I’m liking this ritual of a morning kayak through our neighborhood. This time, we go exploring and venture deep into narrowww canyons… we actually abandon my posh Solstice kayak and tuck it away in a dark watery dead end, to protect its’ girly figure, and proceed to force the plastic boats through progressively narrowing gaps filled with deep water (which swallowed up my fancy Sig water bottle, derned nammit!) until we could proceed no more. The minnows who take refuge in these cracks, rather than canyons, were literally leaping up the sides of the rock, out of the water to flee the behemoth monsters booming and echoing their charge through their terrain. The views and light and shadow in these always changing hallways of crimson rock were mesmerizing… I kept fishing my camera out of its safe haven in ziplockville to snap shots against the backdrop of my companions’ voices urging, “Gina, moooove!” My favorite accomplishment of the day was switching from my sit-inside kayak, balancing precariously mid channel, to Jacks sit on top, then vice versa, successfully…thereby depriving my friends – who were poised with all sorts of camera and video equipment – of an entertaining dump in the cold water. Paddling back, we stopped for a little granola bar break at a little beach nestled in a cove. We looked like a commercial for the Arizona Tourism Board.
In the evening, card games – giggling, gloating, cursing, drinking… then Patron, a coffee-infused tequila, and THEN, this same decadent liqueur drizzled over the aforementioned rations of Hagen Dazs coffee ice cream with a dollop (ok ok MORE than a dollop) of whipped cream.
The next morning was declared a Moving Houseboat Day! We packed up and relaunched and Connie and Eric and I climbed in and absconded with the little speedy boat to visit the famed and iconic Rainbow Bridge, while Jack and Gretchen scouted out our next home, and find our very own bay.
After our mini hike to Rainbow Bridge, where we documented the feat with the obligatory photos, Connie fed us delightful brunches of egg, cheese and ham souffle creations in our own personal ramekins, along with more of my impossibly sinful corn salad. (I make it w/red bell peppers for color, and celery for more crunch!) We do more swimming and frolicking once secured, and Jack entertained us with his attempts to “sail” my kayak by hoisting a windbreaker over his head between two oars. Yes. Really. He did. He is boasting at this very moment of my typing that he reached a white knuckling velocity of 2.7 mph. I spotted an adorable, endearing mouse on the boat who Jack didn’t agree was so endearing and he gently relocated him over the side and into the lake and we cheered and encouraged this little hapless rodent as he desperately flailed his way first to the rope line, then eventually to the shore. His mate endured the same fate, and Jack even boarded a kayak to guide the little stow-away to the opposing shore. More swimming, lolling on rafts in the sun and bathing in the lake.
Dinner that night – Teriyaki chicken, green salad, grilled veggies, potatoes au gratin and steamed broccoli…with pinot grigio. Don’t worry, I’m not becoming sophisticated – I still say “arse” 🙂
Friday – After an “interesting” night being assaulted by the mattress cushion we had positioned to provide a windbreak for me, we enjoyed some delicious cawfeee and Gretchen once again set to the task of wowing us and obese-ing us with her peak-to-peak pancakes with copious amounts of lemon juice and powdered sugar slathered into a sweet icing… mmm. We hopped into Play Toy and braved the white caps to venture over to Dry Rock Creek for a brief but lovely hike. We then head out to the main channel for cell service. The ridiculous adventuress in me insisted on sitting in the bow for an extra bouncing jolting Mr Toads’ Wild Ride 🙂 I must be getting old… I was laughing hysterically all the while a usually-suppressed voice of self-preservation was telling me this MAY not be good for my body to be lurched so violently. But hey, it was fun! Meanwhile, back at the boat, Gretchen had started in on yet another tantalizing meal of chilled sesame pasta with shrimp and lime, along with a jicama slaw. 
But FIRST, tequila tasting 🙂 I found two such agave extractions to be actually somewhat palatable… and I started quite the nice buzz. Excuse me, I must now break for coffee ice cream…. to be continued…OK, Im back. Now I have a pineapple juice with malibu rum. I must counteract the effects of the caffeine in the ice cream, of course.
We sat down for our last supper… and my chair broke! Need I say more? Did I say Houseboating can be detrimental to your fitness level? I think we are all in agreement that the hiking and kayaking and swimming are not only diverting, they are a crucial part of the justification of our rich culinary indulgences. The tequila thing could become an evening ritual with this group!
(All photos by G. Stark)
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