The Baby Boomer Renaissance: Going Like Sixty

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Going Like Sixty

River Kayaking Knocked the Snark Right Out of Me

Posted: 31 May 2010 02:13 PM PDT

I did my first solo kayak trip today. My friend who will be my kayaking buddy couldn’t buy a kayak and go along because – get this – his wife insisted he stay home with her because she got a major gut-cut by a doctor on Friday.
Sheesh.

I went Saturday with a group for my first outing and after lying around all day yesterday, I whined enough that Nancy said she would take me to the river today and set me adrift.
What a great way to spend a couple of hours – floating down a river, alone, being escorted by a blue heron. That bad boy would let me get within about 300 yards and then take flight further downriver.
A few turtle splashes, some birds, and one river rat (literally) going upstream were the only other creatures on the water. Some were on the bank fishing and skipping stones, but otherwise, twas just moi.
I felt the snark and smart assery melting away.
Until the ride home…

I didn’t want to grunt the kayak on top of the wagon, because by putting the front seat all the way forward and laying the seat back and removing the headrest, the kayak fits just and I can close the tailgate.

Hunky-dory, unless there is more than one person in the car.

I couldn’t talk Nancy into riding in the rear while I drove to the put-in, and she needed to pick me up downstream, so…

Snarketh returneth.