One last summer splash

When Jayne heard it would be 80 degrees the last weekend of September, a last-minute "road trip float trip" was a no-brainer!

In a day's notice, I met Jayne and her roommate Kim in Vail with a sleeping bag, some food and wine, and a swimsuit. We headed 2 hours West to Grand Junction to meet two more friends and float down Ruby-Horsethief Canyons.

After a few minor hang ups and slow downs, we put on on the Colorado river, and started sailing down in a culebra, two kayaks, and a ducky--with an gator, shamu, and inflatable swan at our tails!

We floated down the river for two days, floating approximately 25 miles from Colorado to Utah!

We paddled through gorgeous red canyons and black rocks underneath a deep blue sky.

I took go at kayaking and had an exciting run through some small rapids (can't wait to try kayaking again).

We made great friends with our inflatable animals and the 20 strapping lads who sailed down after us (hello batchelor party!).

We camped in the real wilderness (not even in Africa did I have to poo in a bag! Seriously? A $12 disposable poo bag!)

All was well...Until we tried to go home. Kim and I were assigned the duty of picking up Jayne's the car at the put in. Though we'd been forewarned that Jayne's car had a sketchy start up, we did not expect to get stranded with a dead car battery. We were lucky to cross paths with a local mechanic, who kindly pointed out the silent alarm was preventing any kind of start up. So, we waited several hours for rescue.

At this point, most people would probably feel like shooting themselves. I oddly had the reverse reaction. I began to feel my heart beat faster and faster, and secretly loved the idea that we were in the midst of an exciting and unplanned situation. It was that familiar feeling of being a traveler. Being in an unexpected situation. Being fast on your toes. Being at the world's mercy. Sometimes, you were just not meant to get on the train. Sometimes, you're knee deep in water in front of Venice's Basicila de San Marco. Sometimes, you eat a mouthful of bugs. But you always come out of it with a good story.

Kim and I decided to kill my iPhone battery and have a dance party in the dark. Eventually, our new friends managed to shuttle Jayne back to her car to turn off the alarm and charge the battery. It was great to know I would make it back to work the next morning, some 200 miles away, though I wondered when would be the next time I'd feel the travel-bug speeding through my system.

Here's to the memories

These are the girls I grew up with.

There was a time not a day went by that I didn't see these girls. We went to school together, we played on the same soccer team, we had sleepovers, we wrote notes, we made embarrassing home videos, we talked on the phone, we learned how to drive, we talked about our dreams, and we graduated together.

Years have passed since we've all been together in the same room. Another reunion was well overdue. This one included all great things from the past: dinner, hot tubing, girl talk, a giant 5 pound bag of Gummy Bears, and lots and lots and lots of laughing.

We sat around the table and had many things to celebrate: Cyndi is engaged to her college sweetheart! Kristin is expecting! Kara is buying a new house! Bryn just graduated law school! I have a full passport and a new job!

It's fun to see how we've all grown up, how much we've changed and how much we're still the same. I don't know if anyone would have predicted that Kara and Kris would grow up to be hard core cops; That Cyn would move far from home and follow a military life; that I would have traveled the world. And though our lives are moving to a slightly different beat, it's good to see everyone happy.

We stayed up late watching home videos in our PJ's, giggling about old times caught live on tape! Fireworks. Jenny's House. CNN. Popsicles. Embarrassing Music Videos. 9 Lives. Spice Girls. And, Lean on Me.

To the ladies, thank you, thank you, for being you!