Our friends Taos, Candis, Jaylene, and Jake talked us into going canoeing with them. Taos and Candis graciously allowed us to use their canoe since they were using their kayaks. We were slightly nervous about taking Cooper but we also knew he was a fish and loved the water. We left early at 7am and headed to the Illinois River right outside of Siloam Springs. The trip proved to be a fantastic way to spend a Saturday. The temperature was just above 90 degrees. Although it was hot, there was a beautiful breeze. The 10 mile journey was long. There were many stops along the way to swim and enjoy the cool water. Candis devoted her trip to cleaning up the river and gathered about 2 trash bags full of trash. Jake and Jaylene only flipped their canoe twice with no permanent damages to any of the limbs. Cooper enjoyed squirting his water gun and admiring the wildlife. Especially the cows. When we reached our destination (also referred to as deliverance, we were anxious to see if Willie's truck still had all its parts) we swam and then went home. Everyone was burnt to the crisp except for the Pattengill family who used SPF 50 sunscreen and applied every hour. Since our trip was so successful and loads of fun, we're now contemplating buying a canoe and making this a part of our lives.
