The beautiful Toccoa River running down and the rippling sound going over the rocks sounded like it was going to be a rough ride. My children Robert and Crystal had decided to go on an adventure with me and my friends, Deborah and Ricky. Somehow, my children talked us into floating down the river. This was an excellent idea at the time. Deborah and I sometimes forget that we are in our late 50s and not in the shape we used to be. Oh well, let’s give it a go, I thought.
Robert is getting our tubes while we go toward the bus to the destination. I thought, with my age, what if I had to go to the bathroom? How embarrassing it is to get older, and your health starts changing. Ricky and Deborah were unhealthy, but that girl loves adventure. Nothing stops her from traveling. They are retired from the Navy and get great deals to go places after retirement.
So here we go, getting on the tubes. Wow, what cold water! Here we go, running down the river like a bunch of kids. I thought this was fun, and then I found myself hanging up on a tree. I was afraid to get off; I might see a snake or another creature. Worse than that, I might go floating down the river, but I am not a great swimmer.
Robert yelled, “Mom, I’m coming to get you. Just hang on.”
Here, Robert comes to save his mother from drowning and getting hurt on a tree. He got there and pulled me off. We were laughing so hard.
Then bam, there is Ricky and Deborah hung up on the rocks. There, Robert goes to save them from the rocks.
Now, my son is very tall, and it is a good thing because, at one point, the river was taking him under.
Oh my, this is an exciting trip!!
I heard Robert mumble, “Old people.”
There was Crystal, getting her a tan, lying in the sun while Robert cared for us old people. This is going to be a memory that is remembered. She didn’t look worried at all, just cruising down the river.
We ended up getting hung up again, so Robert just took both our tubes and tied them together. He was pulling us down the river when he stepped into a hole and went under the water. I had never been so scared in my life. It made me relive a memory of mine.
When Robert was about five, we were in a pool at my friend’s house. My son Shane and Robert were on a float. Robert started falling off, and he was pulling Shane with him. Shane couldn’t help him without it pulling him down. They were both in the water, struggling to stay on top. Both were screaming. All I could see was my little boys drowning. This would be a memory I could never handle.
Lynn, my friend, and I had been in a bad car wreck three days earlier. She had two casts on her legs, and I had one on mine. Her mother, Dianne, was there and would jump in to save them. But Dianne could not swim. I was about to jump in when Lynn threw in a lifeguard ring. The boys grabbed it and hung on. She pulled both boys in, and finally, I could breathe. This was a memory I would never forget. I could not live with the thought of losing my boys. I was on the verge of jumping in, which was not wise.
So, to return to reality, Robert came up and pulled us, older adults, to the end. Now, I must climb up a bank to dry off and get on the bus. At that moment, I had to accept that I was too old to do the things the younger people did. So, on the way back, we were all laughing and joking. We laughed because Robert had named us “old people.” So, after the excitement, we decided that we were going to do some relaxing stuff.
Robert decided we were going to grill out some steaks. He marinated them in some Dale’s and garlic butter. I wrapped some corn in tin foil and butter and put them on the grill. Deborah made a massive salad with all the fixings. This was a meal that was fit for a king. We sat back with a glass of tea and watched the water ripple. It was so peaceful here at the cabin in Blue Ridge. Debi, our customer, was nice to let us borrow it. Deborah, Ricky, and I passed out in the lounge chairs, and Robert said,” Those old people.” That turned out to be the theme of the weekend.
The next day, we decided to walk around town for lunch. We ate at a little cafe that was very homey. The food was excellent. We walked around the city until we couldn’t walk anymore. We decided to go back to the cabin. I told Robert and Crystal not to let us hold them back if they wanted to do something else. There were many things to do in that area. Toccoa Falls is a place I have been to plenty of times. An Indian princess jumped off the falls because she couldn’t marry the man she loved. She had been given to an older man. She could not live with the fact of not living with the man she loved.
Then there was Helen, a Scandinavian town that was always fun: just so many State Parks and little towns to visit. But Robert said he would rather stay and hang out with us. My heart just pounded. Spending time with my boy was going to be awesome. We had not been close in the past. I went to the porch and reminisced about my memories. After my husband died, Crystal and I got close. She was the bridge to bringing my son closer to me. We hung out for a year at the gym, but then she got pregnant. Oh, what a joy it was to have another grandbaby.
Deborah and I had been friends for fifty years. We took many trips to this cabin. We might be old, but we had some exciting adventures. Neither of us had a sense of direction, and we would always get lost driving. But we always were able to joke about it. One time, Ricky wanted to walk up the driveway with the dogs. He was taking such a long time. We called him but have yet to hear back. Finally, we saw the flashlight shining. Here he comes all dirty. He had fallen down the embankment. Luckily, he did not get hurt. These mishaps happened to us three all the time. I guess we were getting older.
It was time to pack up and go home. I knew my little dog was missing me. Off back to Atlanta we went. I apologized to Robert and Crystal for causing so much trouble. They said,” Are you kidding? This was the best vacation we ever had!” We laughed and said it was a vacation for the older adults.
Thank you for reading my story about one of the best vacations ever.
This is Jean Davis!! Happy Travels!
Your recounting of your river adventure with your children and friends is heartwarming and humorous, capturing the joy and challenges of spending time together. Your memories of past adventures and the newfound closeness with your son, highlights the importance of cherished relationships and shared experiences. A good reminder of the beauty found in simple moments and the enduring bonds that bring laughter and joy to our lives.