Over the 4th of July holiday weekend a few friends and I drove down to the Guadeloupe River to camp and float. I had been looking forward to the trip for a few weeks, but approximately 30 minutes before I left work my mom called to tell me that there was a Flash Flood Warning for where we were supposed to be. I got worried, called Amye and Brooks to see what the deal was. We decided to head down anyway and if we had to get a hotel then that would be our back up plan.
We arrived at the campsite around 11pm, couldn't find the office, finally found the office but didn't find anyone that worked there. Now, Blake called earlier in the week to make sure they had our reservations, which they didn't, and told them we wouldn't be there until between 10 and 11pm, and they didn't seem to have any problems with that. But still, we had no idea what to do. We finally made the decision to set up camp and just deal with it in the morning.
We chose a spot my the river because that's what we had requested and it didn't matter if it rained, b/c there was a 6 foot drop off before you got to the river. (or so we thought) Well, right when we started to set up the tent it started raining. We got it set up and the precise moment we finished the rain stopped. Great. This was exactly how the rest of the next 24 hours went.
It sprinkled off and on while we hung out for a few hours then we decided to try and get some sleep around 3 or 3:30. Well about 4am it started POURING. And it kept POURING for the next hour and a half. Of course, being a worrier, I didn't get any sleep. Brooks and Amye were just as nervous as I was so about 5:30 we decided we had to do something. In the mean time Blake was passed out. I mean what if the river was flooding and we couldn't see it? All our bags were in the cab of the truck and all the coolers and chairs were outside by the picnic table. We had to figure out how to get the bags to a dry place so we could fit ourselves in the truck along with all the coolers and such in the bed of the truck. We decided to take the bags up to the office porch b/c it was covered. Blake was still passed out. Come to find out it was mostly wet up there too, but we made it work. We wake Blake up and head up to the office (thanks for your help brah). It's approximately 6:00am now and we finally find someone that works there. This guy's definitely a character, that's all I'll say. He invites us into the office, which is also a trailer house, (this is a VERY classy establishment if you can't tell) and we check the weather. The rain lets up a little, now it's only sprinkling, so we decide to go move the tent up a level. That was the easy part because all we had to do was the stakes up so the boys could carry the tent up. We put our bags inside the tent and decided to go get some breakfast.
It still isn't even 8am yet.
We eat our breakfast tacos, which Blake things are God's gift to man, and then decide to make a trip to HEB for "supplies". I think we're the only ones in there buying alcohol at 9am. Is that a good or bad thing. I mean it could be a sign of a good weekend right?
We get back to camp and it's dry enough to set up our canopy/tarp wall, but yet again it starts raining. Of course all our chairs are wet from being outside all night so we decide to put on our bathing suites and get in the river. I mean there's only wet or dry with no in-between and we had been wet since we first got there. Who cares if it's raining. Our friend Tobee was supposed to be coming after lunch so we keep asking "what time is it, where's Tobee?"
It's only 10:00. That day lasted for-ev-er.
Tobee gets there, the boys have their little bromance reunion and Amye and I go back to HEB to get seasoning for our burgers and more "supplies", ya know, so the boys can have their "catch up" time. We cook burgers, hang out, drink a little (or a lot in some cases) and then go to bed.
I wake up when the sun comes up (7am) after approximately 5 hours of sleep in 48 hours, eat a granola bar and go back to bed. I was not smart like Amye who went to bed early the night before. We get ready to float and head out right after lunch, sometime between 12 and 1. I put on sunscreen, but I guess I didn't get enough on my shins, b/c they got BURNT TO A CRISP. Blake decided to punch a rock. Ok, not really. The boys were gonna go down some rapids "wild man" style (on your hands and knees on the tube instead of sitting in the tube) and let's just say the rapids won. Amye took a nap or two. And we made new friends. A good time was had by all.
We cooked out again, hung out again, drank a little again and went to bed.
On sunday (the 4th) we decided to take a day trip to Natural Bridge Caverns, which turned out to be more expensive than I wanted to pay, so we ended up in Greune for lunch and a little shopping. Tobee left us and Brooks, Blake, Amye and I headed back to camp to float again. All day Blake went around wishing everyone "Happy America Day". People seemed to find it funny. Guess it was a new term for them. For the most part Sunday was a little more calm. We cooked out once again and after dinner we decided to go find some fireworks. After a 30 minute drive one way we found the fireworks stand. We returned with 600 black cats, 2 packages of roman candles, and 4 packages of sparklers. We had a good time.
We packed up on monday morning and headed out. We decided to go through Fredericksburg and Johnson City so we could stop for peaches and jerky and so we could avoid the traffic on I35. We "meandered" our way home. Stopped in Lampasses to eat at Storms and got back to Fort Worth around 4. I get home, unpack, and go to bed.
Here's a few things I'll leave you with - quotes from our trip. Some are old repeats from stories some are new from this trip. Enjoy!
• Wop Wop - Who is that little girl and why did she just squak at you?
• Why can't we cross the street? - We're waiting for Officer Stop. He has a stun gun.
• Not with that attitude!
• This is why we can't have nice things.
• Sorry for partying
• Not sorry for partying
• I came to party
• I don't know you so let me help you out *shove*
• Frat me a Bronson
• Bro-anything. examples include Broheiman Rhapsody, Brobot, Bro Montana, Bro Namath, Broprah, Brodeo.
• Let's do all the things you want to do.
• I think your invite got lost in the mail
• Boom, Roasted!
• It's Africa Hot!
• Ca-prounce
• 332-888888
• It's the Bee's knees
• It's the Cat's pajamas
• Have you eaten anything in the last few days? - I'm on a liquid diet.
• You know how I know you're gay...
• Does this rag smell like chloroform to you?
and finally...
•
Happy America Day!
Sorry there are no pics, I'm waiting on Brooks and Amye to post them on facebook. They have them all because their cameras were waterproof. I'll add them as soon as I can.
PICTURES POSTED!!
love,
jules
