Slater Realized How Crucial This Was While Tubing In NH

My family and I just returned from a week of sunshine, backyard games, grilling, swimming, boating, and of course, tubing on Ossipee Lake in New Hampshire.

To be clear, I haven't tubed since I was about twelve years old, so I was pretty stoked. I was a little weary of the massive headache I had after my first experience tubing, but, again, I was only twelve.

HERE ARE 3 THINGS I REMEMBERED ABOUT TUBING THAT WERE QUITE HUMBLING

1. HOW SORE YOU ARE THE NEXT DAY.

Now I understand Marjo loves to call me a big wimp on the radio and the audience joins in on the fun; however, damnnnn. I thought my forearms were gonna pop off! I mean obviously, you gotta grip the handles on the tube with some strength so you don't immediately fly off, but still. The next day, both of my arms ALL THE WAY up to my shoulders were killing me! Still, way fun though.

2. TUBING OUTSIDE THE WAKE.

Even though the boat that's pulling you is going around 35 MPH (it feels a lot faster), if the boat stays straight, most people can handle the ride. You might get a little water in your face or feel some bumps, but for the most part, it's not that bad. However, once the boat starts making HARD turns or an "S" pattern, watch out! This causes the tube to swing "outside the wake", plaining over cresting waves back and forth over and over again and this is when it gets real hard to hang on!

3. HOW IMPORTANT YOUR LIFEJACKET IS.

So, this is really the point of this post. It's the grand finale and my uncle is trying real hard to make me lose my grip and go flying off that tube and into the lake...and he succeeds. I find myself sideways in the air only to come crashing back down on the water and my hands come off the tube's handles. I fall backward into the water as I try to pull my bathing suit back up all the while water is going up my nose. I rise back up to the water's surface ONLY because of my life jacket. I find myself panicking a bit in the warm, huge Ossipee water looking for the boat as I try to get the water out of my nose and mouth. I was speechless for a moment there, I admit it. I was so pooped from holding onto that tube, if I didn't have that life jacket on, I would have drowned, and I CAN SWIM, mind you! Swimming at the shore without a life jacket is one thing, do not mess around, otherwise. I still had a complete blast. Thanks for reading.