After paying what seemed an unreasonable amount for old tractor inner tubes from Clayton’s Auto Repair—a family owned business that appeared more like a Vermont hick homestay than any reasonable business venture—we loaded up the pickup truck and hit the river.
A few of the ski boys, including Adam and Steve, along with the company of my sophomore roommate George and two of Steve’s high-school friends, took advantage of the mid-eighty degree weather and had 
ourselves a full day in the sun. The Battenkill River, which is a tributary of the mighty Hudson River and flows through Vermont and New York, was the host to many water seeking adventurers looking to escape the oppressively hot sun on the cloudless June day. Our slow float down the river was mostly uneventful, only occasionally disturbed by a group of rowdy joe’s who couldn’t seem to maintain control of their canoes, hardly keeping them afloat. The trip lasted just over two hours and our spirits/energy remained high with the nourishment of chips and cold refreshments supplied from the cooler in tow. The day ended at a picturesque, small Vermont town square, appropriately adorned with a covered bridge, an old church, and a number of surrounding farms.
We baked in the sun, working on tans and sunburns for another hour or so, replenishing with burgers and dogs. Though most of us came out of the day with noticeable burns—mine perhaps the most severe as a result of forgoing any sunscreen application—it was a fine day, and we were pleased with the refreshing summer activity.
