(Not) floating/rafting down the American River

Darina has a nice little post about the adventure on Saturday that she took on with the boys that says things better than I can (and which saves me time in blogging because I obviously blog so frequently that it is a huge time sink ;) !). They floated about 7 miles down the American River on the contraptions you will see pictured below!

Needless to say, (according to Shomir), I may have missed out on the fun by ducking out (after learning the estimated time afloat and having to be back by 6 p.m. to be on newborn pager call/take care of Kate's dog Lefty), but Darina was pretty roughed up and I'm not sure she's going back.

Some pictures (half of which I stole from her!)...

The poster child on the box (doesn't he look real? And a lightweight, too, don't you think?!) :) Recall that these rafts were supposed to hold no more than 120 lbs.

Blowing them up.... took a lot of windpower, let me tell you!

All blown up and ready to go

Trying them out (on the asphalt) from left, Alex, (me and Shom in back), Darina, and Dinh Hai
En route to the water's edge... Dinh Hai and Darina posing before the ordealAlex looks a bit skeptical that the raft will hold his weight (Shomir, however, plunges ahead)...

Maybe this will work after all...
Shomir looks very gleeful...Alice points out that, "they're off!"Alice and instead took a walk along the American River bike trail and also went down to the River where we saw this cute doggie swimming for his ball :)

Note that there are no "after" pictures of this ordeal... see Darina's blog for details... However, most of us are back at work and alive.