Vacation was great this last weekend. Wren and I went to Arkansas last Friday through Sunday with his sister Natalie and her husband Dustin. Wren and I have been talking about wanting to Kayak this summer but haven't had a chance until this last weekend. Both of us grew up enjoying Oklahoma's lakes and rivers and, since we've been back home, have been anxious to find a mutually enjoyable way to spend time on the water. I've always thought it would be exciting to kayak down some of Oklahoma's many rivers, most of which are open for anyone to enjoy. However, we don't own a kayak or a canoe and most rivers are off the beaten path and don't have official places to rent equipment. The rivers that do have equipment rentals are fairly popular and can sometimes be crowded. As much as I find those places enjoyable, I've always thought it would be fun to find a river that is virtually undiscovered. I don't know how practical that is but it sounds adventurous.
In leaning toward the practical, we decided to travel to Arkansas to kayak down the White river. The section of the White river that we chose is near the historic town of Eureka Springs originally settled in the early 1800's. It's a cute little town who's historic district is filled with adorable Victorian homes and cobble stone sidewalks. It's become more and more of a tourist town over the years but that doesn't detract from it's small mountain town charm.
We stayed about 10 miles outside of Eureka Springs right next door to the section of river that we were planning to float. The temperature was in the high 70's with a slight breeze. The water in the White river is so clear that, even in some of it's deepest areas, you can see it's river rock bottom and variety of fish. The temperature of the water is too cold for swimming but is perfect for cooling off with a slight slap of the paddle on the water's surface.
We all decided to take the 5 mile trip down the river not knowing exactly how long it would take us to get to our final destination. It was the perfect choice which took us about 2 and 1/2 hours. We took several pictures on the way down but haven't gotten them back yet.
As you've probably guessed, we left Alea behind for the first time since her birth. Wren and I have both had nights away from her separately but never at the same time. She stayed with my mom and dad and had a great time. In fact, the night we got home we asked her at dinner if she was happy to sleep in her own bed again. She said, "no, Namaw's house". We said again, "so we'll stay here and you'll go sleep at Namaw's?". "Oh ya" she said. I think that's a good indication that she had a good time. We really did miss her and were glad to get back to some sweet hugs and kisses.
We had a wonderful time and can't wait to do it again. While we were there we started taking "next time" notes and should probably have the perfect vacation planned for next summer. You and Dustin still in Nat?
I'll post pics as soon as I have them as well as a few more vacation details.
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