Sometimes the best Fridays are the ones where you look at the weather, look at each other, and decide work can survive without you for a few hours.
It was hot. Really hot. So Kim and I knocked off early, grabbed the tubes, loaded a floating cooler with a few brews, and headed for the Raccoon River.
Right in the middle of everything — and somehow nowhere
That may have been my favorite part. We were floating through the middle of a big city, but most of the time it felt like we were miles away from everybody. Trees, water, sunshine, and two goofy kids floating downstream with nowhere else they needed to be.
Five hours. Yes, five.
The river was a little low, which turned our relaxing float into an occasional walk. A few times we had to stand up, drag the tubes through the shallow stuff, and find enough water to get moving again.
But honestly, who cared? We had cold drinks, sunshine, and absolutely no schedule.
In the entire five hours, we saw four people. Four. That was it.
Then the last half hour arrived and apparently every biting fly in central Iowa got the memo. They absolutely ate us alive. Nothing says peaceful river float quite like spending the home stretch swatting at your legs and questioning every life choice that led you there.
The proper ending
By the time we got off the river, five hours of floating, walking, drinking and fighting off flies had done its job. We were hungry.
So we ended the adventure at Cheba Hut in Johnston, which somehow made the day even better. We accidentally ran into a new old friend, Brant, ate some delicious subs, had a few more adult beverages, and before long we were doing a shot ski with Brant and some other dude we had never met before. Because apparently that was exactly how this five-hour river float was supposed to end.
Worth every minute
Five hours was longer than we planned. The river was shallower than we planned. The flies were definitely not invited.
And it was still a fantastic day.
Just the two of us, a floating cooler, a quiet river running through the middle of the city, and one more ridiculous little adventure with my best friend.