Misadventures in Clear Creek
Relaxing and tubing in Clear Creek has become a favorite pastime of mine and Jordan’s over the past month. Every weekend we make the mile trek down to the closest thing to a beach, 1000 miles from the Ocean. Along the banks of the creek we stand with what feels like every other Golden resident. Some are floating down on inner tubes, others on air mattresses, some leap off of rocks into the whitewater below, while others dangle from ropeswings. It’s paradise. Take a water park, make it a few miles long, free, and without rules, and you have Clear Creek.
A calm section of Clear Creek, away from the crowds.
Yesterday temperatures were nearing 100 degrees and we spent several hours wading in the chilly water. Jordan is racing next weekend, so I was tubing solo. I took a couple runs, flipping twice and realizing how deep the water is under the whitewater. After my second run we decided we were hungry so we packed up and headed home. Walking to the car we saw a few guys jumping off rocks and into the whitewater. Something that had always made me nervous, but for about 90 seconds seemed like a totally rational thing to do. So, I handed my stuff to Jordan and made my way to the rocks. Jordan stood up on the bike path, an ideal vantage point really, holding my clothes, towel, water bottle, and the reigns of two dogs.
I consulted briefly with the surly men on the rocks. Then I jumped. Jordan says I didn’t jump out far enough, that I kind of missed the whitewater. It happened so fast, I only remember my foot hitting a rock really hard, then not being able to use my foot at all. I couldn’t swim. The creek was pulling me down stream, toward the next rapid. I couldn’t stop myself by standing because I couldn’t put my left foot down. I would put my right foot down, then immediately get swept away because I couldn’t balance against the current. I yelled for help, but no one could hear me in the rush of the water. Everyone flails when they are in the creek, so my waving arms meant nothing. The shore was lined with people and I thought I was going to drown! A professional triathlete drowning in 3 feet of water.
Eventually a guy asked me if I was serious and yanked me out and plopped me up on a rock. Then from afar Jordan realized something was up. My friend Abbey waited with me while Jordan pulled the car around (the only reason we had driven was because we’re dogsitting Cyrus’ puppy and we didn’t think she could handle the mile walk in the heat.). As if I weren’t embarrassed enough, Jordan had to carry me to the car. I spent the remainder of Sunday on the couch watching horrible TV.
Today I went up to Boulder and got an X-Ray. I was nervous because no injury has ever hurt this bad. I couldn’t (can’t) walk at all and I was positive I broke something. Which, since I’m out for the season anyway wouldn’t be horrible, except that Jordan and I are getting married in 6 weeks. All I could imagine was my Dad walking me down the aisle with me on crutches. Maybe we could paint them white?
Fortunately, the X-Ray came back fine. It’s a sprain and the ligaments and tendons are stretched out and messed up. I’ll be on crutches for a week, maybe less, and then things should be back to normal in a couple weeks.
Bottom line: don’t partake in the same activities as surly men.
