ETC: Everyday Thoughts Collected - Latest Comments in The Best Kayaking Trip Ever - A Survivors Story

Re: The Best Kayaking Trip Ever - A Survivors Story

Randy — Tue, 22 May 2007 10:52:14 -0000

Thanks Mike T.

Re: The Best Kayaking Trip Ever - A Survivors Story

Mike T. — Tue, 22 May 2007 09:33:12 -0000

Oh... my... gosh...

The bottom of my jaw is getting rashes from hitting the ground and staying there. W O W ! ! ! ! ! !

I thank God that you're still alive, Randy. And your friend too. Please give each other hugs from me the next time you see each other.

Wow.

Re: The Best Kayaking Trip Ever - A Survivors Story

Mike T. — Tue, 22 May 2007 03:00:00 -0000

Oh... my... gosh...
The bottom of my jaw is getting rashes from hitting the ground and staying there. W O W ! ! ! ! ! !
I thank God that you're still alive, Randy. And your friend too. Please give each other hugs from me the next time you see each other.
Wow.

Re: The Best Kayaking Trip Ever - A Survivors Story

RThomasETC — Mon, 21 May 2007 17:42:40 -0000

I forgot to mention that when we were in the canoe towing the kayak back to the sandy beach...we saw another big alligator maybe 4 or 5 feet. That's big to me.

Re: The Best Kayaking Trip Ever - A Survivors Story

RThomasETC — Mon, 21 May 2007 17:24:31 -0000

Well, I don't know about that Fay. I had my wallet stolen last fall and that was its own unique sense of horrible. That and your dog possibly being poisoned... I don't think the two experiences can really be compared. Both are terrible and we both lived through them.

Good to see you here.

Re: The Best Kayaking Trip Ever - A Survivors Story

Fay — Mon, 21 May 2007 11:07:15 -0000

Well, you win! I'll take flat-tire-stolen-card-dog-poisoning over dark-water-snake-alligator adventure ANY day -- as long as I have a phone to call the bank :) Oh, and thanks, Candy's very much alive and back to her old adorable self.

Re: The Best Kayaking Trip Ever - A Survivors Story

RThomasETC — Mon, 21 May 2007 09:18:57 -0000

Susan, thanks for the relief... me too. I watched it on the Discover channel once. They make this orp orp kind of sound that is usually a call to their siblings or mother. Yep, you got the environment right. I couldn't move. I mean...if push came to shove I would have had to investigate some way to get through the underbrush but the more prudent of the two disasterous paths would be to follow the water back (by swimming.)

Thank goodness I didn't have to do either.

Re: The Best Kayaking Trip Ever - A Survivors Story

RThomasETC — Mon, 21 May 2007 09:15:41 -0000

Thank you Jack... amazing is a good word for it :).

Re: The Best Kayaking Trip Ever - A Survivors Story

Susan H — Mon, 21 May 2007 06:27:58 -0000

Oh.My.Goodness!!! Reading your story, just when I thought it couldn't get worse... it did!

My favorite parts though were your interactions with Jr, the baby alligator. But I'm trying to figure out just what Jr did 'the baby gator thing again' that made you paranoid. I'm thinking he started cryin' for his Mom?!

"What are you doing up on the log?" You must have looked very out of place.... snake sunning itself, Jr. 3 ft away enjoying your singing... Mucky water, no real path along the river for 'hiking'... no stepping stones to walk out to that log 'just for the fun of it'.

Truly, I'm Very relieved to know you and TBT are okay and I just know for years to come this will be a funny story to retell over and over again.

Re: The Best Kayaking Trip Ever - A Survivors Story

Jack Yan — Mon, 21 May 2007 05:29:24 -0000

Wow, Randy, that was an amazing trip all right. I am glad you and TBT are safe.

Re: The Best Kayaking Trip Ever - A Survivors Story

Randy — Mon, 21 May 2007 05:04:51 -0000

Thanks Cheryl.

Re: The Best Kayaking Trip Ever - A Survivors Story

Cheryl — Mon, 21 May 2007 03:00:00 -0000

That's really intense, Randy. I'm sorry you had to face mockery when you were so tired and I'm glad the Lord provided for TBT at the right time. Sounds like some warfare.
Jim Elliot used to say, "you're immortal till your task is done." The Lord still has much in mind for you and for TBT.
Singing was a great thing to do. It serves as a shield and focuses our eyes on Jesus.
I'm glad you're okay.

Re: The Best Kayaking Trip Ever - A Survivors Story

Fay — Mon, 21 May 2007 03:00:00 -0000

Re: The Best Kayaking Trip Ever - A Survivors Story

Randy — Mon, 21 May 2007 03:00:00 -0000

Re: The Best Kayaking Trip Ever - A Survivors Story

Jack Yan — Mon, 21 May 2007 03:00:00 -0000

Wow, Randy, that was an amazing trip all right. I am glad you and TBT are safe.

Re: The Best Kayaking Trip Ever - A Survivors Story

Susan H — Mon, 21 May 2007 03:00:00 -0000

Oh.My.Goodness!!! Reading your story, just when I thought it couldn't get worse... it did!
My favorite parts though were your interactions with Jr, the baby alligator. But I'm trying to figure out just what Jr did 'the baby gator thing again' that made you paranoid. I'm thinking he started cryin' for his Mom?!
"What are you doing up on the log?" You must have looked very out of place.... snake sunning itself, Jr. 3 ft away enjoying your singing... Mucky water, no real path along the river for 'hiking'... no stepping stones to walk out to that log 'just for the fun of it'.
Truly, I'm Very relieved to know you and TBT are okay and I just know for years to come this will be a funny story to retell over and over again.

Re: The Best Kayaking Trip Ever - A Survivors Story

Cheryl — Sun, 20 May 2007 20:01:16 -0000

That's really intense, Randy. I'm sorry you had to face mockery when you were so tired and I'm glad the Lord provided for TBT at the right time. Sounds like some warfare.

Jim Elliot used to say, "you're immortal till your task is done." The Lord still has much in mind for you and for TBT.

Singing was a great thing to do. It serves as a shield and focuses our eyes on Jesus.

I'm glad you're okay.

Re: The Best Kayaking Trip Ever - A Survivors Story

Randy — Sun, 20 May 2007 17:29:18 -0000

Please, I posted this with the hope of working this story every which way possible with a good strong desire we could all laugh about parts of it... even at my expense :).

The only parts that are kind of not up for funny to me was TBT's health and "the moment" I had with the Lord. Now, laugh about how that moment truly was a literal "moment" lasting at the most five seconds... yes that is worth laughing about.

I am already thinking along the lines of really over-embellishing the story in fun comedic post.

Re: The Best Kayaking Trip Ever - A Survivors Story

Maureen — Sun, 20 May 2007 17:05:44 -0000

make that "I wouldn't trade them for anything."

Re: The Best Kayaking Trip Ever - A Survivors Story

Maureen — Sun, 20 May 2007 17:02:30 -0000

That is the Best Kayaking Trip Ever! Do you know how cool that story is going to be 5 years, 10 years, 20 years from now? Hopefully you and TBT will be friends then and can tell it together sometimes. I have some frightening float-trip/camping stories from down around the Missouri-Arkansas border, and they just get better with age. I wouldn't trade them or anything.

Be glad no one was seriously injured and thank God for that experience!!

And thanks for sharing. I'm still laughing. I know that may not have been your intent, but still...

Re: The Best Kayaking Trip Ever - A Survivors Story

Maureen — Sun, 20 May 2007 03:00:00 -0000

That is the Best Kayaking Trip Ever! Do you know how cool that story is going to be 5 years, 10 years, 20 years from now? Hopefully you and TBT will be friends then and can tell it together sometimes. I have some frightening float-trip/camping stories from down around the Missouri-Arkansas border, and they just get better with age. I wouldn't trade them or anything.
Be glad no one was seriously injured and thank God for that experience!!
And thanks for sharing. I'm still laughing. I know that may not have been your intent, but still...

Re: The Best Kayaking Trip Ever - A Survivors Story

Randy — Sun, 20 May 2007 03:00:00 -0000

Please, I posted this with the hope of working this story every which way possible with a good strong desire we could all laugh about parts of it... even at my expense :).
The only parts that are kind of not up for funny to me was TBT's health and "the moment" I had with the Lord. Now, laugh about how that moment truly was a literal "moment" lasting at the most five seconds... yes that is worth laughing about.
I am already thinking along the lines of really over-embellishing the story in fun comedic post.