Monday, July 5, 2010

GILA RIVER FLOAT FUN

WHILE IN GRADUATE SCHOOL AT ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY MY BOYFRIEND AND I SPENT SEVERAL HOT WEEKEND DAYS RIDING IN INNER TUBES AND FLOATING ON THE GILA RIVER TO THE EAST OF MESA AND PHOENIX AREA. WE HAD MANY FRIENDS IN PHOENIX AND WE SPENT MANY DAYS HIKING AROUND THE AREA AS WELL AS BIKING. THERE WAS A GREAT VIEW ON THE RIVER OF THE MOUNTAIN VEGETATION AND DESERT TREES AND FLOWERS. THE TRICKING THING ABOUT DOING A FLOAT TRIP IS THAT YOU HAVE TO TAKE TWO CARS - DRIVE ONE UP TO WHERE YOU WANT TO START AND ONE DOWN RIVER WHERE SO YOU HAVE A PICK UP CAR. OR HAVE A FELLOW FRIEND'S CAR DOWN RIVER.

ON WEEKENDS THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE FLOATING THE RIVER AND THEY BRING THEIR COOLERS AS WELL. THEY MAKE IT A DAY LONG AFFAIR. THE RIVER HAS FEW RAPIDS SO IT IS A VERY SAFE RIVER. IT IS ON THE GILA RIVER INDIAN RESERVATION. GILA MEANS RUNNING WATER THAT IS SALTY. THE PIMA ALSO LIVE ON THE BANKS AND HAVE HAD PREHISTORIC VILLAGES THERE.

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