So we get there around 10:30 pm and wait for our group, after signing some wavers, you go into the buildings basement where you are giving a whole wet suit. First you put on the pants, well they are more like overalls, and you have to shimmy your body in lol. They you get a coat, booties and mittens. I can't remember what it's called, but essentially a wet suit takes the cold water you get on you and your body heats it up in this material so you stay warm, it's incredible because you really do. Your not supposed to where any cotton under it, it holds no heat. I wore spandex capries and under armor under my suit. Honestly, the wet suits are freaking cool, you look like you know what your doing as soon as its on lol. Then you get the huge puffy livevest they strap you in and an oar. You get packed on a bus and sent miles up the river.
We went in inflatable rafts. On mine was me, Jeff, my mom and a woman named brenda plus our guide. there was probably ten or so rafts that came along with us. Ironically my friend Melissa Maze from highschool was one of the guides, I had no idea! And my old highschool teacher Mr. T was there with some students. Anywhoo.
The first leg of the trip is breathtaking. I can't even describe the beauty of zoar valley from the river. Amazing. The water is calm in this part, and we are rowing through cliffs, and hills, forests, it's amazing. Down all the jagged cliffs, water falls are everywhere, some small, some big bursting over the rough edges. The amazing thing about going in the beginning of April is much is still frozen, so many of this mini water falls would be totally ice on top with water flowing from benthe, looking straight up was just amazing. The hills, the trees, the water the smell, and all the while you stay warm even though icicles hang from the cliff edges. One wall of cliff was all ice.
We stopped, had some hot tomato soup, and carried on to the rapids! It was INCREDIBLE huge rocks and whirlpools, waves, and bumps, you drop, whip around, turn fall, and get so soaked! I have to say that everyone in our raft feel out at somepoint! If you fall out you must try to get with a boat and they pull you up by the lifevest. The rapids just rip and it's like a mini roller coaster, adjusting your body to not fall or slip. Falling out was actually fun, to say you went overboard. I wasn't scared, I was with jeff and I knew he would grab and pull me in right away which he did. However when he fell, he went in more choppy waters and I was freaking out. Imagine seeing the one person who is your world, trapped in crashing waves with big rocks getting thrown all over! I was screaming JEFF! He finally got to the raft and all I could hold on to was his foot, I could get him in! He kept yelling at me to let him go, but trying tell your brain that it's ok to let the love of your life, whos been smashing in the river, to let him go back! But I did eventually so he could grab on forward and had others help me pull him up. I don't like Jeff being in turmoil lol. I'm pretty sure or vessel got stuck in every possible shallow spot, we were constantly stuck.
Near the end of the trip we hit another rough patch and it threw our guide off! We were paddling so hard lol, luckly jeff got out once we were out of the rapids, pulled the boat to the edge as we waited for our guide.
Needless to say it was amazing, it was so fun, so freeing, so breath taking, so tiring, so cold, and so worth it.
This is the place we went through if you want to check it out http://www.zoarvalleyrafting.com/rafting_tips.php3
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