I know, I know. Houseboats sound like something for couples in Bermuda shorts and fishing hats. But my preconceived ideas were turned on their fishing-hatted heads. I had the amazing good fortune of being invited to spend a week on Lake Powell with my dear hiking friends, Jack and Gretchen, along with another couple of friends of theirs, Connie and Eric. We met up in Flagstaff, Arizona, being on separate road trips, where appropriately, we eat a scrumptious meal in town at the Beaver Street Brewery…eating delicious meals will become a common theme of this vacation! My four traveling companions are avid fuudies and poor me had to partake in their dueling dinners for a week.
Me in my kayak in bliss...I mean on Lake Powell
We hit the road towards Page, Arizona and the Play Time houseboat – where we will all call home for the next week, with varying back yards, of course. After buying final survival gear and provisions (such as a floaty raft and Hagen Dazs coffee ice cream), we load up the boat and launch. We putter along happily until Jack and I go scout in Play Toy, the racy speed boat, for a nice camping spot. Gina is smiling at this point 🙂 After locating a gorgeous beach near Gunsight Butte, we radio to Eric on Play Time and he pilots the house boat in. I make myself indispensable as I wander from anchor spot to anchor spot asking meekly what I can do.
We untethered the kayaks and went out for a tranquil and beautiful late afternoon paddle around our new ‘hood, our paddles deftly cutting the silky surface, rippling the mirrored clouds above. I was in my sleek, fancy Solstice kayak and I was able to keep up with the manly men and their fit femmes in their doubles. I owe this entirely to the sleek fanciness of my kayak!
Reflections of sunset clouds dust the mirror surface, Lake Powell
Back home, Connie and Eric promptly get busy making their first of many culinary masterpieces… chile verde with corn and black bean salad, served with fresh tortillas. While we awaited these delights, we busied ourselves with warm chips smothered in lime juice, with fresh salsa and guacamole. This “camping food” was really very trying. Gretchen and I enjoyed mojitos with fresh crushed mint leaves and limes… Because she feared I may starve, she had hauled along a sizeable hunk of my favorite, manchego cheese, which of course we partooked that first evening. After chatting and cozying up to a healthy campfire, we headed for bed and the gentle lull of a calm “water bed”. You can tell this will be a rough trip. Bear with me, if I endured it, you can too.
(All photos by G. Stark)
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