A Single Southern Guy in America

June 25, 2004

Rollin' On The River

Gentlereaders, I am sorry to disappoint, but there will be light to nonexistent posts from me yet again for a few days. This time I'm heading out to brave the wilds of America's first national river. The AYPN is having a group trip to float the Buffalo and we have rented an entire 'motel' at Wild Bill's.

Now, I may not have mentioned the Buffalo often, but you must understand that the Buffalo and I go way back. My senior trip was a three-day/two night excursion on the Buffalo. One of my collegiate springbreaks included a chilly night on a sand bar about a mile upstream from the coldest spot in Arkansas.

And who could ever forget that summer day after my junior year of college when CS and I hiked a couple hundred yards up the creek across the river from Buffalo Point. We found a nice shady spot over a nice moss covered flat rock and began to enjoy each other's company until a couple of teenagers came upon us. I'll never forget how we bailed behing a fallen tree trunk; a mess of tangled arms and legs.

And there will always be the hiking trip over the Christmas break of my sophomore year. BE was with me and she spotted the elk before I did. They stood about threehundred yards from the road in a large pasture on a part of the Upper River as we made our way to the Lost Valley trailhead. We pulled over to the edge of the road, hopped the fence and walked right up to the amazing creatures. The stood as tall as me and had these incredible racks of antlers. Since Arkansas had not re-opened the limited hunts on elk after reintroducing them to the state a few years earlier, they were rather unafraid of humans. The bull was as big as a horse and the thrill of knowing that an instant, he could turn and trample me stoked the adrenalin like few things have since.

I first floated the Buffalo before I was in my teens with my family and a group of firefighters and their families. Think you know how to waterfight? Heh. I learned long ago the nuances of successful waterfighting from the experts in deploying water accurately and in adequate volume from many members of Little Rock's bravest (do you know how bad it sucks to feel like you'll drown while still sitting in a canoe?). As I grew older I also became adept at the fine art of tumping other canoes; it's not as hard as all that. Of course, with all of the gentle folks hailing from a group made of young professionals primarily from the Little Rock area, I don't know how much of this I might be engaged in waterfights and tumping, but, rest assured, if it comes to pass, I'll be well prepared to meet any challengers.

I've offered the keys to the blog to a couple of fellow bloggers. Let's hope they behave like gentlemen while I'm away.

Posted by Adam H at June 25, 2004 01:01 PM ~ Link Cosmos | Trackbacks (1)
Straight White Guy linked with Always a Pleasure..

Comments

Sweet! I have no canoed or rafted the Buffalo in YEARS. Very beautiful. Very fun. Enjoy your trip. *jealous*

Posted by: Supedaddy at June 25, 2004 07:10 PM