On the trail - April 22, 2012

Opening Day

 

There comes a time each Spring when the decision is made to remove the ski rack from my Jeep.  A ski season of fun is taken off and stored away until next Fall when the first flakes of snow fly again.  Luckily, there is another rack to be put back on in its place, the kayak rack.  This installation signals the start of flat water kayak season on the reservoirs and lakes in the area.  Like Opening Day in Major League Baseball, there is a renewed sense of possibilities as the kayak is loaded for its first voyage of the year.

This Spring in Northern Colorado has been a mild one, and I am a little surprised it has taken me this long to hit the water.  But on a beautiful 75 degree day with light winds, I set sail on Horsetooth Reservoir for my maiden voyage of 2012.

The reservoir lies still and peaceful.  The relatively clear water is high this time of year.  The concrete boat dock ramps are nearly completely under water.  I put in on the rocky shoreline and push off, taking my first paddle strokes.

I hear crickets that seem to be serenading me as my paddles enter and exit the water.  Cold water drips from my paddles and occasionally hits my bare legs inside my kayak.  It is good to be back on the water.  I have not been on it since last October, when a couple of early snowstorms ended the season a little prematurely for me.

I paddle along in the middle of the reservoir that is devoid of motorboat traffic on this quiet weekday afternoon.  I spot mule deer feeding on the hillsides on a banquet of emerging Spring foliage.  Their brownish-red coats match perfectly with the sandstone rocks around the reservoir.

I notice a lone Canadian goose out for an afternoon swim as I approach the docks of Inlet Bay.  They are all but abandoned for now with only the wild plants growing underneath them showing any signs of life.  Soon, they will be full of boats in every shape and size you can imagine.  For now, the skeleton framework stands quietly waiting for the boats annual arrival; like the cliffs for the swallows of Capistrano.

As I paddle on, my strokes become easier and easier.  My shoulder muscles remember this activity and seem to enjoy the repetition of its movement.  My field of vision is out ahead of me now as I scan the horizon of the water.  Occasionally, I look up to the cliffs around the water in search of any signs of animal activity.  I see no mountain lions or bears, just the mule deer feeding in their Shangri-La.

A whiff of the flowering trees and shrubs greets me as I head out of Inlet Bay and back toward South Bay.  The wind on the water greets me as well, but it is manageable and not cold.

I realize why I like flat water kayaking so much.  It is a very relaxing activity that lets your mind wander where it may.  In essence, you are rocked like a baby in the water as you paddle along.

I make it back and exit the kayak from the dock instead of the shoreline.  The journey is over for this day, but I am excited at the paddling yet to come.  For as with other opening days, the drama of the season lies ahead of us, waiting to be played out.