Memorial Day: I played foolish and swam downstream in the Sheyenne River...a little too far for comfort, as the current was faster than I had anticipated. Even with my new flippers, I had a terrible time trying to swim back upstream to my home. By the time I finally returned to my starting point, the not-yet-warmed-up river had chilled me to the bone (it was cold indeed--my partial wet suit only partially helped). I hadn't realized how cold I had actually become--my muscles were so cold I was barely able to pull myself out of the river and up the bank. I then finally managed to stumble clumsily into my mobile home about 50 feet away (I probably looked like I had multiple sclerosis). I stood for about 40 minutes in a warm/hot shower, shivering for at least 25 minutes before I started to warm up and shiver only intermittently.

Memory Moral: Even if what lies downstream is more interesting, it is smarter to swim upstream first (if one must return to one's starting point)--especially in cold water, as hypothermia is a real danger...

And if you're going to get so cold, at least have someone handy to help warm you up in the shower!