Canoe trip

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My afternoon-long canoe trip last weekend down the Pere Marquette river in western Michigan included a blistering three-canoe race to the finish, bumping and running each other aground, getting trapped between low, overhanging branches and the canoe, my body flattened between and finally squeezing out, a latina canoer/passerby almost standing up shouting, "Owwww...look!! The limbo queen!!", sword-fighting with the oars as we closed in on the "enemy" ("Arrggghhh, hand me my cutlass, mates, and we'll ram 'em broadside!"), capsizing and baling, and rounding bends only to duck and weave out of the way of the hooks/flies of rows of fly fishermen, more than a few of whom were apparently drunk.

Ended up collapsing on the shore, drenched, punch-drunk, exhausted and practically hoarse.

Well, I guess we broke some rules, too, but don't tell anyone. :)

-- Eve (eve_rebekah@yahoo.com), September 07, 2001

Answers

Here are the hallowed rules of canoeing.

Sounds like you had a great time.

-- Lars (lars@indy.net), September 07, 2001.


Thanks, Lars; nice philosophical musings.

Now I look back at what I wrote and it's kind of embarrassing -- I mean, there were many slow moments, too...I mean where nothing was happening and we just let the river carry us along. And there was pain -- my shoulders and upper back ached. And there were some moments where it was all just a big struggle.

Geez -- I made it seem like one of those old Mountain Dew commercials -- you know, the ones where a voice-over should have come in at the end, "The Mountain Dew folks hope that you enjoyed these tightly edited shots of people having more fun than you ever will."

-- Eve (eve_rebekah@yahoo.com), September 07, 2001.


Those "rules" have a zen quality, especially #8.

-- Lars (lars@indy.net), September 08, 2001.

Although regrettably I wouldn't be able to discern the zen quality from a club sandwich, the focus on the importance of the process is absolutely crucial in life in general, as that's what most of life is, anyway, and if we don't enjoy it, we'd better well try to learn how.

For me, often the learning (the process) is even more exciting than the discovery. Although both together -- and especially towards the finish, when you start to realize the discovery is imminent -- is usually a thrilling experience and IMHO even better than sex. Um.....well.....CAN be.

-- Eve (eve_rebekah@yahoo.com), September 09, 2001.


I have never had a club sandwich that is better than sex.

-- Lars (lars@indy.net), September 09, 2001.


Neither have I (although I came close once), but I'm trying to remember if that's what Meg Ryan had in that restaurant scene (When Harry Met Sally) and that her reaction was actually real, but hid that fact and happily used her reaction to get her point across.

I'm curious now...does anyone remember what she had? To EAT, I mean. :)

-- Eve (eve_rebekah@yahoo.com), September 09, 2001.


Paddling to satoria

-- Lars (lars@indy.net), September 09, 2001.

I'm glad you had fun, Eve. I've been canoeing, but mine was more a Walden's Pond type of experience. I seem to remember scooping up samples that I later reviewed under the microscope. The beauty of the peaceful water and the life within was my reward.

Lest I appear to be the totally boring person that perhaps I am, I'll suggest that I'm really not into boats much. Friends with sail-boats have taken me out and I just don't share the fascination. I like jumping OFF boats to snorkel and explore the water, and I like just about every FLYING experience I've tried, but battling water, rapids, etc. is something I haven't tried yet. I suspect it would be much like skiing for me. Unlike others who enjoy the reward of "battling" the slopes, I enjoyed more the fall into the snow.

-- Anita (Anita_S3@hotmail.com), September 09, 2001.


Anita, I love the pristine, contemplative solitude that come with experiences like the Walden Pond type you describe. (In fact I wrote about my joy in just lying on my roof or sitting on my front porch, contemplating life.) But I'm also excited by getting into the experience in a wilder fashion, like the canoeing and white-water- rapids-type stuff.

You know, though, I'm with you on other boating, though. Somehow I've never enjoyed going out on sailboats or yachts. Maybe the canoe gets me closer to the action somehow -- a more intimate, involved relationship with the environment.

Reminds me of a favorite musician of mine -- Jeff Beck -- who's a guitarist, but started on violin as a boy. As I recall reading, he switched to guitar because he wanted more intimate, direct contact with the strings, which he could obtain by finger-picking.

By the way, you never struck me as boring, Anita. I always look forward to reading your posts, although during some of your more "prolific" spurts I could never quite keep up with it all...:)

-- Eve (eve_rebekah@yahoo.com), September 10, 2001.


Lars, on your link -- I disagree that zen canoeing is a non-thinking experience. Maybe you're not as clearly in focus, but your mind has to be there at SOME level -- doesn't it? If my mind was completely gone, I'd probably just let go of the oar and fall in the drink -- or maybe just carry a blank, smiling, glassy-eyed stare as an oncoming overhanging tree branch removes me from the canoe by my neck.

Btw, can you do zen club-sandwiching? Would I become part of the lettuce, chicken, etc.? :)

-- Eve (eve_rebekah@yahoo.com), September 10, 2001.



Gee Eve, it sounds like you missed achieving satori. Practice, practice, the "practice" is the whole point. Then again, canoe-zen may be better suited for a placid lake. not white water.

Zen and the art of eating club sandwiches? Hmmm, I'm still a grasshopper, I'll have to consult with zenmaster about that.

-- Lars (lars@indy.net), September 10, 2001.


Eve, I think you're simply more coordinated than I. You must remember that I'm the one who can't carry a baked potato without tripping and lobbing the thing into someone's head. I'm the one who stood on my mom's bed to hang a picture and flipped off the side, breaking a bone in my foot. Canoeing requires an ability to THINK forward and STROKE backward. Remember that motorized cart at Wal- Mart? It worked on the same principal...push FORWARD to stop.

It DOES sound like fun, if I had a competent companion or two. I can't think of anyone who would fit the bill these days. The kids helped me experience many things while they were growing up, but they're grown now and it's hard to even get together. SO has a fear of water and has already endured first experiences of roller skating, horseback riding, etc. at my request. At this point, I'd prefer to keep his "Are you trying to kill me, woman?" remarks limited to the bedroom.

-- Anita (Anita_S3@hotmail.com), September 10, 2001.


Coordination, Anita? Oh, yeah? (we're trading "war" stories now):)

Well, on that same trip I think I was the only one I saw or heard about who somehow managed to wedge herself between a row of thick overhanging branches and the canoe to the point of being completely stuck. I mean I was just flattened out in the canoe -- actually trapped -- for about five to ten minutes or so -- because at that point the current had become quite strong, which worked against me backing or edging myself out. It took a lot of pulling myself sideways along the branches to slide out of there after which my encore was having the canoe twist out backwards where I had to face everyone staring at me and trying to stifle smiles. I was seriously considering getting up to ham it up even more -- do a curtsy or something -- except I knew I would have fallen out, and I'd had enough for the moment.

I dunno -- sometimes I think the most coordinated stunt I ever performed was when I landed on my feet after being snapped back by a parking gate I'd run into when I had my nose in a book while walking.

-- Eve (eve_rebekah@yahoo.com), September 10, 2001.


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