Playacrew Texas River Toobin Ragatta 1 Registration.

[sctx]

Originally Posted by squish

Ah... never mind... I'll leave now... see you at the end of July!!!

I'll have a bottle of Tito's handcrafted vodka waiting ... I know you'll be thirsty.... would you like a bladder bag w/ that?????

[txhornet]

I'll provide a nice bottle of Patron Silver for making that drive! I made the drive from Toronto to Ottawa and thought that was long....Ottawa to Texas, wooo weee that's far! I'll make it two bottles of Patron!!! God Speed padre!!

[Playacrazed]

Originally Posted by Trish

Count me in for this one! Too bad there's not a Tequila Barrel along the river - or sctx & LilG, are you renaming your spread for the occasion?

There is it is called "The Cooler Tube". Count me in!

[Phil V]

Let me know the plans on this. I live here in Austin. The rentals I usually use are http://www.bigfootcanoes.com

Phil V

[Phil V]

Here's the links for the real-time water flow.

Phil V

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/tx/nwis/uv?08168500

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/tx/nwis/rt

[Donna]

Originally Posted by Trish

Count me in for this one! Too bad there's not a Tequila Barrel along the river - or sctx & LilG, are you renaming your spread for the occasion?

there is however the Lone Star Float House and Grille on the Guadalupe , they have tables set up in the river where you can sit and drink beer and eat!Sometimes even have live music.

[sctx]

Cool link Phil V, wouldn't want to be tubin on the Lupe right now, with a flow of 5000 CFS... that's like class 4 rapids !

[Playacrazed]

I live in Austin also. We usually use the place in Gruene (green) at the bottom of the hill. The shuttle you upstream first and you float down. Prevents having to bake while you are waiting for a shuttle. This float is on the wilder lower portion + or - 8 hours. Nice changing rooms also.

[Phil V]

Here's the upper Guadelupe. A much slower rate.

Phil V

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/tx/nwis/uv?08167500

[Playacrazed]

Originally Posted by sctx

Cool link Phil V, wouldn't want to be tubin on the Lupe right now, with a flow of 5000 CFS... that's like class 4 rapids !

They usually slow it down on the weekends.

[Phil V]

Here's some additional links to help with your planning. The Abbotts rental is for the tube loop; around 2 hours, get out walk 1-1/2 blocks uphill, and start over again.
http://www.river-fun.com/
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http://www.whitewatersportsinc.com/

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http://www.abbottsrentals.com/

Phil V

[tommy]

We have always used Rio Raft co...and stay at there river cottages....Been using them for about 10 years now...Really cool peeps....Up river right next to the 4th crossing on River rd.....Man this is starting to sound like a plan....

Scott get to it....We need some Dates so I can Get things in motion....Not July 4th weekend...Way to many people....I dont want to have to fight over the river....But maybe the next weekend after that!!!!

[Playacrazed]

Originally Posted by greek2me

there is however the Lone Star Float House and Grille on the Guadalupe , they have tables set up in the river where you can sit and drink beer and eat!Sometimes even have live music.

Great place to grab a burger and dry off after floating and drinking!

[tommy]

great place to get more drunk and stumble around in crystal clear ice water while the sun beats you over the head....Good chill place...and your right the burgers are very good to...Although Im usualy to messed up to eat one....

[sctx]

Ok here's some pro's and cons for the four tubing rivers here.

Guadalupe
Pros:
1. Lots of outfitters available on the upper and lower Lupe for tube rentals and shuttle services
2. various float lenghts from 2 - 7 hours
3. the upper Lupe below Canyon Lake to Gruene is gorgeous Hill Country Canyons
4. good combination of Lazy strectches and rapids
5. Gruene has plenty of waterin holes , or even better there is Rileys just up the road by our house... oldest bar (licensed) in Texas, good time redneck joint with couple of pool tables, horseshoes, local country musicians on the weekends, free BBQ on Sat (or friday??), and maybe even a good ol bar brawl

Cons:
1. Very touristy, generally lots of people on the weekends (we try not to tell them about the San Marcos River!!!)
2. Kinda pricey if you don't have your own tube, it was $15 for a tube and $10 when we were there last time ... but that was 4 years ago on Memorial Day weekend so maybe the prices were jacked for that
3. If the flow rate is low, you spend alot of time bumping over rocks and carrying your tube thru shallows
4. The City of New Braunfels has taken it upon themselves to police the river and even though the State has told them numerous times that it is a navigable waterway and they have no jurisdiction over what happens on the river, they continue to stick their neo-leftists noses into the water.
5. All restaurants (and bars ???) are non-smoking in New Braunfels now
6. You may witness a killing if some drunk frat boy shoots Lil G in the chest with a Super Soaker....... seriously!
6. And probably most important on the upper Lupe... tubing in the steep canyons, you cannot see thunderstorms moving in before it's too late, the river can rise very quickly and flood. We had a very close call this Memorial Day, a very strong thunderstorm developed over the lower Lupe and Comal, heavy rain drove everyone out of the water and four people were struck by lightning. If that storm would have developed 8 miles further North, there could have been alot of trouble with thousands of people trying to get out of the river.

Comal River (shortest river in the country)
Pros:
1. The tube chute is the only reason to go here, it's a good rush

Cons:
1. Generally very crowded with local kids and tourists
2. Beer thieves.... lose your cooler in the rapids and kiss it good buy!
3. It is so short, you barely have enough time to get wet and cool down

Blanco River
Pros:
1. This is one of 3-4 private rivers in Texas where landowners actually own the riverbottom, so there is very limited access (ie: no tourists)
2. Incredibly beautiful/isolated area
3. We have access to one of the best stretches of the Blanco, my parents have 5 acres right on one of the large pool areas that feeds into a 10 foot wide tube chute (some tube training required for amateurs). From the top of the pool to the low water bridge is a little over an hour float, from the tube chute to the low water bridge is about 45 minutes
4. The Devils Backbone Tavern is about 25 minutes away for a cold beer and one of the best scenic views in Texas (FYI for old locals.. Rileys on the Backbone is no longer owned by Monte and Don and is not the same cool redneck bar it used to be )
5. Mom will provide plenty of Southern hospitality

Cons:
1. hard to find tube rentals in the country, it's better to have your own
2. It's a long drive to the beer store
3. My Dad might show up in his bathing suit
4. River gets too low even for tubing unless there have been recent rains

San Marcos River

Pros:
1. Crystal clear spring water, 72 degrees year round at the headwaters
2. Cute college girls in bikinis at Sewell Park... and college boys with those six packs that you don't drink (I'm down to a four pack ).... maybe this shouldn't be # 2
3. Slow constant flow rate, no rapids, only the tube chute at Rio Vista Dam, plenty of places to tie up a floatilla and
4. Generally not crowded... 70% locals and 30% tourists
5. 1 1/2 hour float to Lucio Park, or another 45 minutes to Thompsons Island. We generally float down twice with BBQ action in the middle at the park
6. No neo-leftist police attitude in San Marcos, they want people to enjoy themselves... just don't take styrofoam/glass on our river and keep your trash bagged
7. The River Pub and Grill has a deck over Rio Vista Dam... great place for and appetizers then walk over to the world famous Herbert's Taco Hut for some just plain good Mexican food (Herbert passed away two years ago...RIP amigo)


Cons:
1. Red's and Spanky's no longer rent tubes and the Lions Club's tubes are so big you can barely touch the water. A pro to this con is that the San Marcos doesn't require a heavy tube, the $10 River Rat tube from... yeah, you guessed it, Wal Mart, will work fine
2. Lions provides a shuttle from Rio Vista dam/Lucio park, but you have to have personal trucks to shuttle people/tubes back from Thompsons Island
3. Joe's Crab Shack bought old mill/icehoue at Spring Lake.... and not only do they serve bad food there, they defaced a historic landmark
4. Actually, there really are no con's other than Joe's Crab Shack

I'd suggest a Saturday on the San Marcos with BBQ in the park and then a party back at the house (or down the road at Rileys), we're in the country between San Marcos and New Braunfels so we can cut loose w/o too much worry....fireworks are legal in our driveway!
Possibly hit the Blanco Sunday morning and get to the Lupe by 1:00 for a 4-5 hour float ... or just go straight to the Lupe that morning

As far as dates, me and Lil G will be in San Antonio July 4th, gotta see Lil G's Aggie cousin so he can fill our collapsible cooler with venison backstrap .
Other than that, we jet to Playa early in Sept.

San Marcos and New Braunfels are only ten minutes apart so accomodations are convienent in either town... I magine Lil G can help with that kinda info.