Spring break 2013-go out and find nature and maybe even some peace and understanding along the way. We loaded up the kayaks and we’re off to Grand Lake of the Cherokees in far north Oklahoma. Every time I plan one of these trips  there are always so many options for the trip to go south and believe me I think of every one, car trouble, bear attack-ok maybe the roaming serial killer but this trip I would say was pretty amazing. My son and I had planned this for the last six months. Sometimes I equate a trip like jumping out of an airplane-you plan for it, train for the jump and learn about your parachute but there is always that moment in the airplane where you hesitate so embarking on a trip out in the middle of nowhere and camping for the next week-it’s a bit  intimidating.

Our original plan was to go straight up to Grand Lake but leaving later than expected and an inability to get myself into that checked out feeling made us change our plans. We ended up going to Lake Murray near Ardmore Oklahoma. We found a spot to camp on buzzard’s roost. We met these two wildlife biology students and really enjoyed their company. We brought steelhead trout, they brought the s’mores we forgot to bring-what’s a camping trip without s’mores right? We shared much about our interests in wildlife and shared a fire. All I can say about camping is if you allow it, you can meet some great people and learn about other peoples lives and interests. I think camping brings out the sense of community we have lost in our daily lives and from the looks of it most of us are very anxious to be social even if it’s a bit of an awkward skill.

I forgot how much I missed the electric hour and how the light plays on the water and makes the mundane amazing. Tucker tower was lit in the distance, an amazing sight as the sun went down and we pitched our tent. We have a really small simple tent, very easy to setup and comfortable to sleep in. My son was embarrassed by my need to have a blow up mattress-I am wimp by his view but a wimp with a really bad back-I lost the fight the first night but the second night with the arrival of another camper next to us that just happened to be blowing up their mattress found it appropriate to blow up ours. It kept us warm and comfortable above the ground but soon left us on the cold, solid and very uncomfortable ground. We definitely need to check to see if we can find the leak as I like waking up being able to move and the ground tends to be a bit cruel on a back that is out of alignment.

In the morning we felt the cold windy day we had in store for us, even the geese seemed a bit uncomfortable going into the water. We met several friends that kept us company along the way, several Canadian geese. The water seemed cold, rough and unfriendly to me, the idea of getting wet did not seem like a good idea at all. Being less of a wimp than my son gives me credit for, we did it-the only ones out there beside one boat, everyone else was hiking dressed all warm and we were getting into the water.

I have a description of the first kayak trek which will be in my next blog post. It wasn’t the most enjoyable and was more exhausting and stressful than I would have preferred and I believe I was still in city in my mind-not quite detached and relaxed yet. My son loving Lake Murray as he does wanted to stay two nights, which was fine with me but I really wanted to get up to the north and closer to the mountains of the Ozarks but I think I needed the ease in to the vacation and it was helpful to allow me to find that sweet spot of relaxation going into the trip. There needs to be a buffer between your life and stopping your normal tendency to stress and pay attention to all things not peaceful, Such is life I guess.

Stay tuned for the next installment-getting wet and loving it? It’s windy and cold, let’s get in the water?
It’s so cold even the loons are looking at us strange, can I change my mind???? It’s cccccold and windy? All of these are possible titles but it all works out. Until the next get out and explore. Are you ready to explore? Map a place on the map, find several places of interest and get out there.