Of Campfires, Kayaking and a Weird Hippie Dude

Kayakers are an interesting breed of people. Any "plans" made are really just a framework for the weekend. Times and places change, but atleast you know the general area people are going to be in. Maybe that's what makes our weekends so fun, you just never know who you're gonna meet and what you're gonna do. You know you're going to end up in the woods on a river, with a story at the end of the day.

This weekend was no exception. We drove up north on Friday evening, this weekend we brought Kobes along with us because the Rapid river (http://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River_detail_id_881_) was on the agenda for A-town and whoever showed up to paddle with him on Saturday (it's a class IV). We don't bring him often, because if I'm going to paddle all day, both Saturday and Sunday, what fun is that for Kobe? I knew we'd get some quality hiking in on Saturday, little did I know *how* much.

The Rapid river is in a remote part of Maine. The only way to access the river is a series of logging roads. None of which are marked, although someone generously put together a map of the logging roads with exact mile markers on there to follow for the put-in, take out and to the hiking trail into "Smooth Ledge" which is a play spot (playspot: a wave or a hole that forms and makes for great spots for throwing down tricks), where everyone hangs out for most of the day. Kobe and I would be hiking into there.

Our group for the day ended up being our new buddy, Bryon who we met last weekend paddling the Pemi; Romy; Adam and shuttle bunnies Kobe and me. We set shuttle, the boys headed down the river and Kobe and I set out to hike in the 1 mile trail to Smooth Ledge. This is when we started the mis-adventure of the weekend. As with the unmarked logging roads, the "trail" is not marked. I had never been there, there was no one else around and when I headed into the woods, I had no idea what I was in for.

Kobe and I started on our hike in great spirits - it was a beautiful day - warm but not hot, sunshine, crisp air - great day for a hike! I was close to humming along, it was that good. Until we hit a fork in the trail. Hmmm...So, we chose one way which eventually stopped being even remotely a trail...So, we turned around and went the other way, which eventually dead ended as well.

Now, we're hot...we were doing some serious hiking and then back tracking, there's deerflies swarming us, my legs are scraped up and bleeding because I'm trouncing through wild raspberry bushes (which were very good, BTW) I'm starting to see lots of different animal dung and I'm not really sure where to turn. I was close to tears...But instead decided to not freak, to find the trail again, and head back out. Eventually someone will come along that knows the way, I thought to myself. So very hot and sweaty, we made our way back to where I knew someone would come along.

And they did. It actually ended up being someone I knew - bonus! And he showed me the way in. He had been there several times before and knew the way in well. "Yeah," he said..."You never would have found it." Because it is so early in the season, and nothing is packed down there really is no trail.

So we spent a good chunk of time hanging out there, and the blip in the morning was long forgotten. For those of you from NH, you may recognize the name Willem Lange...Well, he was on the river that day with a rafting company, taping a future episode for New Hampshire Public Television's, "Wildlife Journal." He totally waved to Kobe and me on the rock, and they were taping at that time, so maybe we'll be TV stars! The episode will air in October.

We met some new people on the river that day, one of whom, Beau "aka Weird Hippie Dude" (really nice guy, but you'll see why he got this nickname in a second) ended up coming back to our camp and having supper with us and others...Had this little story to tell...

"My ex-girlfriend was a vegetarian, and we got into this fight. So man, I got some lambskin condoms and used them." "What did she say when you told her?", I asked. "I never told her, that's what makes it so great."

OK, then.

Day II of our latest weekend adventure, tomorrow.