notes and comments

the last of my cafe vita coffee is simmering on the stove, spoon is to loud on the stereo, and I am sore.

I left off at the tumulteous night of monday, before going out on my first day as a kayak guide tuesday morning, not knowing what to expect in the least. I was due to report in by 8:30, and of course, woke up plenty early. Byrne was leaving the house as I got up, so I had the place to myself for bit. I scanned the wall of cd’s and the other wall of lp’s, wondering what would fit this kind of morning. I settled on Wilco’s Being There, dropped it on the turntable and jumped to the song Monday. The song lets you take on the world.

Off I went, with my jacket, life vest (PFD, for those in the know) gloves and a certain amount of wild eyed determination. Showed up at the yard, and immediatly began moving kayaks, piling up life jackets, etc. I met up with my fellow guides, all the males seemingly larger and more bearded than myself. Admittedly, being larger isn’t a difficult feat. They were all very friendly, and seemed happy to welcome me.

We drove to Chilkoot lake, which, simply put, is spectacularly gorgeous. It was also our first sunny day in a few. We unloaded kayaks, and got lunch set up for the people coming on the trip. A trip either eats before or after they go out, so lunch is always ready for somebody. My boss let me know that I would be going out on the first trip, since Tuesday we had two trips, but both large groups of over thirty persons. So, off I went, hoping that nothing serious was going to occur, or that if it did, I wasn’t the guide closest to it. The first trip went without incident, except for needing to adjust someone’s rudder pedals in the water. The lake is surrounded by mountains on all sides, with waterfalls shooting out of rocks hundreds of feet above us, and sometimes it’s so still, the lake is almost glassy.

As soon as I docked after the first trip, I was informed I was turning right around and going back for the second. Two trips in a day is certainly doable, but tiring, and I was awfully sore that night. Nothing compared to yesterday, however. Wednesday’s are our biggest days, because its the day the cruise ship comes into town, meaning we started at 6:30am and went till 7:30pm. This is a long day. This morning, there isn’t a part of me left without ache, after yesterday’s four trips (happily, no guide had to go out on more than two. A trip is about four and half miles total) And of course, we have another trip this afternoon.

So, a series of sneaks just finished, my coffee is running down, and I need breakfast. The kayak guide job boils down to getting paid to be out on a beautiful lake everday, the price being a few days of being awfully sore. I will be sure to relate future stories of mayhem and dismemberment as they occur. So far, the worst part is the mosquitos, who are bigger than you, and meaner.