Bill and I both took yesterday off and took advantage of the beautiful weather to take our two-person kayak for her maiden river voyage. It was beautiful scenery, and there was not another soul on the river, so that was nice. But it wasn't how I envisioned it would be.
When Bill first proposed the "playing hooky" plan (don't get too jealous--we're both working this afternoon), I saw it all in my mind...I would be basking in the warm sun, wearing my little bikini working on my tan. We'd stop every hour or so and eat yummy yet healthy snacks that I'd prepared beforehand and brought along. We'd both take right to paddling and be expert river navigators right off the bat.
The reality:
-The night before, I remembered that I'd left my favorite bathing suit in Florida, and my mother-in-law hasn't sent it back to me yet. So I ended up having to wear my other suit that leaves me a bit nippy unless it's like tropical warm out (which it ended up not being because...)
-Bill decided we needed to leave early to beat the work traffic--big broo-ha-ha in which we were both trying in vain to get the other person to see our side of when we should wake up and leave the house (me--"whenever we wake up", him--"earlier than is natural or normal"). We ended up getting up at 5:00 A!M! and leaving the house at 6:45. (yes, Bill won that one) We did indeed beat the work traffic, but it ended up being a bit chillier than I was planning on. It did finally warm up, though.
-Also due to the aforementioned departure time, those healthy yet yummy snacks ended up being soggy sandwiches and some stale chex mix.
-Steering was pretty much the opposite of intuitive, and we kept flipping the kayak around, and of course, every time we did, in my mind I was thinking, "This is all Bill's fault." And I know that he was thinking the same thing. We finally got more of the hang of it and decided by the end that he would do the paddling in the front and I would just stick to steering in the back so that we didn't end up overcompensating for the current.
It ended up being a fun day, all in all. Bill and I both agree that every couple that is considering marriage should be sent down a river in a tandem kayak and debriefed afterwards. The guy who shuttled our car said that the worst he's seen is a couple that they had to call separate cabs for afterwards. He said that for a first river tandem kayak experience, if the couple is still talking to each other when they reach the pick-up point, they can consider the day a success.
Oh, and I saw a wild turkey for the first time, AND I saw a dog standing on the cab of a truck that was driving down the road. He looked like he was king of the mountain (the dog, not the turkey).
Then, Bill took me out to eat sushi.
All in all, a good day.
01 April 2006
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5 comments:
So you understand now why people have nicknamed double kayaks "divorce boats." Glad you survived! ;)
I went canoeing one time with a boyfriend. It was a bad scene. Especially cause the wind picked up on the way back blowing against us, and it started to rain, complete with thunder and LIGHTNING! I've never prayed so hard in my life! It was cool though, as soon as be got back to the beach, there was a creat big rainbow over the cove where we were. Thanks God!
Ha!
We actually went out yestreday and paddled around our lake, and it was great. I switched to the front, and it gave me a whole new perspective on things. In the back, I couldn't really see what was coming, but I had the more effective steering and paddling position. In the front, I could see everything, but paddling was almost pointless.
ohh, ohh, ooh! where did you go? Doug and I went canoing yesterday (Saturday) on the buffalo.
BTW, next time you should sit in the front. Sorry if I'm infringing on your feminist ideals, but the strongest paddler goes in the back.
That sounds like fun! (The dog "Car surfing" and all)
Melissa,
We went on King's River over by Eureka Springs. It was so beautiful. Our shuttler said that he lived on the Buffalo, but it's gotten too "commercialized" for his tastes. Kind of funny for Arkansas.
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