that person who helped you. He may have gone there today felling worthless and now he can go home feeling appreciated knowing what he did. But it never helps to have a buddy system. Even if it's some one knowing to show up at a certain time. And then take them out to Starbucks.

Awesome, Eric!!! That looks like so much fun! I think it's great that you are near a river so that you can go rafting. I'm certainly jealous!

As for ideas . . .The raft looks to be inflatable. Is it possible to deflate it when you are done to make it easier to carry to your car? Maybe put a small rolling suitcase in the raft so that you can roll it up there? I know putting wheels on the bottom wouldn't work but something like that to make it easier to get to the car. As for getting up out of the raft, it is okay to ask for help. There's nothing wrong with that and as Sally mentioned, wouldn't you do the same thing for someone else. It's hard to tell from the pictures but it looked like there was a tree root or trunk further down the river. I can't tell how fast the river is going or what the under tow is by the tree, but is it possible that you could make that your destination to get off the raft? It's higher up and may be easier to get up than getting up off the sand.

Since you loved doing this, and I don't blame you one bit as I love it too, you will find some way to make this work for you. That's the great thing about keeping our passions as much as we can despite the MS.

That looks fun! I personally wouldn't want to go out by myself, but that's because of what my brother and his friends did on Colorado River one NYE. Left on inner tubes with beer and had to be rescued (and that was 4 guys, but the beer!) But being alone is so nice. I never get that.

I don't have any suggestions. I suppose if I got stuck I'd probably just flip over the side and get all wet, drag it back with a rope. But that isn't ideal, the whole having to get wet part.

Hey Eric,

Awesome that you've found a new way to have some fun.

I've given my boat to my father but I had a similar problem getting in and out of the thing when putting out at a beach. Getting an electric motor solved the problem because the propellor didn't hang down in the water as deeply as the gas motor did. The elctric motor had enough power to put the bow up onto the beach far enough to make the boat stable. The drawback is that it is another piece of equipment to deal with...along with a 12 volt battery which is heavy.
I also kept one of those 2 stair folding step thingies that people use around the house to reach the higher cupboards etc. in the boat.
Putting that into the water at the side of the boat when I was using the beach instead of a dock gave me something to hang onto to get in and out and then allowed me to go from sitting on it to a standing position safely.
A clip attached to the tow rope and then attached to a strap on my
lifejacket ensured that the boat wouldn't drift off even if it did leave the shore while I was getting in and out.

A welding shop might be able to put a couple of wheels onto the legs of the ladder thingie so that you could use it to put the deflated raft, battery and motor onto for transport to the water and back to your truck, like a dolly. My boat had a trailer so I was OK getting it into and out of the water.

Thanks for the pics. Nice to see such a placid scene. And yes, you have nice feet .

With love, Erika