4563 miles

4 hour canoe trip on the river. 8 canoes, 23 people aged 2 to 65. Beaitufil day, wonderful recreational river varying in depth from no feet to maybe seven. A good depth to take kids on in case the canoe capsizes.

Like we did! Everyone went ashore for a little fishing and stretching. As we shoved off on the way out, we tipped. We’re not sure how, but it was pretty quick. The water was waist deep at most, but that’s our waist, not Fred and Angus. Their life jackets were thoroughly attached but the were still fully dunked and terrified.

It was all fine in the end, if a harrowing 30 seconds, a chilly few minutes, and a long hour a the two kids (understandably) cried and whined as we continued paddling to the end. But they had mostly calmed down by the end, and are perfectly fine now.

The river is one pair of sunglasses richer, but all else was saved.