that was amusing...photo added

We went to north GA to tube on the river that comes straight out of glacier in the Arctic. It was, I think, considerably colder than I remember the coldness of tubing on the 'Hooch in Helen. Which was Cold.  I wondered about the likelihood of taking a wet suit, but decided I would rather suffer than be laughed at by total strangers, as well as close family members.

Fortunately I discovered the option of renting a kayak instead of a tube, so hardly got my feet wet. But wet enough to know it was, oh... I'd say, about as cold as ice water. I'm all for fun, but do not think it would have met my definition if I had been dragging my backside in the water for three miles floating down the river.

I got up early and drove up to Decatur, where we got organized and went up to north GA to meet P. at McCaysville, near Blue Ridge and Ellijay, snugged right up there next to the TN state line. We rented two tubes, two kayaks and got on the shuttle to trek up the river to the 'put in' place. Pretty river, really scenic, even with lots of houses along the wooded edges. There were some things sporadically blooming along the river's edge, so I paddled over to take a closer look. Sort of looked like magnolia blooms from a distance: but  I guess it's rhododendron. I have never seen that color before. Pink while still buds, before they open, then fading to white as the flowers mature. Really pretty, and unusual coloration. We got rained on a couple of times, just a sprinkle or two, but it was a pleasant day, with lots of laughter and good, clean fun.