Commuters brave cold water at Boulder’s Tube to Work Day
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BOULDER, Colo. — Neon leg warmers, fuchsia sweat bands and an inflatable peacock lit up the lawn at Eben G. Fine Park.
Over 700 commuters took part in this year’s Tube to Work Day along Boulder Creek.
The event began in 2008 as a joke between Jeff Kagan and his friend Andy Gruel. The pair worked in East Boulder and wanted to know whether it would be possible to commute via inner tube.
“The water level was raging. It was ice cold, and by the time we got to Broadway, we were shivering uncontrollably,” said Kagan, remembering the maiden voyage that took place June 7, 2008.
It wasn’t until 2012 that two fellow commuters joined Kagan and Gruel. Since then, the event has grown exponentially.
Mid-July tends to offer better conditions for tubing, said Kagan. But, “it’s not a canned experience,” he said. “You never know what Boulder Creek's going to give you.”
This year, approximately 750 participants floated roughly a mile from Eben G. Fine Park to Central Park.
The event cost $22, which covers insurance, medical staff and a team of rescue divers stationed at key rapids.
“It’s just so uniquely Boulder,” said Anne Ely, who sported a feathered visor for her fourth Tube to Work Day.
Type of story: News
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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