#8 was spent over a very memorable memorial weekend. i decided to rough it with the boys on an overnight canoe and camping trip along the colorado river. lately i have been hearing a lot about glamping trips. (glamping = glamorous camping) so naturally, i envisioned i was going on a glamping extravaganza fully equipped with electricity, cell service and coffee. i was very wrong.
about a week out from the trip, we all received a finalized e-mail with weekend details along with a suggested packing list. i skimmed the e-mail and even though the only thing i had on the packing list was a bathing suit and some double a batteries, i wasn't too concerned. i figured i had nothing to be worried about.
it was the follow up e-mail that got me. the e-mail encouraging questions and trying to ease any nerves. it was sent to me and me alone. so of course, i went back over the packing list and re-read every detail then came to the nerve wrecking realization that i was going camping. there was no glamping involved. princess jasmine was out and pocahontas was in.
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| me and the boys |
my only paddling experience comes from my church camp days back in grade school. needless to say, i wasn't very good. nick, a nature enthusiast and my canoe buddy, kindly gave me "pointers" throughout. i'm pretty sure his "pointers" were his polite way of asking me to stop running into things. message received. with my new paddling tips, the day was rather easy. the rain never let up, but was a nice cool down from the texas sun.
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| camp |
we were instructed to make camp on any island. so before night fell, we found the perfect little island, pitched our tents--- yes i actually helped pitch a tent--- made our beds and started a fire. by the way, the fire part is way easier than the movies make it look.
i thought i was going to go into this way over prepared because of my nerves. so naturally, i brought all necessary essentials, sleeping bag, change of clothes, hand sanitizer, protein bars, cereal (captain crunch if you were wondering), apples and went a little overboard on bug spray. bugs love me and with the rain i knew they would be out in full force. so i brought 3 different kinds of spray and a "bug off" bracelet that never left my wrist. i sprayed bug spray all over everything, myself and my belongings. i did not want any critter surprises. what did the boys pack? food. lots of it. i'm talking about fajitas, three different kinds of sausages, pre-made sandwiches, costco sized snacks, the works. one thing was for sure- no one was going hungry or getting bit by bugs.
as dinner rolled around we feasted on the boys smorgasbord, caught up on one-another's lives, laughed at old memories, listened to music and sang some kumbayah's. as it got pretty late(and dark) everyone started to head off to their tents to fall asleep. before zipping myself into my tent, i sprayed it with bug spray. i was serious about not getting bit. i had a long day the day before so i didn't have any troubles falling asleep. i did however wake up in a terrible dream. in that dream-- more like a nightmare, i was being swarmed by bugs. they were everywhere. i woke up in a panic and used my headlamp to assure myself that i was zipped away in a bug free zone. all was clear.
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| my canoe :) |
we all got up bright and early (sleeping in isn't an option when the bright sun is shining right on you), cooked breakfast and packed up. during our paddling day 2 adventures, we hit a number of rapids. they were probably the most enjoyable part of the canoeing experience. they're fast and fun.
we also saw some beautiful wildlife. we passed a young deer grazing only a few feet away from us. the deer and the sometimes calm river made everything seem so peaceful. it was a lovely experience only to be ruined in a few short minutes by a water moccasin. i love animals, all animals. but snakes, i love just a little less. okay, a whole lot less. i nearly panicked as we passed the slithering creature (i'm quivering just thinking about the word slithering). i threw my paddle in the canoe to avoid disturbing the snake and found myself slowly trying to hide within the canoe. let's be real. there's nowhere to hide in a canoe. either way, the little monster didn't bite me. all was good.
we paddled on the river for about 3 hours each day. it wasn't anything strenuous, anyone could really do it. catching up with old friends was one of my favorite parts about the trip. it's an experience i am thankful for, but probably not one that i will be repeating frequently :)
once we believe in ourselves, we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight, or any experience that reveals the human spirit.
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