Wipeout!

Another week near completion and once again I'm full of stories. This summer is a lot different than the last two. I think that I've done more the first 3 weeks than the past 2 summers combined. It has been great. Today we got back from my aunt's cabin at Lake Metigoshie. We got there on Tuesday. The weather couldn't have been better. This trip, as opposed to the last, was more relaxing, but also more strenuous.


Tuesday we stopped in Bottineau and purchased some groceries at Wal-mart. Lots of veggies were bought meaning I knew that the meals would be great! I miss grocery shopping in the states - they have so much cool stuff. When we got to the lake I used the rest of the afternoon to do some lounging on the dock. I read a book and absorbed some sun. Supper was salad and a pizza. After supper we went for a walk. There are some pretty amazing cabins out there. The walk led to some photo opportunites. Actually the weekend as a whole was one long photo opportunity and when all was said and done my mother had 450 pictures and I'm thinking about 98% of those were of me. But let me explain, she set it on continuous shooting so don't think I posed 450 times. I'm more of an action picture type of person as posing doesn't work too well for me. And fear not - I didn't post all the pictures, just a select few. Here are some walk shots:

So Wednesday I woke up to somewhat hazy skies but I had a feeling it would turn out to be beautiful - which is exactly what happened. After lunch we headed out for the afternoon. I was fortunate enough to have a boat driver so I got to do whatever my little heart desired for the rest of the afternoon. We used to spend lots of time at the lake and waterskiing, tubing, and kneeboarding were almost weekly activities. Over the past number of years those occasions have become few and far between. I don't think I made it out at all last year so I knew that it was high time I make time to do those things that I really love so much. A part of me was scared that I had forgotten what to do, but those fears receded as soon as I got into the water. I guess it is kind of like riding a bike. I started kneeboarding. Then I took out the wakeboard. I've never been much of a wakeboarder, but I knew I'd be disappointed if I didn't do it. I'm happy that I did and proved to myself that I still could. The best part of the riding, however, was the air chair. I find it the most exhilarating. I could have done that all afternoon. I didn't feel complete until I ended the fun with a tube ride.

The water sports were the strenuous part of the trip. I used muscles that I didn't know existed. Kneeboarding is okay cause I've done it lots. Wakeboarding...well let me tell you...I felt like I had the resistance of about 6000 pounds pulling against me at one point. I'm just happy that I still have arms that are nicely embedded in their sockets. After we figured out appropriate speeds I was good to go. Air chairing - it is a very elaborate device that allows you to sail a few feet out of the water. It's the best feeling, almost like you are floating. I haven't done that enough to really know how to completely control the ups and downs which led to some very amazing wipeouts - but I LOVE wipe outs. They are the best. I don't mind swallowing a few gallons of water and getting the breath knocked out of me once or twice. In fact, I think that's why it is my favorite thing to do. There isn't anything else that enables me to get that high out of the water and fall with great velocities into the cold water below. Sensational.

I wasn't being towed the whole afternoon. If that would have been the case I wouldn't be walking for a couple of weeks. We went out for a cruise around the lake on the pontoon. Once again, very quiet and relaxing. Wednesday night was capped off with a great meal (lots of veggies!), a refreshing shower, and then time in the hot tub. While sitting in the hot tub we even saw fire flies! They are the coolest things ever.

I slept great, and I kind of figured that I would considering I was pretty much exhausted. I was rudely awakened though. At about 7:00 I hear a loud scream and it sounds just like my mother. I was worried for a slight second, but shortly after I heard laughing so I knew that things were okay. I later found out that they were caught off guard by a fearless chipmunk that was scurrying across the deck and running over their feet. The reaction was a scream (which I heard) and a cup of spilled coffee.

A great few days. Some of the best things about being at the lake are the food, the fires, the smores, the serenity, the walks on the winding roads through the bushes, the outhouses in the bushes, the lake and everything that you can do in the water, the fact that I put my hair back once and that's how it stays all weekend, the fire flies, laying on the pontoon, and being with people that you love. Next up is hopefully a fishing trip with dad!