Friday, August 21, 2009

Colorado Part 3

Whitewater rafting! Okay, so you've likely seen the picture of our rafting trip--here's a couple more:
Wednesday we rafted down the Arkansas River through the Royal Gorge. It was a BLAST!!! The only problem was that the 2-3 hour rafting trip turned into 5. An hour into the trip, we went over a pretty big rapid. We pulled over (being the lead raft) and waited for the others, making sure everyone got through fine. Two people from other rafts fell out of their boats, and one guys swam to his. A lady clung to a rock, and then was pulled in with a rope. Our guide got out to help her, along with another guide. Our boat stayed on the side while he checked her out.

Soon, we found out that she wasn't responding well. Sara, my sister in law and also a nurse, got out and said she had likely suffered a stroke! It took an hour and a half for 6 guides to get her to safety--they brought her to the other side of the river (on a raft!), lifted her up the side of the canyon to the railroad track where a truck picked her up and brought her to town. Our guide finally made it back (he'd gone with her) and we finished out the trip. They said this type of thing happens once a year MAYBE, and it just so happened on our trip! Crazy.

We hope to be back next year!

4 comments:

Allen and Debby Graber said...

Goodness! Maybe I shouldn't go down such rapids. I could see me suffering a stroke too if I got thrown out!

Beki - TheRustedChain said...

Whoa, that's the exact same one we did - down through the Gorge. But your trip sounds much more event filled than our's was!

Amy W said...

What an amazing adventure! :)

Sheryl Kenoyer said...

Oh my goodness......That truly is an adventure!