Shenandoah River
It's always the same story. It's never easy for me to pack up and drive hundreds of miles to go on these trips when I am tired and there are supposed to be thunderstorms everywhere but as I left work on Wednesday, a coworker kept saying "just go," as I tried to make excuses for why I might stay home and take it easy. I realized how many times I have said those same words to so many people and him in particular and how it is always the best advice so I put my boat on my car as soon as I got home. The next morning, I tried to back out again but I couldn't let go of that phrase so I just went. The thunderstorms held off and I fell asleep along the bank of the river. There were gentle showers through the night and in the morning blue sky showed through over mountains streaked with fog. I paddled down the river and, a few miles in, a bear that couldn't have been more than forty yards away walked into the river with complete indifference to me and swam across in front of my boat. The thunderstorms came shortly after so I paddled for the next 30 miles in them without a jacket, enjoying the cold rain on such a warm day. I got off the river to find a flat tire on my car and I am tired again but tomorrow is my weekend and as I much as I want to take it easy, I should probably get up early in the morning and just go somewhere because it's always the best move.