Birthday Bash: Bekah Did WHAT?!

 

Settle in, my friends. I have a story for you today.

            Early in our marriage, I gifted Ryan a trip to New River Gorge State Park in West Virginia to go whitewater rafting with a group of guys. They had an amazing time, and I was thrilled to have him home in one piece. When we started planning this trip, I saw that West Virginia was one of the states we needed a picture from for our big travel map, and since it’s not that far from Asheville, I started exploring what we might do. I read a lot of really wonderful things about the hiking near the rafting area, so I thought that would be brilliant! It would let him show me the area he has visited before, and we could try a different activity than he had done before. Grand, right?

            And then one night he said, “Would you consider trying whitewater rafting?”

            Solid no.

            “Not at all?”

            Do you not remember the waterfalls?

            So he sent me a handful of links to compromise activities like smaller, two-person rafts that provided basically glorified kayaking trips down a different section of the river. Even that looked a little sketchy to me, but I really did want to honor the adventurer within him, so I agreed. He booked our excursion, and after we left Mount Mitchell, we made our way toward our happy compromise trip.

            A voicemail suddenly popped up on his phone as we drove, and he listened to it. It was Nancy from the rafting company. In her delightful southern accent, she told Ryan she was so sorry, but the water levels were down and there was no way they could safely put the rafts in the water, so they were going to have to cancel our reservation. I didn’t know, until that moment, that it was possible for a heart to feel such sadness and such joy simultaneously. Clearly I was gleeful that I didn’t have to worry about being part of something that was beyond my skills, but I really was disappointed for Ryan. He had been looking forward to it this whole trip. I had the thrill of standing at Billy Graham’s pulpit, and now his thrill was canceled. (And yes, I know how absolutely ridiculous that sounds.)

            But the tug of war for glee vs. sorrow didn’t last long because Nancy was still talking. “So we are going to upgrade you for free to a whitewater rafting excursion.”

            I’m pretty sure Ryan whooped right out loud, and I slumped into my seat belt. Boy that escalated quickly, didn’t it? His eyes sparkled and his dimples were on full display as he said, “Oh please!! Let’s do it!! You can do it!”

            I highly doubted I could do it, but I have never in my life wanted to make him so happy as I did in that moment. I told him I would say yes if he would tell Nancy what an absolute CHICKEN I am and see if she thought I could do it. So he called her back. Told her I was pretty afraid. “Oh,” said Nancy, “you tell your wife she can do it. I wouldn’t steer her wrong. Ten-year-olds qualify for this trip.”

            I appreciate that, Nancy, but LITERALLY every ten-year-old I know is braver than I am, so you know….

            And so it was that Sunday morning, we got up, I didn’t eat much, and we got in the car to drive to the launching point.

            I was shaking from head to toe, crying in fear, and was honestly NOT sure I could do this. I had reminded Ryan I had six more messages to give at church, and I desperately needed to come home in one piece, without a concussion, and with all my teeth! I prayed. I quoted Scripture. And I tried to remind myself that by lunchtime, we’d be done. (One way or the other.)

            He asked if needed to bail, and my heart said yes while my mouth said no. We had paid good money. I was going.

            They outfitted us with flotation devices and helmets and we crammed into a school bus that took us to the launching point. (Super curvy roads in a school bus when your stomach is already nervous? I don’t recommend it.) We did take this picture before leaving:

            Ryan promised me there would be someone in our raft as nervous as I was, and I solidly did not believe him.  But you know? HE WAS RIGHT! There was another couple in our same literal and figurative boat. They had booked the other adventure too – and the husband told the wife it was no big deal to do the upgrade – and she felt like I did about it!

            My only request in all of this was that if pictures were an option, we would spring for them. After all, you remember the waterfalls.

            Right after the professional photographer took this picture...

...I met the guide for our raft. SUPER nice guy. SUPER nice. I told him firmly that I was terrified out of my mind, he probably was going to wish he hadn’t come to work, and if he was even thinking of pulling any funny shenanigans, it wasn’t a good idea. He looked 100% amused and promised me I’d be fine. I am pretty sure he and Nancy are still talking about me to this day.

            Our raft held six of us plus the guide, and then a sweet lady named Stacy accompanied us in her own raft as an extra safety person.

            We got in the raft with Ryan and the other husband in the front, the scared wife and I behind our respective husbands, and another young couple behind us. The guide sat in the back. He told us to brace our outer legs against the raft and stick our opposite foot beneath the seat in front of us – and to wedge it tightly – to increase our chances of staying in the boat.

            People? I braced that right leg so firmly that still, almost three weeks later, I have a welt and bruise on my knee. And I wedged that left foot so tightly that I rubbed my toe raw. I couldn’t feel my foot for about half the trip.

            The guide saw I still had my wedding ring on and asked if I really wanted to wear it. Ummmm, YES! If I’m going to die, I’m dying married, thankyouverymuch. As it turned out, I gripped the paddle so tightly that my hand never came uncurled enough to let the ring off if it wanted to come off.

            The guide taught us about how to brace and listen for commands and paddle and he said – “If you think you’re going to fall out of the boat, lean in.” You guys, I leaned so hard, I’m not even in some of the pictures, because I was sideways in the boat.

            We took off, and oh my goodness, HOW GORGEOUS that place was from the river. Ryan had told me it was prettier from the river looking up at the sides of the gorge than it would be looking down from hiking trails above. He was absolutely not wrong about that. It was stunning and peaceful and such a perfect place to worship.

            Of course I can’t show you that because…no camera.

            And then worship took on a different turn when the first rapid came. I had no idea what it would feel like or if I would fall out or anything. I listened to his instructions, put my paddle in the water when he said to, leaned sideways, braced, wedged, and prayed with all my might.

            And I survived the first rapid.

            And then another one.

            They had photographers on the river early on at two different rapids. I will show you some of the pictures. Yes, I am sobbing. Yes, Ryan is having the time of his life. And if you can’t see me? I’m leaning.

            In my defense, I told Ryan if they had done any later on the trip, I might have looked less terrified, because I did start to get the feel of it. But then again, I might not have looked less terrified.

            The rapids on this trip were class 3-5, and apparently they only go up to 6. It is important to note that the water was low here too, so apparently it could have been a whole lot hairier and scarier. I’m sure glad it wasn’t.

            I would guess that all in all, we did about a dozen rapids? The other scared girl and I became fast besties and checked on each other after every single rapid.

            Ryan got to go through one (really low-key) rapid IN the water, and that made his day.

            The water was super warm, for which I was thankful, because I did get pretty soaked!

            I never fell out of the raft. I DID paddle as instructed, but unfortunately it doesn’t look like it in any of the pictures.

            At the very end of the trip the extra guide took our picture in the calm waters underneath the famous bridge. I enjoyed these picture very much.

            Here are my concluding thoughts:

            I am SO STINKIN’ PROUD OF MYSELF for doing something that scared me so much. This was HUGE for me. HUGE.

            I did not love it and don’t want to do it again.

            I was glad it was only two hours. I don’t think I could have handled more.

            Our guides were amazing and handled my over-the-top fear so beautifully.

            I can’t believe I did it.

            God and I had some beautiful times there in that raft. He was completely faithful to help my terrified heart.

            I did it!!!!!

            PS – if you ever do go to West Virginia and raft, the company we used was really wonderful. My fears of this activity aside, I was impressed by their work and kindness. Look them up – Cantrell Rafting.