|
|
| |
| Outdoor Adventure Information – Your Guide to Outdoor Fun | |
|
|
|
Comal White Water or More Blue Green
White Water on the Comal river in Central Texas is more of of toobers paradise than a rafter or kayaker's dreamland, but for a fun and relaxing family adventure I highly recommend the trip. For the second time in the last two years my family and I spent a few days partaking of fun, water and sun in and around New Braunfels, Texas on the Comal and Guadalupe rivers. Day one was spent on the Comal floating gently down the lazy 72 degree water from Prince Solms Park to the Rockin R take out. I have always rented tubes from Rockin R for as long as I can remember Rockin R claims to have been established in 1979, so maybe that first time I went to Camp Warneke it wasn't called Rockin R, but it sure seems it was on the same corner. Though Camp Warneke is no longer, the signs along the river still point to a simpler time when multi-million dollar water parks didn't dominate the landscape of New Braunfels. Rockin R does a great job of shuttling around the huge qualities of toobers in old airport rental car shuttles who enjoy the relaxing beer soaked float down the Comal. Tubes can be rented with or without bottoms and don't forget your cooler float. Ours came complete with a nice little Texas flag painted on the front of our cooler. Our first day on the Comal was later voted as the family favorite. The relaxing float which started just above Prince Solms park in Landa Park featured four trips through the tube hoot for my son and I. It wasn't until the third trip through that I noticed that the park was closed and there were No Trespassing signs everywhere. Opps! On the forth trip the rest of the family finally braved the light rain having waited out all the thunder, lighting and most of the heavy rain under the large oaks on the shores of the Comal in Landa Park. To tell the truth I was more than a little apprehensive this labor day weekend as scattered thundershowers followed us the entire vacation. They say lighting never strikes twice, but I wasn't in the mood to tempt fate as I was shocked by a lighting surge the previous week working at my computer with my hand resting on the mouse. My pinky may never be the same again. Our first trip with the entire family down the Comal was as a classic. Exciting start and a smooth, relaxing finish. The urban Comal River is 2.5 mile in length and is one of the largest springs in Texas with 8 million gallons of water flowing through every hour. The water is pure, clear and cold, and a constant 72 degrees. The calm cool waters of the Comal in Landa Park are created by a small dam to the right of which is the mild adrenaline rush of the dam's S shaped spillway called the Prince Solms Park Tube Chute. After the mild adventure of the tube chute at the start we had a incredible day on the water given the fact that we only had two beers in the cooler. A tactical mistake given the cases of beer that toobers consume during the course of any given day on the Comal River in Texas. On a side note the beer at the Rockin R was, lets say priced like a piece of plywood in Florida this hurricane season on the black market. At the end of our trip, Rockin R's exclusive exit was where our crew and toobs were graciously hoisted from the water by the Rockin R staff. At the top of the stairs our Rockin R cruise director asked of our future intentions to float the river. The Rockin R will haul you from the finish line to the start from sunup to sundown. The family decided to have another go at the river after lunch. With tubes loaded in the trailer our old rental car shuttles vinyl cover seats served as our latest venue of relaxation. Several dads with water guns provided the entertainment spraying innocent bikini clad women from the bus windows as we made our way back to the Rockin R store on Liberty Street. The gang decided on Pat's Place for some old fashion burgers and iced tea from mason jars as the lunch de jour. After a satisfying meal and great service our only compliant being they had no outdoor full service deck, we headed over to the corner store to pick up some reasonably priced refreshments. Having fully stocked the expedition, we took the shuttle back to our starting point in Landa park. This time we all took the refreshing plunge into the cool waters of the Comal quickly and rafted up for the descent down the tube chute. Our final trip through the tube chute stared the same as the last, but my ten year-old daughter who was tied off with her grandmother broke away and got caught up in the whirlpool action just behind the dam. She couldn't get back across the main outflow of the spillway, and couldn't grab the high bank wall to get back to the steps just behind the dam. She made several attempts just below the park rangers un-watchful eyes before I yelled and motioned to her to stay put in her tube. I waded back upstream on the opposite bank and dove into the main current of the tube chute which sent me rocketing across the river to the opposing shore. As I neared the high concrete embankment, I jumped and grabbed hold of the wall only to be swiftly washed off by an influx tubers and the surge of water preceding them. Trying to keep my head above water I got a very nice shin rash from the sharp concrete wall foundations as I grabbed for the stair rails and my second attempt to get out of the swift currents. Finally with a new found respect for the tame waters of the Comal I headed up stream on the opposite bank to assist my daughter. Having heeded my advise she was resting near the wall in a clam area where the top of the wall was just out of her reach. Laying down she handed me her tube and I pulled her out of the water for the brief trip on the walkway back downstream. As I ambled, fairly exhausted, past the park rangers I gave them the quizzical eye as if to say, "where the hell where you." The remainder of the float downstream I was amazed at the stupidly of jumping into the gushing confluence of the dam's spillway as I consumed a refreshing Mexican import. Kids being kids, my son and I tried our hand at standing on our tubes in the calmer and deeper sections of the Comal as our thoughts turned toward our next adventure at the Texas Ski Ranch. What to Expect: When you go to tube chute, on the Comal expect the ride to be swift, you should wear water shoes or rafting sandals to protect your feet from the concrete and uneven river bottom - the rocks and steps are covered in algae and are slippery. You can go through the tube chute as many times as you want and with a tube outfitter shuttle float the Comal several times in a day. The tube chute is not recommended for weak swimmers or children under 6. The remainder of the 2.5 mile river is pure family enjoyment. The crowd can be load and rowdy at times including some beer bong drinking college students in the shallows on long the way. So be sure to avert the eyes if some beer drinking young lady should flash the cheering crowds. You will be floating through the lush backyards and urban parks in the town of New Braunfels, so if you need to exit the river for any reason make sure you are not trespassing as the landowners are not tolerant due the the aforementioned beer drinking crowds. The Trip is a definite must do if in central Texas in August. On the up side, this is not the Schlitterbahn, this is what inspired the Schlitterbahn. My 14 year old son after a day at America's favorite water park (we got waited in line for the MasterBlaster for 1:43 minutes starting at 10:26 am and we were off the ride at 12:11) and a day on the Guadalupe pronounced the Comal his favorite. For more information about family adventure travel visit www.advenquest.com Website: http://www.advenquest.com BJ Baker is an avid outdoor enthusiast who currently resides in The Woodlands, Texas. As a child, BJ traveled the world with his family on excursions to The Far East, including Japan, China, Bangkok and other parts of South East Asia, as well as Canada, Europe, the Caribbean and Latin America. Old fashion load up the Buick trips throughout most of the USA and frequent trips west to the Rocky Mountains on snow skiing trips have left an indelible impression on BJ. Still roving the world and instilled with a love for travel and adventure, today BJ is the owner of several adventure and travel websites. http://www.placestosleep.com, http://www.vacationresorttravel.com, http://www.advenquest.com, and http://www.snow-skiing.com.
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Discover Knotts Berry Farm Of course you know about Southern California's premier attraction, Disneyland in Anaheim, but did you know that less than ten (10) minuets down the freeway, in Buena Park, is another great amusement park, Knott's Berry Farm. Knott's Berry Farm, America's first theme park, is located at 8039 Beach Boulevard, Buena Park, CA 90620, telephone number (714) 220-5200 and has over one hundred fifty (150) rides in six themed areas: Ghost Town, Fiesta Village®, The Boardwalk, Indian Trails, Wild Water Wilderness® and Camp Snoopy which is the official home of Snoopy and the Peanuts characters. Wildebeest Migration - How To Get The Best Seats In The House To get the most out of a wildebeest migration safari you need to know where the best places along the migration route are, the times you need to be in certain areas and who the top migration safari companies are.The Best Spots On the Migration RouteHave you ever seen those wildlife documentaries that show masses of wildebeest swimming across a river being shadowed and sometimes dragged under by huge crocodiles or drowning because of the crush and fatigue?And those wildebeest that do make it across safely sometimes fail at the last hurdle because the bank is too steep and slippery with mud for them to reach the top even though they make a huge effort to do so. Bird Watching Life Lists - Keeping A Record If you're a birder, you want to keep a list of sightings when you bird watch. Your life lists should be kept in a bird watching journal. The Kuan Yin Shrine, Bangkok - the Goddess of Mercy on the Chao Phraya The Kuan Yin Shrine in Bangkok is in an old Chinese building within a community on the Chao Phraya River where time seems to have stood still for the last 200 years.The site originally had two shrines built in the reign of King Taksin (1767 - 1782) by his Chinese supporters. Three Classic Hikes Abroad Paul Scott Mower once said, "There is nothing like walking to get the feel of a country?" If you've ever contemplated going abroad to find your next trail, here are 3 classic hikes to consider.New Zealand's Milford Track: The best known "track" through New Zealand's beautiful fjords, this 32. Stay Warm - A Backpacking Skill Stay warm or die. That's what it comes down to at the extremes. Chimborazo: Learning Spanish At 20,600 Feet Climbing the glaciers to the summit of Mount Chimborazo in Ecuador isn't highly technical. It is mountaineering, but how hard can it be, considering I went to 20,600 feet the first time I used crampons and an ice axe? Okay, I used them once for practice, on a sledding hill near my house. Scotland - The New White Water Rafting Capital of Europe Scotland has taken its place as the new Mecca for white water rafting and extreme sports enthusiasts. With over 120 activity centres around the country you can do it all here - from jumping off cliffs, sliding through canyons and rolling down hills in plastic balls, to more traditional activities such as white water rafting, quad biking and clay pigeon shooting. Malaria Prevention - Five Ways to Avoid Catching It on Safari Malaria is endemic to most of the areas in Africa where safari trips are still possible which means you will need to take malaria prevention precautions to protect yourself against catching the disease when you travel there.There are five things you can do to avoid catching malaria on a safari holiday. PaintBall Gun Buying Tips There are so many selections available when it comes to paintball guns that choosing one can be overwhelming.The most important thing is to make sure that you have done research on the guns that you are interested in buying. Gambling Isnt the Only Thing to do in Las Vegas Do you think the only thing to do in Las Vegas is gamble? Would you believe that there are a multitude of great hiking trails in a place where all-you-can-eat casino buffets are par for the course? Southern Nevada is chock full of great hiking trails ready to be discovered. Hiking areas near Las Vegas include: Red Rock, Mt. Visiting the Last Paradise on Earth - Costa Rica I've been traveling and writing about places I believe others would love to visit, to unwind from their busy and hectic schedules. Most recently I visited Costa Rica, a place which can be best described as one of the last paradises on earth. A Retired, Single RVer Travels For some 30 years I practiced law in Mesa, Arizona. (Please don't hold that against me. Driving in Greece - How Bad is it? Generally speaking, Greek drivers are not the best in Europe, but they are not the worst - those people know who they are!I have been in driving in Greece for a while now and have witnessed many examples of bad habits on the road, which have shocked my rapidly departing British sensibilities. It is not uncommon for drivers to hoot their horns at traffic lights, even when they are still on red and to fly through red lights. Traveling To and Around Hawaii, A First-Time Visitors Primer Six different islands in Hawaii are open to tourism. Most first-timers planning a trip to one or more than one island have numerous questions relating to where exactly to go and how exactly to get there. Alternatives to Pressurized Fuel Recently I attended a Boy Scout Leader Roundtable meeting where they held a Pressurized Fuel Training session. The focus of this training was to teach leaders what they should be teaching boy scouts about safety rules for using primarily cooking stoves, but also lanterns and heaters that use propane or liquid fuels under pressure. Shark Attacks! How Common are They? Where do They Occur? Last week in Australia, one man's day at beach could have turned into a disaster: He was attacked by a seven-foot bronze whaler shark while surfing about 100 yards out from Sydney's Bronte Beach.Fortunately, the man, Simon Letch, stayed calm and "shoved the board at [the shark] like a barge pole. True North & Magnetic Declination - A Trick to Make it Stick Magnetic declination is an essential principle to understand when navigating your way through the wilds with map and compass.Yet it's a tricky thing to remember, at least the way it has traditionally been taught, using an addition / subtraction method. A Hiking Guide to Easter Island Ask me which Pacific island has the most to offer hikers and I'll probably answer Easter Island. Here on an island 11 km wide and 23 km long you'll find nearly a thousand ancient Polynesian statues strewn along a powerfully beautiful coastline or littering the slopes of an extinct volcano. Comal White Water or More Blue Green White Water on the Comal river in Central Texas is more of of toobers paradise than a rafter or kayaker's dreamland, but for a fun and relaxing family adventure I highly recommend the trip. For the second time in the last two years my family and I spent a few days partaking of fun, water and sun in and around New Braunfels, Texas on the Comal and Guadalupe rivers.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
