In the Victorian era, extreme sports were limited to teatime without doilies, writing witty satires about earnestness, and riding a penny-farthing down a mild incline. Today's Groupon would shock such staid sensibilities. Choose between two whitewater rafting trips from Big Frog Expeditions:

• For $49, combine both sections of the river for a whole day (five to six hours) of whitewater rafting (a $99 value).
• For $23, have a half-river whitewater adventure (three to four hours) and choose to raft the upper or middle section of the river (a $46 value).

The outpost is located in Benton, Tennessee, roughly two hours north of Atlanta.

Each trip from Big Frog Expeditions lasts approximately 3.5 hours and provides all of the necessary whitewater equipment––Coast Guard–approved personal-flotation devices, paddles, and helmets––to pit you against Mother Nature's flowing water tresses on the Ocoee River. Today's deal includes transportation to the launching site, pre-trip orientation, and a gearing-up session before you hit the aqueous road. Big Frog's professional guides will climb aboard the self-bailing raft and help you steer through the thrilling sights and frothy spumes of continuous Class III and IV rapids. With this deal, you can choose between exploring the Upper Ocoee River or the Middle Ocoee River, or both, from the available rafting dates on the calendar.

The Middle Ocoee contains 26 adventure-packed rapids over a five-mile stretch of dam-controlled river. The Upper Ocoee section of the river began displaying its thoroughbred prowess while hosting the 1996 Olympic whitewater competition, jostling the world's best athletes and injecting them with splashes of raw adrenaline. Experience the titillating rush while atop cleverly nicknamed rapids such as "Blue Hole," the always hungry "Mikey's," and the subtly apt "Humongous."

Like most fun activities regulated by state law, you must be at least 12 years old to participate in the rafting trip. Appropriate attire in cool weather includes a polypro and capilene top, waterproof windbreakers and pants, wool socks, and wet-suit booties; bring a towel, change of clothes, and dry shoes for post-water dampness relief. Once teleported back to base camp via shuttle, take advantage of Big Frog's hot showers and changing rooms, where you can cleanse your adventure-groggy torso while reminiscing quietly about the heart-thumping extremes of the day.

Reviews

TripAdvisors give Big Frog Expeditions an average of 4.5 owl eyes:

• Everyone at Big Frog was just awesome and we could not have had a better experience. None of us had ever been white water rafting. – amyy39
• The guides on the trip were top notch. Not only were they individually well trained and able to care for the six of us in our raft, the staff worked together to make sure EVERY customer and EVERY raft was looked after properly. – jnohner