like ned beatty once said, what happens at the river, stays at the riverI could write many more pages about that trip, like almost all of us becoming "clothing optional."
Share your bucket list ideas
- Thread starter BamaHoHo
- Start date
Yep. I'll tell one anecdote. We had only one female paddler. We'll call her "Joanie." She was the photographer for Southeastern Expeditions on the Chatooga during the summer, but she was a schoolmarm during the school year and looked the part, rimless specs and all. She broke the gender line in "clothes optional." After a couple of days, the guys started bathing in the river at the end of the day and you just couldn't get out of view, because the little beach camping spots were so tiny. Anyway, about the third day, I had my back to the beach and somebody let out a wolf whistle. I turned around, and here came Joanie, marching down to the river, sans clothes. We pitched her in and most of the females started bathing naked. It may be hard to believe, but you really don't notice after a couple of days. A couple of days after that, we stayed over a day and some of us hiked up Tapeats Creek to where it came out of the cliff. 115F, and I was dry, except for under my day pack. My (ex) wife decided not to go. When we were coming back, just before the creek bursts through a cliff and falls down to the beach, there was a beautiful blue pool. I was hiking with Joanie, and we stopped to admire it. She turned to me and said "I will, if you will."like ned beatty once said, what happens at the river, stays at the river
We shucked our clothes off and jumped in. It was great relief from the heat and salty skin. Right then, a group of older people, who were with a rafting company that specialized in them (provided COTS, for God's sake), came by, gawking at us. One guy paused by us and his wife reached back, grabbed him and said "Come on, Harry." That same raft company was the one which lost a passenger years later at Crystal, when my daughter was there, by foolishly deciding to run the rapid, rather than lining their raft. The guy who drowned was, IIRC, 62. Well, two anecdotes, I guess...
Because I had an awesome Dad who loved to travel, I've done a lot of the ones on the original article's list.
My additions:
--Israel
--Eqypt to see the pyramids
--India
--Nepal (Absolutely zero interest in climbing Everest, but would love to see it from below.)
--Vietnam (watched the nightly news reports from there during elementary & hr. high.)
--China
--Multiple spots in the Caribbean
--sidelines for a Bama game in Tuscaloosa
--Rwanda (have a standing invite from friends there)
--beaches of Normandy
--A swing through Norway, Sweden, & Finland
--Masters in GA
--Packers game in November (I want it to be cold, but not Ice Bowl cold!)
--Duke - UNC hoops game
--game in every SEC stadium (mrs. exiled & I are currently working on that one.)
--North Sea Jazz Festival in Holland
(Dang! I better get busy traveling! )
My additions:
--Israel
--Eqypt to see the pyramids
--India
--Nepal (Absolutely zero interest in climbing Everest, but would love to see it from below.)
--Vietnam (watched the nightly news reports from there during elementary & hr. high.)
--China
--Multiple spots in the Caribbean
--sidelines for a Bama game in Tuscaloosa
--Rwanda (have a standing invite from friends there)
--beaches of Normandy
--A swing through Norway, Sweden, & Finland
--Masters in GA
--Packers game in November (I want it to be cold, but not Ice Bowl cold!)
--Duke - UNC hoops game
--game in every SEC stadium (mrs. exiled & I are currently working on that one.)
--North Sea Jazz Festival in Holland
(Dang! I better get busy traveling!
)
back in the mid-90's on section iv there was a couple that at the time appeared to be in their mid-late 30s that liked to hang out nekkid (they always wore tennis shoes) on the river right bank just past long creek falls. they were there just about every time we went by for a year or two (at that time, i was usually getting on section iv 5-6 times a month). we always waved and said howdy as we floated past, they always smiled and waved back.Yep. I'll tell one anecdote. We had only one female paddler. We'll call her "Joanie." She was the photographer for Southeastern Expeditions on the Chatooga during the summer, but she was a schoolmarm during the school year and looked the part, rimless specs and all. She broke the gender line in "clothes optional." After a couple of days, the guys started bathing in the river at the end of the day and you just couldn't get out of view, because the little beach camping spots were so tiny. Anyway, about the third day, I had my back to the beach and somebody let out a wolf whistle. I turned around, and here came Joanie, marching down to the river, sans clothes. We pitched her in and most of the females started bathing naked. It may be hard to believe, but you really don't notice after a couple of days. A couple of days after that, we stayed over a day and some of us hiked up Tapeats Creek to where it came out of the cliff. 115F, and I was dry, except for under my day pack. My (ex) wife decided not to go. When we were coming back, just before the creek bursts through a cliff and falls down to the beach, there was a beautiful blue pool. I was hiking with Joanie, and we stopped to admire it. She turned to me and said "I will, if you will."
the communal facilities at southeastern took me a day or two to get used to
(my buddy worked there 94-97 and i would crash either in a bunkhouse or the field if there was no space.)
My daughter guided for them and then on the Ocoee later for Sunburst. That was my connection to them. I paddled IV on a pretty regular basis. I'd paddle across Tugaloo with them and we'd throw my yak on top for a ride back to the top. I was an unofficial safety boater. I never saw the couple, but I was a few years before you. The last time I ran IV, it was at 2.75, came closer to dying at 'Dog, than I want to admit...back in the mid-90's on section iv there was a couple that at the time appeared to be in their mid-late 30s that liked to hang out nekkid (they always wore tennis shoes) on the river right bank just past long creek falls. they were there just about every time we went by for a year or two (at that time, i was usually getting on section iv 5-6 times a month). we always waved and said howdy as we floated past, they always smiled and waved back.
the communal facilities at southeastern took me a day or two to get used to
LOL! Nothing like that has ever happened to me.Yep. I'll tell one anecdote. We had only one female paddler. We'll call her "Joanie." She was the photographer for Southeastern Expeditions on the Chatooga during the summer, but she was a schoolmarm during the school year and looked the part, rimless specs and all. She broke the gender line in "clothes optional." After a couple of days, the guys started bathing in the river at the end of the day and you just couldn't get out of view, because the little beach camping spots were so tiny. Anyway, about the third day, I had my back to the beach and somebody let out a wolf whistle. I turned around, and here came Joanie, marching down to the river, sans clothes. We pitched her in and most of the females started bathing naked. It may be hard to believe, but you really don't notice after a couple of days. A couple of days after that, we stayed over a day and some of us hiked up Tapeats Creek to where it came out of the cliff. 115F, and I was dry, except for under my day pack. My (ex) wife decided not to go. When we were coming back, just before the creek bursts through a cliff and falls down to the beach, there was a beautiful blue pool. I was hiking with Joanie, and we stopped to admire it. She turned to me and said "I will, if you will."
I could write many more pages about that trip, like almost all of us becoming "clothing optional."
I think this should, instead, be everyone posting their favorite life experiences - give us all bucket list ideas. Because really, all of the recommended bucket list ideas are pretty much "Go to Paris," "Go to China," "Go skydiving," etc. I want more than just go do this or go there. I want the "raft through the Grand Canyon naked" kinds of ideas.
Sorry. No one rafted naked.
Some of the female raft guides on the small rafts did, but the sight of them unfortunately made you avert your eyes... :eek2:
Well, whatever happened on that trip has resulted in the addition of "raft naked through the Grand Canyon" on my bucket list.Sorry. No one rafted naked.
On my sports bucket list, some things are going have to happen. I been to 4 Women's College World Series, was there in the rain we won the Championship. I missed this past year when we were runners up to Florida. I think I had more fun when we won the Softball Championship than the 2 National Championship Football games I've been to. I've never been to the Baseball College World Series. For my dream to happen the Baseball team has to get back to the World Series and then the Softball team has to make it in the same year. If that were to happen, which is not out of the realm of possibility. I would go to OKC Memorial Day weekend and attend the WCWS then travel around out west somewhere for the 10 days. I would finish my dream sports vacation in Omaha at the CWC. What would may the trip even better is if we were able to win both.
If you poke around and do a little research, there are probably such trips. Ask the average age, though...
If you get a chance go to Normandy. See the beaches and stare at the cliffs. Then cry with awe and pride at the row after row of beautiful crosses and stars of David that fill the American cemetery. The phrase proud to be an American will have a whole new meaning. Blessed to have been there during the 50th anniversary of DDay.
Last edited:
My wife and I had to break it up over 2 different summers, but we basically did the Lewis & Clark loop. It was pretty amazing. We started in St. Louis and watched a Nat Geo produced Lewis & Clark video inside the bottom of the arch. We made our way West eventually turning south and going to Yellowstone when we got near Wyoming. We did this all driving.
2 years later, on a separate trip we made our way up the west coast along the Pacific Coast Highway. I've been to nearly every National Park/Forest/Monument there is, but none of them compare to the Redwoods. It feels like you're in a land where Hobbits, Orcs and Elves exist. It's like nothing else. Anyway we eventually ended up at the mouth of the Columbia River and visited Fort Clatsop. It was an incredibly exhausting journey by car, I can't imagine spending years out there on foot. It gives you a whole new perspective on how this country was settled and it's an absolute must-do trip.
This one's very high on my list. It already was, but then I befriended 2 DDay veterans, 1 of them a pathfinder. Thus, his were among the first boots to land on Hitler's "Fortress Europe." I told him I thought of him all throughout "Saving Private Ryan;" he just smiled & said, "I don't much watch movies like that one."
I have in my home office a baggie of dirt from Omaha Beach & another from Utah Beach at Normandy (thanks to an awesome buddy!). I look at them often & just ponder & be thankful. My buddy--an Army vet himself--got to participate in the flag-lowering ceremony at the cemetery there at dusk. He said that's one of the greatest privileges he'll ever have on earth.
<thread digression ends; back to the bucket lists!>
The best trip I've taken was to Glacier National Park. It should be on everyone's bucket list. Just across the Canadian border is Waterton National Park. Also breath taking. We left Waterton, spent the night in Calgary then drove to Banff and up through Jasper. If you like mountains, it's amazing.
This is the Prince of Wales hotel in Waterton. There was much more snow when we were there.
Latest threads
-
No. 1 Visits Tuscaloosa for Second Straight Week as Alabama Hosts Top-Ranked Texas A&M- Started by Diamond Tide
- Replies: 0
-
-
I'm Declaring the Emporer has no clothes (NCAA rules implosion)- Started by BamaNation
- Replies: 26
-
Home-and-Home Series Wraps Up as Alabama Welcomes UAB on Tuesday
- Started by Diamond Tide
- Replies: 1
-
-
A huge win today at my doctor's office...- Started by uafan4life
- Replies: 4