Related links
* Trough General Store
'Dad, maybe we're not crazy'
A brief account of a 7-mile journey along the South Branch of the Potomac River
* Video (coming this week)
ROMNEY, W.Va., Oct. 1, 2011 "Dad, maybe we're not crazy."
With those words, one might figure my 9-year-old daughter's attitude had changed for the better. In this case, though, it only reminded me that, moments earlier, MacKenzie had considered the both of us a bit off our respective rocker.
Her gut feeling was probably right after all. As we loaded into the van with about 13 others - from all parts of the Mid-Atlantic - it was easy to recall our missteps. This other group of people, a large family with ties to Romney, had been planning this trip since July. I had first inquired about it less than 24 hours earlier.
Kenzie and I came oh-so-close to deciding not to do it. We had gotten chilled and slightly wet while at a 5K run in Yellow Spring early in the morning. We had changed into dry clothing and, by 11:15 a.m., we were dry and warm. The cold rain was falling steadily on Romney. We just knew we were gonna get wet.
"Dad, let's just do it," Kenzie urged.
We were fashionably late, but Kenzie and I met up with Trough General Store owner Jerry Dean at his store on River Road, located just a few miles southwest of Romney. We all crammed into a 15-passenger van for the short dive to the public access area to the Potomac River. We briefly shared stories. I don't remember names; just that everyone seemed friendly and some, like me, were inclined to run as many miles as they might paddle once in a while.
Turns out the other group also had a few experienced paddlers. We didn't. The group seemed well-prepared with well-insulated coolers and rainjackets - very necessary, as it had rained much of the morning and would do so for about five of our seven miles.
We had two clear plastic trash bags converted into ponchos. An extra trash bag was used to in hopes that it would keep our snacks, video camera, camera and some extra clothing dry. We also hoped the rain would hold off. We didn't know we'd be wrong on one account.
And off we went.
For a moment, MacKenzie and I thought about staying with the group. Then we figured we didn't want to slow them down. While they worked to get past the train trestle in the first half mile, we forged ahead with the idea they'd pass us soon enough.
It was unseasonably chilly, but the rain had stopped before we hit the water. We were able to enjoy our first eagle sighting - within the first mile - in an overcast but otherwise clear sky. The feeling was fantastic. I told Kenzie it seemed as if the eagle was "dancing in the air" just for us.
I wish I was more of a nature writer than I am, but I in my 16 years in journalism, I have always done a pretty poor job of describing the outdoors. I can tell you we floated past rocks of all shapes and sizes and by trees of all widths, heights and hues. We saw birds large and small, a few fish and heard a few cracks and crunches along the banks large enough to wonder what might be watching us as we padded along.
We collected shells and Kenzie, being the creature-lover she is, took home a few snails - including the one from my shoe, which I had inadvertently collected at one shallow point when I got out of the canoe to push us forward.
We hit a few shallow spots. The first two times it got tough when the canoe became stuck on the rocks. I used the paddle to pry and push us loose. I don't go to the gym much. It was a challenge. The third time we became stuck, I got out of the boat and walked us about 15 feet forward. Worked like a charm, but admittedly would have felt better had the water been a bit warmer.
I'd love to tell you Kenzie helped paddle. When she tried - sporadic, short-term moments - I could feel the impact and I could take a break. But it seemed those moments lasted only seconds and, after a time all too short, I was paddling solo once again. Oh the joys of being the Dad.
I'm a runner. One of the few things I can tell you is that my GPS-enabled Garmin wristwatch showed the trip to be seven miles on the nose. And we must have gone faster than some groups, becauase Jerry had estimated it might take us anywhere between three and five hours. Even with some pleasure stops to climb rocks, take a few photos or check out a Loch Ness-like apparition - it was just a log - it took a mere two hours and 32 minutes, averaging about 21 minutes a mile.
We didn't paddle with the other group the entire way. For the first half of the trip, they were well behind us but still visible. After a few more turns of the Potomac River, though, we didn't see them for the second half. We were alone for the majority of the trip - just us against the wilderness. It was a pretty neat feeling.
I can also tell you it rained for about five of the seven miles. Kenzie stayed mostly dry, though, with her trash bag poncho. As we approached the rock slip indicating the end of the trip and the proximity of Trough General Store - and our vehicle - we tried to hurry up the hill to get warm.
We were cold. Wet. And, having worked up an appetite, we were pretty hungry. So was it all worth it?
"Totally," Kenzie said.
There was no faking that enthusiasm. To think, we almost decided not to go at all. Was it worth it?
Totally.