gnatweds

Yesterday, we went canoeing. It was a lovely spot about 45 minutes away in a town called Lanesboro. Its this small town, very quaint and old world. It's also got some really gorgeous scenery down the Root River. And it offers outdoors-ey activities like canoeing and inner tubing (essentially you sit on a ring float, like a big car tyre and erh, float downstream.)

Kenneth Tan had previously mentioned this town so we did want to go to check it out and when TK suggested a trip, we jumped at the chance.

We (eugene, me, Kris and TK) piled into a friend, George's Jeep and drove though some pretty scenic areas. The canoe outfitters set us up with two canoes (sits two) and a kayak for George. The outfitter guy goes "everyone's canoed before right?" and we go "yeah, no worries", George's been canoeing/kayaking in seas, so yay...

So we get into the river - Gene is cox (ie steering at the back) and first off it goes all wrong. We head into the river backwards, gene keeps trying to take photos (note this) and we slam into everything possible, a wood pile, the bank (several times) He sends the front of the canoe (and me) into the reeds, I was yelling "steer gene, steer! Forget the damned photos"... it doesn't work so well.

But 20 minutes in (its about a two hour ride) Gene gets the hang of it and it seems pretty cool - we see great scenery, the air is fresh and there's like a water creature that is either a beaver or a water vole that allows us to come fairly close - then we hit a spot of rapids (not really lah, just faster flow cos quite shallow water) and we go in perpendicular to the flow and next thing you know, we're tilting at a crazy angle and this was slow motion for me... I was thinking: "ohhhh, f*******k" and the world tips, tips, tiiipps and then...SPLASH DOWN.

Nat's first thought: *insert hokkien vulgarity*

Nat's second thought: *Its super damned cold!* (I also holler this)

Nat's third thought: *Where are my slippers?"

Luckily, the rest of the chaps come to our rescue. TK bravely took off shirt and plunged into icy waist deep water to help us upturn the canoe... Kristin and George go after Gene's shoes and oars and what not.

Gene is laughing hysterically at this point.

The theory is that we hit something submerged. I shan't tell you what my theory is..

Anyway. Drama over. We decide to jump back into the boat and I decide, that's it, I'm coxing. And the rest of the way proceeds without much more drama - except once when I did not pay attention and heh, almost hit (or did I hit?) the bank as well.

Except. Gene is brought - in addition to his camera - everything on board, including his passport, his 02 PDA, his phone. He says he didn't think a canoe would capsize. I didn't think we'd capsize as well, I actually have never capsized before either - but hey, there's always the first time.

We have invested in a couple of waterproof bags after G did his phone in in Bali when we crested a wave in a small outrigger and *bamf* got soaked - we were trying to get to a dive site - but hahhahah, G didn't bring them. He had thought: "Minn is land-locked, so why bring them?"

The short version of the story: Bye bye electronica. Also bye bye to my sunglasses.

The rest of the canoeing trip was spent in much sullen silence. Mainly cos I was freezing. But it was very nice nontheless - and there was a doggie who jumped into the river to say hi, very cute, if super hyper active. Gene got grumpy towards the end because he was tired of paddling. Then, it started raining. *Nat gets even colder*
But I can feel my abs today, so it was a great workout and am quite thankful for that small mercy because last night, TK had a BBQ at his place and gosh, I ate so much. We brought our chao fan (fried rice) - which was a hit.

Today, Gene is trying to resuscitate his electronica with a hiardryer. But I think its all gone lah. Need to get him a new PDA and stuff. This is going to be expensive.

Wait. Here's the irony. Eugene and Gina Wee are in Chicago, but we gave it a miss cos it was a bit hectic and ahem, I thought it was going to be a bit expensive.