Last year, Dan and I joined some friends on their annual trip through the Delaware Water Gap. They usually had a group of about 10 people on the famous River Trip, and we’re now a permanent part of it. I like camping and canoeing, but I really love eating, and this trip combines all three.
I get to captain the canoe because I’m a better sternman than Dan. It’s the one activity that I am better at than he is. He’s a better cook, better cyclist, more mechanically inclined, better speller, etc, etc, etc….
The Delaware Water Gap is kind of amazing. The park rules limit motorboats to 10 mph through the length of the park, and in late summer, the water level is generally low enough that many motorboats might not be able to navigate certain sections, which means that it is very quiet. Canoes and Kayaks rule the flat water. Occasionally you see a small inflatable raft spinning in circles with 5 confused people in it. The rental companies provide the rafts for lazy-river floats, but many of the people in them aren’t really sure how to use a paddle. There are a lot of people fishing from boats or just wading into the river to cast their lines. I only saw minnows, some kind of small bait fish, and some tadpoles, but Dan saw a small mouth bass or two beneath the surface. I did see an a bald eagle, and it called out as it flew overhead. For the record: eagles really do sound exactly like the sound clip in the Colbert Report theme song.
This annual trip involves 3 days of waking up, drinking coffee, paddling, eating snacks, making camp at a primative site, cooking food on a fire, telling stories and playing made-up games. wash, rinse, repeat.
I think this is the I-80 bridge.
Returning to civilization after this trip is really hard. For a few days, everything you need to live fits in a couple of dry bags, and can be thrown into a boat. Canoes can carry a lot more weight and bulk than a backpack or bike panner, so it’s much posher than wilderness via foot or two wheels. Three days of easy, simple living is just enough to make you feel like all the silly digital stuff we do in office jobs is a big exercise in pointlessness. Simple food, good friends, and a warm fire seem pretty sufficient for a meaningful life.
After getting home, I went through my closet and filled a big bag for goodwill. I organized a bunch of stuff, and threw out and recycled old stuff of no value. I still have about 1/2 an apartment worth of stuff, but as much as I want to just hit the road and travel for a long time, I’m somewhat tied to the things we own. I’m not likely to get rid of the superfluous clothes that I actually wear on occasion, furniture, or my rarely used sewing machine and art supplies. It’s kind of a dream to be able to pick up and go adventure, but it’s not the reality any time soon, so it would be silly to get rid of things that are useful for a generic American life. Apparently its good to have furniture to sit on, and wearing appropriate clothing for social and work functions is appreciated and contributes to continued employment and participation in society. An extended and unencumbered adventure is not in the cards right now for all kinds of practical reasons and the trappings of 21st century urban life remain.
Anyway, I have work that needs to be accomplished before deadlines arrive, and I appreciate that the money from my employer allows me to keep a roof over my head and pay for canoe trip vacations. With Dan’s extended vacation time finally running out, he’ll have to go back to work. I’m guessing that it will be awhile until we can afford the cost of the time to escape for more than a long weekend, and winter is approaching entirely too fast for a wimp like me.
We still have more travel in the works. We’ve been talking about riding bikes to the Cape, camping, and then taking the slower, less expensive ferry back to Boston. We’re going to go pick apples at one of the many orchards we’ve passed on our bikes to the west of Boston sometime in the next several weeks. We’ve talked about riding north to New Hampshire or Maine. I love the cooler weather, but I am hoping to squeeze the last bit of enjoyment out of the season before I start watching the sun preparing to set in the mid-afternoon. The one thing I dislike about New England is the long winter filled with such short days. It’s a hell of a price to pay for the beautiful spring, mild summer, and colorful fall.
