3 Survive Rapids Attempt With Wal-Mart Raft

DenverChannel.com ^ | 5/27/2006 | Staff

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

VAIL, Colo. -- Two 12-packs and a raft bought at Wal-Mart by three 19 and 20-year friends were no match for Class III rapids on the upper Colorado River between Radium and Rancho Del Rio.

One man, Thomas Williams, nearly drowned when the raft overturned last Sunday. He was rescued by a nearby rafting guide.

"I was under for so long I just blacked out," Williams told the Vail Daily. "I didn't realize I was being dragged along by the river."

Class III rapids, on a scale of 1 to 6, include a large continuous set of waves with small drops, ledges or waterfalls. Scouting is suggested for all but the most experienced rafter.

Williams described the trio's attempt without proper equipment or lifejackets as simple "stupidity."

His two friends managed to swim to shore, but not before they suffered scrapes from the knees down and were stripped of most of their clothes.

Williams suffered a hairline fracture on his ankle.

The adventure is nothing new to Williams, who said he also seeks thrills skateboarding, snowboarding and bungee jumping. "If I didn't do that stuff I'd be a lazy couch potato," he said.

[The South Texan]

I wonder if this would have been a K-Mart or Target raft if it would have made the news that it was bought at one of those two places? Sounds like the media's attempt to blame Wal-Mart sort of like they blame SUV's for accidents instead of the drivers.

But none the less it gives the Wal Mart bashers on here a chance to bash Wal-Mart again. It happens at least once a day here on FR. BTW, was the raft made in China?

[Trajan88]

If any one of these dopes would have drowned... I'm sure their survivors would have sued Wal-Mart for selling "defective" rafts.

For some reason, the silk pony (aka former V-P candidate John Edwards) comes to mind with regard to this issue.

[Grampa Dave]

As my wife would say, "Target continues to win the Fashion war versus Walmart, or Target's Raft is prettier!":)

[CSM]

Thanks for the ping. I'm still trying to figure out why the title even referenced Wal-Mart. Are they implying that only stupid people shop there?

[Gabz]

Are they implying that only stupid people shop there?

Hammer meet nail!!!!!!!!!

If shopping in WalMart means I'm stupid.......oh well, I'm stupid and will keep right on shopping there.

[NavyCanDo]

Wasn't there a song that went something like this;

You don't tug on Superman's cape

You don't spit into the wind

You don't pull the mask off the ole Lone Ranger

And you don't do a class III river on a Chinese raft.

Da da da do do do do do

[CSM]

I'll enjoy my stupidity, while the elite look down their noses at me.

[Gabz]

And spend more money than we do for the identical items.........

[LexBaird]

The more cases you drink, the smaller it gets.