Tubing the Comal

One summer activity our family enjoys is tubing along the Comal. It's usually very crowded but we enjoy it anyway. We always go with friends and we all float along together and chat as we let the water move us downriver. The water is pretty slow moving most of the way and it's very relaxing.

We decided weeks ago to take the day off work on Heather's birthday and go tubing. We thought it was likely not to be crowded and it's an activity we can all enjoy and is very inexpensive. As the day approached some things changed and Heather was scheduled to work late in the afternoon so we decided we'd still float and we'd make it an early float trip.

This early in Heather's pregnancy meant Heather woke feeling horrible, sick, and pretty irritable. We decided to go anyway in hopes her mood and morning sickness would improve.


Our wonderful friend Kendra was able to join us as well. She hesitated to join us, not wanting to intrude on family time. I told her she was silly, that she IS family. :)




Heather's boyfriend Phillip was able to join us as well. Although he's been tubing before this was his first trip on the Comal:


Kendra heading toward the first tube chute:



And away she goes!


My turn:




Heather was right behind me!



Marty chillin' on the river:




Heather and Kendra enjoying our relaxing morning:



Might have to replace my hat soon. It's getting pretty battered!



There were so few tubers on the river even the ducks were enjoying the water:

Final Tube Trip with Kendra

My friend Kendra's husband John is being transferred to Maryland and they are moving this week. :0( Yesterday we took one final lazy trip down the Comal River together. We'll see them one more time before they leave. I will be sad to see them go, but wish them well and know that we will continue to stay in touch via facebook and phone! Isn't technology wonderful!

Heather sailing down the first tube chute. What fun!

Myself and Kendra

Kendra's daughter Erica and my daughter Heather

Kendra and John

Marty, Erica and Heather

John, Marty, me, Kendra and Ashton

After the 2nd tube chute the teenagers decided it was not cool to float with their parents and floated ahead of us. We didn't catch up to them again until the end.

John and Marty

What a great and inexpensive way to spend a weekend afternoon! We're going to miss you and your family Kendra, especially our float trips together!

River Rats

A group of us headed back to the Comal River for another quick float trip Saturday afternoon. (Billie, Freddie, Mike & Debbie...you were all missed!) My friend Kendra brought her friends along for their first trip. What a fun afternoon we all had together!

My hunny and me

The river seemed to be even more crowded with tubers than on Memorial Day!

The view from my tube

Scott & Victoria

My hunny!

Kendra's son Ashton and Heather

Even waterproof cameras get splashes of water on them that will affect the picture...but I posted it anyway!
Heather, Kendra and Me.

Kendra and new-to-us frineds:

Kendra, Sam, Paydon, Scott & Victoria

Paydon, Sam, & Scott

Kendra keeping cool on the Comal!

Photostory Friday-Muscle

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek




My friend Kendra and her husband John own some sweet cars. John is due back from an overseas military assignment this week. Last week their teenage daughter was driving one of the Camaros while her Camaro was in the shop. She couldn't get it started. Heather and I happened to be over for dinner that evening and I told them I'd see if my husband Marty could take a look at it the next evening. I try not to volunteer my husband for tasks without speaking to him first, but knew he'd have a soft spot for a family whose father is serving our country...and he has a love of muscle cars...especially Camaros...that would make him enjoy such a task.






Kendra cooked another wonderful dinner for us while Marty checked out the car. I of course had my camera along and decided to snap some photos. Yes, they may very well be ordinary photos of my husband tinkering with a car...I sight I see often enough....but knew he'd be in Heaven with this particular car.




The first car we owned was a 1967 Firebird with a Camaro front end. We sold the car years later when it became a money pit and we were having difficulty getting a car seat in and out of the back of it. We both still miss that car dearly. One of these days....

Marty worked on the car as Kendra's daughter Erica watched.

Tubes+Sunny Day+River+Friends & Family=FABULOUS Day!

If you've been reading here long you know I'm a "Texas transplant" and that I was raised in Missouri, and in fact have only lived in Texas for 8 years. In those 8 years I hear every summer stories of floating on the Guadalupe or the Comal, but had never been myself. My friend Kendra, also raised in West Plains, MO, also lives here. Kendra will be moving away very soon and wanted to take us floating before she leaves. We hoped for a warm sunny day for Memorial Day so we could do that. Today was perfect and we met in New Braunfels to float the Comal River.


I have never seen so many tubers on one river before. I've seen it in pictures so knew what to expect, but seeing that many in person and actually getting in the water with all of them was another matter.

Myself, Marty and Kendra ready to get in the river!

The kids anxious to get wet!

My daughter Heather, and Kendra's kids Ashton, and Erica

As we headed out I passed out 4 disposable waterproof cameras and told everyone to just keep passing them around as we floated. It's been so much fun to see what pictures we all captured of our afternoon!

Me and Kendra. I'm going to miss you Kendra!!!!

The section of the river we floated has 3 Tube Chutes, where the water runs fast and you get "spit out" farther down river and are told to "hold on to your tube!" After the first tube chute our group became separated and had to wait downstream for all of us to catch up with one another. We all managed to stay on our tubes though and did manage to get together and stay together after that. The next tube chute was an entirely different scenario. I entered that tube chute expecting to sail through it much as the first, but instead of floating around a large rock I went right over it. And unfortunately for me, I did not hear Kendra yell lift your bottoms on this one....and scraped my bottom on said rock, sailed right off my tube and landed on very slippery rocks. I did manage to grab my tube as I flew off so I had it in my hand, but wasn't sure whether to attempt to walk off the slippery rocks into the deeper water...or if I could manage to keep my tube under me in the fast flowing water if I attempted to just get back on it. Everyone in my group was out of reach. A man was standing nearby and before I could take a step, held out his arm and said "here, let me help you." He helped me get off the slippery rocks and back into the deeper water where Marty was able to reach and help hold my tube so I could get back on. Whew! Tragedy of further embarassment averted!

Me, and Marty's not far behind.

My "oh so cool" daughter Heather





Marty just chillin' and relaxin'

Me, Erica and Kendra floating lazily along.

Ashton, Kendra, Me, Marty

Me and Kendra

This one's for Kendra's husband John! :0)

We continued on floating lazily down the river at a slow, relaxed pace. In the 3rd and final tube chute, I did go around the rocks this time AND stayed on my tube...but somehow began spinning in the churning waters of this chute and could not stop turning circles. I managed to avoid knocking my knees against the rock walls...but will have a nice size bruise on my back from one impact.

We had such and enjoyable time I'd do it all again! I've found that no matter the activity, whether off on a fun adventure, or chilling at one of our homes, whenever we are with Kendra's family, there are many laughs all around.

I LOVE this photo of Ashton as we were walking back to the cars.

Of course what float trip would be complete without a stop for snow cones???

Heather and me waiting for ours.

Although Marty and I have been tubing before (in Missouri), this was Heather's first trip and she had a blast!

The kids walking back to the cars:

Erica, Heather and Ashton (who was the perfect gentleman carrying many tubes!)

Coffee with Kendra

I've been spending way too much time on facebook lately! In doing so I have gotten in touch with old friends, family members, classmates, and acquaintances. One of my facebook friends is Kendra. We didn't know each other very well when we were in school but had a lot of friends in common back in our home town of West Plains, Missouri. Kendra found me on facebook recently and we've discovered that we live just over 20 miles from one another here in Texas! What are the odds of 2 West Plains girls ended up so close in South Texas??!! We decided to meet for dinner and coffee last night and we brought our daughters along too. Kendra's daughter Erica is a senior in high school and my daughter is a junior. The four of us talked non-stop for nearly 4 hours and only stopped then because we all had to get home and it was getting late. Kendra and I hit it off and so did Heather and Erica. All four of us had such a good time! Once we all got home we discovered that Heather and I chatted about our evening nonstop all the way home, and Kendra and Erica did the same thing! All four of us are looking forward to getting together again soon!


My friend Steve is one of our mutual friends. Steve reminded me several times to TAKE MY CAMERA!!! So, Steve these are for you!

Our daughters, Heather and Erica. Couple of cuties!

Gotta love that Erica loves photography as much as Heather and me!!!!

After coffee we decided to walk around downtown and show Kendra and Erica around. We all stopped in front of the fountain for photos.

Kendra and me:

Erica and Kendra:

This is what Heather, Erica and I looked like all evening!

Heather and Erica:

We wondered around downtown and along nearby streets, finding some places the girls decided were just creepy! Gotta love small towns that are quiet enough you can just wonder down the middle of the street at night!

Erica and Heather peeking in the window of one of the buildings:

We told Kendra and Erica that it is tradition for visitors to Seguin to have their photo taken with the giant pecan in front of the court house!

What a fun girls night out with so much chatting and laughing!!! Thanks Kendra and Erica for joining us!!! See you soon!!!