The Weekend Warrior!!

Good afternoon,

*** Sorry it took so long to post this.. I know some of you have been waiting***

I believe on Friday, I stated that when I have no set weekend plans, crazy things happen. Well, this weekend did NOT let me down. As a matter a fact, I didnt come in to work yesterday because of my injuries from All day saturday FUN (despite the injuries). And there are plenty of pics to document all the fun.

(Friday night @ The Lee residence.. Me, my sister Spacey and John Lee)

Starting out on Friday after work, I had all intentions of behaving myself. By the end of the work day, I had made plans with my friend Laury to go tubing down the Apple River in Wisconsin on Saturday. I met some friends from work on Friday night at the Little Wagon, drank a few beeres with them & caught the 6pm bus out of downtown to go home. I took a little nap when I got home, went to the Liquor store to get some beer for tubing, and headed over to my friends house to drink a few of these beers on the deck. Some how I ended up meeting one of my friends at the bar and had a few more beers there... and the rest of the evening is down the drain...

Saturday morning I meet Laury, she drives us to the Apple River (about an hour East from Mpls).. get our tubes, get the beer cooler in the tube, get in the freezing water, crack a beer (about noonish) and start our 3 hour journey down the river. The Apple River is a known party place and seriously, it's nothing but a bunch of drunks floating down this river. There are stops along the way where people "socialize" and it's a place to get out of the tube, stretch your legs, chat with other floaters, etc. These stops are in the very shallow parts of the river...

(a stop in the river for "social time"...)

The weather was absoslutely beautiful and the river wasnt too packed with people, so it was a perfect day to tube. We were about 3/4 of the way down the river when we met some people in a big group (this is how people usually tube.. in large groups.. tie the tubes together.. and party) and they invited Laury and I to tie in with them, which we accepted the invite. This group was from the western part of MN.. Willmar. They were soooo cool! So, we partied with them for the remaining 1/4 of the river. The funny thing, there was someone else named Paula tubing with us.. so everytime I heard "PAULA", I would turn around.. and realize that they werent talking to me. haha.. Since we were having so much fun...we all decided to get some food, reload the beer and go down the river again.

(This is hot mama Laury.. looking good in that tube)

Second time down the river was a little less nutty. We got started about 5pm and didnt get off the river until 7:30pm.. so it was a little colder, less people but still good beer drinkin.

Seamore the Sea Monster.. the name I gave him.

We think this guy.. Elijah.. woke up the next day with a nasty rash on his lower area for stuffing all this seaweed and crap down his drawers!!! ICK!

People camp along the river.. sit in the water and drink with the tubers!

The mishap of the trip down the river happened at the very end of the second trip.. and of course it was ME. It happened at the Rapids (which the first time down, I thought they were lame). But, of course, as we start going through the rapids, a very large rock cracked me right in the lower back and flipped me out of my tube. The other people that I was with kept on floating right down, which you have to do... you dont want to jump off your tube unless someone is drowning or badly hurt. The water is very fast over these rapids bc the river was quite low. So here I am.. in this large mess of large rocks.. the water is flowing so fast, im trying to stop myself because im totally getting beat up by these rocks.. and trying to figure out the best place to exit the river and how am I going to get there. Then I look down the river at my friends and see my new BEST FRIEND making his way up to help me. I was soooo relieved that someone was coming back for me!!! It's my friend, TONY!

(Tony wearing his nasty, warm blanket of seaweed!!)

So this is when I tell Tony how much I appreciate his help!

My dear friend Tony, Thank you very much for sacrificing the danger (and the drunkeness) of hiking back up the river to save my beaten up bones. Just when I thought I would have to endure this mess that damn rock got me into.. you came to save me!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!! Seriously, I appreciate you coming back for me & helping me!!

Once Tony helped me out of the river, we assessed the damage. This is what I initally realized:

My toe (the one closest to my big toe, right foot) had been gashed open, scrapes on the side of Right leg, scrape on my Left knee. Once we packed away the river experience for the day, here is a list of the injuries:

(OUCH.. my toe.. doesnt look too bad.. but a huge, deep gash on the second toe)

1).Toe, gashed open, but ok. No stitches needed.. just cleaned it up and wrapped it.

2). Deep bruising all across my lower back.. and it HURTS like an M-Effer!

3). Bruised right ankle.

4). Scraped up knee & bruising, scraped up leg.

5). My face and hands didnt get hurt!! lol.....

Tony, Paula & other Paula (**Take notice to the beads.. we know how she got those!!)

Also, I should mention.. I endured all these injuries while saving our plastic bag with my camera, some money & Laury's CAR KEYS! We would have been screwed if we lost that bag. I was pretty proud of myself.

Tony & wife Shelly!

So, all in all, it was a SUPER day! I had so much fun with Laury, meeting new people and tubing the river. Yes, I will go back again, however, not this year. The tubing season is coming to an end.. the Great Minnesota Get Together starts this Thursday (Minnesota State Fair), which marks the end of summer for Minnesotans.

My Sunday was spent with my dad to celebrate his birthday. Some beer drinking, sulking in my misery of the injuries (hurting pretty bad) & some food. Im still very sore. My toe is getting better, thanks to my mom. My back is the worst part.. the black & blue keeps appearing everywhere. Im going to make it though. Good memories!!!

Thanks to: Jason & Christina, Shelly & Tony, Paula & Troy and Sara (Tony's sister). We had a blast with you and hopefully we can keep in contact! If you read this (I gave them my blog site to check out the pics), please leave me a comment so I know you were here!! You can also send me an email to: pklarson914@gmail.com

I have to gimp to my bus now.. so peace out. Sorry no green tip today because im running late as usual!

~Peace!