What a difference a water release makes

In July, we spent a weekend camping in the Catskills, and went tubing down Esopus Creek. We had such a great time that we decided to do it again for Labor Day Weekend. The first time, the scheduled water release from an upstream reservoir was canceled, but we still got a fun ride through the rapids. This weekend, another water release was scheduled—and this time it wasn't canceled.

What a difference! Where the first trip gave us a fun ride, we got the aquatic version of Mr. Toad's Wild Ride this weekend. It took every ounce of balance and maneuvering for me to stay in the tube, and even that wasn't enough. On our second run down the creek, I fell off within the first few minutes, barely hanging onto the tube and scraping skin off my side in the process.

I brought home a battle scar, but what fun we had! Quite the opposite of the lazy Shenandoah, the only other river I've tubed on. Everyone should try it!