Gruene Violets

[TerriDoodle 6]

Here are the phone numbers if you want to call the hotels and ask them any questions:

Gruene Homestead Inn

Phone: 800.238.5534 or 830.606.0216

http://www.gruenehomesteadinn.com/index.htm

San Antonio - River Walk Drury Inn & Suites

P: 210-212-5200 · F: 210-352-9939

http://www.druryhotels.com/properties/sanantonioriverwalk.cfm

[Daisalana 33]

Hahahaha.. you will NOT get stuck in a tube!!! At 330lb, I was no where near filling one up.

I'm glad you mentioned the shoes though, I never tubed with shoes before, but I can imagine why you'd need them if there's lots of sharp rocks.. will have to find some at wal-mart, they normally have them for cheap.

I saw this article today and made me think of us!!!!

More and more women are taking vacations and leaving their men behind to enjoy watching sports and drinking beer in their underwear all by their lonesome selves.

The Coloradoan - www.coloradoan.com - Ft. Collins, CO.

[TracyinKS 7]

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are only a few weeks out! WHOOOHOOOO!!

I am the WORLDS BIGGEST MOSQUITO MAGNET!!!!!!!!!!!! please bring OFF by the gallon!!!!!!!!! :rolleyes2:

Water shoes..........

I am a pretty casual person.... so is there anywhere I can't wear jeans????????????? (besides toobin) are there toobs without bottoms? I kind of like the feeling of cool water going through my swim suit bottoms... rocks.. not so much.. :scared2:

[Teachlady 3]

Neat article!! Thanks for sharing..

[TerriDoodle 6]

The toobs have bottoms but the Water still rushes in. Trust me, you want the bottom!! But you don't have to decide now.... you'll see when you get there.

Laura...it's not so much sharp rocks under your feet...but slippery ones! If you slip and hit your bottom hard on a bunch o' rocks...your fun is OVER! Also, if you happen to get dumped out of your toob in some fast water the rubber on your shoes will help you to regain your footing. Muy importante!

The 'whitewater' you see in the pic below is about as rough as it gets. 90% of the river looks like the second pic!! ... although we shouldn't have quite so many people....I hope!? It's fun no matter what, really.

The 3rd picture is just purdy. It's what the river looks like around Gruene.

[Teachlady 3]

Wellllllllllllll, I'm loving the second and third pictures. The first one, not so much!:rolleyes2:

[TerriDoodle 6]

You big baby!

[TerriDoodle 6]

Here's some info about the river and how they control the flow....and the current conditions (in red). We haven't had much rain this Spring (yet).... so things are pretty mild:

GuadalupeRiver Flows

Flows above 550 cfs may be unsafe for parts of the river. Consult an outfitter.

Flows between 350 to 550 cfs are above average, and should only be tubed by experienced people. Even then, great caution should be exercised at all rapid areas and you may need to walk around them. For these levels, we suggest you consult an outfitter for the area you'll be tubing.

Flows between 250 to 350 cfs are optimum. There will be fewer shallow rocks to hit your rear on, which is a major plus. [TODAY the river is flowing at 132 cfs]

Flows from 150 to 250 are low, but you can still tube. Some parts of the lower Guadalupe may require getting out of the tube and walking across a shallow rock shelf, but the river is still fun. Though manly men generally refuse the "bottom tube", when the Water gets below 200 CFS you may wish you'd considered it.

Below 150 cfs release rate, and you will have to walk short distances where the water gets too shallow.

Do the Flows Change Often?

Yes! The dam's main purpose is flood control, and therefore rain up river can mean fluctuating release rates. If there's been heavy rain recently, make sure you call ahead as the flow can change at any time.

Predicting the Flows

When the river is at conservation levels, it is under the control of the Guadalupe / Blanco River Authority. Above 909', it is in flood control level, and under the control of the US Army Corps of Engineers.

Therefore, noting the level of Canyon Lake itself is helpful in this exercise. When the lake is at 908.9 feet or less it is in conservation mode. Releases will be very low.

At the normal level of 909', expect a great tubing trip. [TODAY the lake is at 908.78]

When the lake rises past 909', expect quick releases from the Army. These may happen with little notice, so consult an outfitter if recent up river rains have been heavy. Remember it's the rain *above* the dam that's relevant, where it will feed into the river.

The Army seeks to keep the lake around conservation levels, as is the mission of the Canyon Lake.

The other caveat to this is that the Corps of Engineers wants to work with the water sports industry, and therefore changes their normal flood control release procedure between April and August. So instead of releasing a torrent of water to keep the lake within a tight regulation, they release it slower so we can be tubing!

[Teachlady 3]

You big baby!

What happened to respecting your elders??

[Kat817 19]

Go ahead Terry---call me a baby it will not be the first time today I have been called a baby! And I am with Judy!!!!!

Now, is there a way to like latch tubes together so we can remain within talking distance---or hollering distance? Or so I don't take a left at another river????? LOL---yeah I know better!

I bought Water shoes at Walmart today--black & gray for under $5.00. Nothing fancy, I don't plan on wearing them for a fashion show. Keeping my well worn flip flops for that!!!

This morning I was tickling Kinsey and she was kicking---I told her don't kick Granny's chest, it is sunburned and I showed her---her response she must have learned from Terry "Oh you poor crybaby!" I about fell over! I ask her who called her a crybaby--she says "No one, I'm not a crybaby, you are." I told her that really wasn't very nice....which made her tear up and promise she was only teasing......so see Terry, someone already beat you to the punch of calling me a baby.

Oh and Laura----if we take vacations like men, do we have to plan to sit around, scratch ourselves, burp and fart? ????

I worked with outfitters and mens hunting trips---OMG I thought women were high maintenance!! And gross does not come close with some of them! Eeeeewwwwww.......

Kat

[TracyK 3]

Great...Terry mentioned it and this is my worst fear....busting my as* in public!! :thumbup: Now I am going to be paranoid...:tongue_smilie:

[TerriDoodle 6]

Kat, it's not recommended to tie your tubes together...especially in large numbers. What we do is just kind of latch your foot onto the tube next to you, or hang on with your hand to their foot...something like that. It's usually not an issue at all.

Oh....another thing you'll want to bring (IF you're going toobin') is to bring a beach towel. It's best to have it to drape over the toob where your arms rest because those black rubber things get hot as HELL!

[Kat817 19]

Well heck, I hope I have room left in my suitcase for clothes!!! I would hate to embarass y'all wearing the same thing all the time, but fun comes before fashion!!!! LOL

I have another question.....

The 3rd picture, just cuz it's pretty---there is like a mini waterfall, level change in the background-----we don't DO that do we??????

Rick is jealous as hell now......he is a Water otter, he dives----not me! He told me I will be fine, so-----if he said it---it must be true!!! Actually he is totally glad I am not having my TT until after, he thinks we are going to have a blast! I do too!!!

Kat

[Teachlady 3]

I was thinking the same thing, Kat.. Water shoes, beach towel, ...... So much for just a carry on!!!

[Teachlady 3]

:tongue_smilie:24 Days Til The Violet Bandiversary Bash!!:thumbup: