Floating the Buffalo Submitted by: Jim Ford - 09/08/08 11:41 am

Floating the Buffalo How do you float a Buffalo? You have to be real careful, sneak up on it, and slide a really BIG life jacket around it! On a recent July morning, Haley and I set out to float or canoe down the Buffalo River. Only a 2 hour drive from Conway, we figured it would be a great way to have fun, explore nature, hang with our neighbors, and teach Haley how to canoe. If you plan it out, the cost really isn't very much and there's so much to do and see. Another great way to spend time and stay healthy with my little girl. We got up early and met up with 12 of our neighbors. Figured it'd be a good way to get to know some of the folks we didn't know well. Haley was sporting her pink Razorbacks hat, just like Ms. Kellye! Haley and Mr. Gary thought it'd be funny to hide a remote controlled fart machine under Kellye's seat and we got a huge laugh out of it. We made it to a little outside Gilbert where we waited in an old country store until a big yellow school bus hauling canoes showed up. It was like a scene from Deliverance. Buford or someone like that shows up missing some teeth and talking at 1 mile per hour, told us all the rules of the river. Basically, no glass containers. But it took him 10 minutes to get that out! We set out, all excited! This was Haley's first time to canoe outside a pond, although I'd been canoeing for years at Camp of the Pines. It was frustrating at first, as we hit our first rapids going fast and backwards! But we found our groove and Haley's a fast learner. After 30 minutes or so, we pulled into an embankment for "refreshments" and swimming. You can see Haley hanging with the girls, Ms. Kellye and Ms. Alicia. I took the opportunity to have a beer with Michael. After a bit, we trekked out again, splashing around and crashing canoes until the next break. Gary and I decided to jump off one of the many beautiful cliffs. From the waters vantage, it looks easy. But once you're up 40 or 50 feet in the air over looking that dangerous precipice, it's a whole new ball game. If it weren't for the beer and fear of looking like a wuss in front of my daughter, I might not have done it! But we did and Haley wanted to try. The highest area was too scary, so we tried one about 12 feet up; which proved too scary after looking over the edge for 10 minutes. So she chose a nice 3 feet drop off and did it several times. Go Haley! We kept going, checking out all kinds of wildlife, fish, snakes, turtles, and more. Mike and Cindy's crew were like the floating party barge with plenty of cold mixed beverages to go around. We stopped at one point to play some football, let the kids swim, fish (Gary caught 2!), and take a bathroom break. Although even though I don't recall anyone leaving the water.... everyone seemed to be relieved nonetheless? Hmm... so Haley and I kept going and I musta had a couple to drink because after some harrassment from those trailing behind... I decided a good ol' fashioned mooning was in order (don't worry, no kids were in site!). After a few guffaws, whistles, and one "Dude!!!!"... we moved on. Till at one point close to the end, we see Michael and Alicia floating with their canoe underwater, empty beer cans floating beside! We helped them right the canoe and clean up the trash just in time to finish the voyage, load up and find dry ground. Exhausted yet happy, we rounded up all our gear, changed into dry clothes, and headed back to Conway (thanks to Gary for being our designated driver!). It was a blast, more memories for Haley and me, and we got to know our neighbors a lot better. Log in and leave some comments or go to my pictures page to get more details on many of the pics you see here.

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