Some final skin-bearing days

Ok, so it snowed in Denver yesterday. Not exactly bathing suit weather, but for you East Coasters with your 80 degree weather, let's take a look at some river activities.

I love rivers. Probably because you don't get sticky from salt and there are no sharks. I suppose in some areas you'd come across alligators or piranhas or crocodiles, but in that case, you're on your own for activities. But, if you live somewhere where the water is wild and you probably won't get eaten alive, then try some river activities!

Here are a few of the activities I've either enjoyed myself or at least researched in the past few years...

River tubing - The most relaxing of the bunch, this is a fine way to spend a lazy Saturday with friends. Along the Virginia/North Carolina border, Dan River tubing is a trip that can take up to three hours, depending on the height of the river. Make sure to pack a cooler, rent an extra smaller tube, plop the cooler in it and tie it all up to your own floatation device. Just beware, whoever in your group is physically attached to the cooler should have a pretty high tolerance.

White Water Rafting - Another exciting group activity, this can be done by novices on an office retreat, or regulars who just love a water rodeo. No matter how many times you've gone, it's always exciting to see who will fall into the raft, and who might fall out. Just make sure to wear helmets and life jackets and go feet-first downriver if you're thrown. The James River in Richmond, VA is one of the few cities in the world which offers natural white water rapids in the city. Unfortunately, it looks like the City of Richmond Department of Parks, Recreation, & Community Facilities has ceased private rafting companies' operations in the area. Check into this more if you're local.

Kayaking - This is a more independent sport, one in which you can battle your previous ability to get through pounding rapids time and time again. I recommend taking at least one or two roll clinics in a pool or other still water recreation area, so you know what to do if you overturn-- holding your breath underwater hoping to avoid craggy rocks isn't exactly the relaxing atmosphere that might allow you to think of an escape plan without at least some practice. And make sure to go with a buddy if you're a beginner.

And my favorite of all...

River Boarding or Surfing - Ok, I've never actually surfed a river since I can't surf for the life of me. But I have gone down on a boogie board! Make sure you have a helmet, life jacket, and flippers for boarding, and I assume the same minus the flippers if you take an actual surf board. Basically, some river rapids are also surfable standing waves. I went in New Zealand on the mighty Kawarau River with Serious Fun River Surfing company. Literally one of the best days of my life.

Vacation time... over

Ok, so it's been a sore while since I've updated this page. I'm just going to call it my "summer break" and settle it at that. But, since I just went camping last weekend and woke up to inches of snow around the tent, summer is definitely over.

Important updates:
- I've moved from New York! The city had so many things to offer and was such an exciting adventure, but I just got to the point where I couldn't take it anymore. No more big city stress, no more crossing streets in the path of screeching fire engines, no more climing 6 flights of stairs to enter my crappy apartment, and no more subway stench... I've traded it all in for driving, a beautiful duplex rental, friendly neighbors and shop clerks, and mountains! I've relocated to Denver :-)

So, I have plenty of things to update about. Let's start back in July, on a little diddy down in Richmond, Virginia. I actually traveled to the state capital for the wedding of my former roommate(s). But it was also a great chance to check out my home state's capital, one that'd I'd only visited a handful of times before. As a budget traveler, one of my favorite parts was scoring a room in the Sheraton Richmond West Hotel for only $43 on Priceline! This is also perfectly located by Highway 64.


Other than the adorable slow-town backyard wedding, of course, my favorite part of Richmond was meticulous Monument Avenue, which runs straight through downtown Richmond. This beautifully planned street presents a statue in each traffic circle-- mainly Confederate memorials, mind you, but hey, all history should be remembered. Interestingly enough, a sculpture of Arthur Ashe also decorates the avenue. Magnificent trees shade the street's mansions, while the bronze statues glisten in the southern sun. This beautiful street is definitely worth a drive, wherever you may hail from.