Big crowd returns for another FATFAR

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By ELIZABETH HOCHSTEDLER
elizabeth.hochstedler@lee.net
Monday, June 16, 2008 11:20 AM CDT

Stacy Birch had never been to the Frenchtown Annual Tube Float and Regatta, but he was excited to jump into the Chippewa River Sunday afternoon.

“We’re just trying it out, I guess,” he said. “This year is going to be an interesting year.”

Birch, of Holcombe, was encouraged to participate in FATFAR by his girlfriend, who had participated in the past.

Before taking to the river, he was taking in the atmosphere near the Veterans Memorial Bridge on Main Street, where most floaters enter.

“Everybody’s just in a good mood,” he said. “More towns need to do stuff like this. It brings the community out here.”

Aleda Nelson and Samantha Baumgart of Eau Claire were also hopping into the river for the first time.

“We’re scared,” Nelson said, but she was reassured by her fellow experienced tubers.

“It looks like fun,” she said. “It’s a really good day out.”

Baumgart was also enjoying the warm weather.

“I want to get a tan,” she said.

There were plenty of FATFAR veterans to go with the first-timers.

Scott Walters of Eau Claire was tubing for his 18th straight year; he said he started going to FATFAR when he was 15 years old.

“It’s a blast; lots of fun,” he said. “This and Halloween are my two favorite days of the year.”

Walters and many others were surprised with how fast the river was moving.

“It’ll go a little faster than usual,” he said.

Part of the dam was open Sunday. The dam sits just upstream from the Veterans Memorial Bridge.

Many past participants recalled years when the river was so low that they had to get out and push their own tubes along the river or get help from passing boaters.

Nikki Swanson of Eau Claire was back for her ninth year at FATFAR. She returns each year for the hospitality.

“It’s kind of like a reunion,” she said. “Everybody just gets along.”

Swanson was eager to jump in, though the fast-moving waters made her a little leery.

“The river scares me,” she said. “It’s going to go fast.”

Most people said they thought this year’s trip would take about half as long as usual.

Sarah Finch and Kim Weiss, also of Eau Claire, used Sunday as a day to get together with their friends.

“It’s hard to organize a float trip otherwise,” Finch said.

“It’s a good time to be outdoors,” Weiss added.

Both women had been to FATFAR last year and wanted to introduce some of their friends to the event. They were with a group of about 10 people.

“We had so much fun last year,” Finch said. “This year is going to be a little bit crazier.”

Despite the trepidation voiced by a few Sunday, everyone went through with the trip.

And no doubt many of them will be back next year.