Playing hooky, whether you’re a school kid, a teacher, a factory worker, or a cubicle occupant, is one of life’s time-honored pleasures. It is definitely one of my favorite things to do. I highly recommend it. Everybody should play hooky at least once a month. Most people work way too hard.
Yesterday, I called in sick. I WAS sick. -Sick to catch one last beautiful day of whitewater canoeing on the Wolf River before the cold, snow, and ice creep in. I slept in a little bit, (sleeping in is another one of my favorite pastimes),
and then I did
what I did
when I played hooky
as a kid.
(sorry about that)
I headed to the river.
I have canoed my entire life but never spent a day on a river all by myself. (And no, I was NOT singing Eric Carmen’s “All By Myself” as I wound my way down the river.) I tried to get a few people to go with me but it is not easy to get other people to play hooky, even if it does look like it is going to be the last nice day of fall. One thing that happens when you are alone is that you see and get closer to more wildlife than usual. I saw at least three different bald eagles. A very large deer jumped out of the river and ran off as I paddled by. A couple of crows let me float right up to them. A wolf was trying to catch a moose. A merganser and I surprised each other when my canoe pulled up two feet from it. I think it must have been sleeping in the sun next to a rock. Sleeping in the sun next to a rock is a very good idea.
Crows make me nervous.
-Just kidding about the wolf and the moose.
It was really quiet on the river. Not one other paddler was around. No kayakers. No rafters. No other canoeists. For about one minute that did make me a little nervous. Even though I am very familiar with this stretch of river and the water levels were low and very “tame”, every whitewater paddler knows that situations can change from beautiful and serene to dangerous in a matter of seconds. It was such a nice day though that it did not take me too long to shrug off those thoughts. I continued down the river enjoying the day and the rapids and contemplating the things I normally do. Even though I normally contemplate things, that does not necessarily mean I contemplate normal things! This day I was in my own little world. The people I usually canoe with would say that I am always in my own little world!
As usual when the sun is shining, the scenery on the Wolf was incredible and spirit-lifting. With all of the leaves off the trees, the green of the pines and cedars really stood out. I was very glad that I took the day off.
After I was done paddling, I stopped and visited two friends who live near the river. They asked me if I was talking to myself or humming or singing as I was canoeing down the river. No I wasn’t. I only do that when other people are around.
eddy out,
rich
inside joke p.s. - no duck hunters shot at me
