For those of you in Missouri and surrounding areas, I need to provide no additional explanation of what is involved in a float trip weekend. It is an annual summer tradition coded into the DNA of every child born in the region. Summers are meant for sweltering in the heat and humidity, punctuated by bacchanalian getaways filled with partially-clothed partyers cruising down a river in some sort of flotation device typically towing a cooler or two of cold beverages. Around here, you can casually mention the words “float trip” and those nearby will nod their heads sagely, while flipping through memories of drunken adventures past. I had been on a camping trip that involved many of the elements while I was living in Minnesota years ago but I have never had the opportunity to go on a Missouri Float Trip until this past weekend.

This trip was planned and carried out mainly through the efforts of a trio of outstanding women in the Air Force who have taken me under their wing in the past few months. Though they tend to speak a foreign language full of acronyms while in groups, I admire their independence and ability to get things done in any circumstance. It seems that every mishap is another reason to shrug and move on, a mindset that I am working on achieving for myself these days.

I only want to mention a few things about our trip since it was pretty much the standard package. The four of us left Friday night and after a two-hour drive, made it to camp just in time to put up our tent and pull a small fire together before the full darkness of the wilderness was upon us. We were having a bit of trouble getting the wood to catch fire due to all the humidity and rain from the past few weeks but lucky for my campmates, I had packed all the love letters from the Ex so that I could watch burn. Remembering this, I pulled them out of my bag and we used them both as tinder to start the fire. The notes worked well as both a fire starter and as therapy, though I did feel a twinge of sadness at losing them.

Saturday, we floated on the river in two canoes and I am proud to say that I was only fully responsible for one of the tip-overs. We were out on the water for three hours, meaning that I am now sporting a really interesting sunburn. With my fair skin, I knew it was inevitable; it was just a matter of which part(s) of me would hurt later. Turns out that in this instance, the tops of my knees, most of my shins, the lower part of my chest, and my lower back are sporting the mark of a good day outdoors.

I had a wonderful weekend overall but could not have rejoiced more at the sight of my own apartment and all its modern amenities. After a long, sterilizing shower and a refreshing nap, I feel like something that approaches human.

An important aside: My suitor from the HTML class contacted me the day after class and we have scheduled a date for this coming Thursday (Update: Make that Wednesday).

Up next: Second shift