Upon A Kayak to the Tributary

     I awoke at around 7, my father already up and at 'em in the cabin preparing to head for work. I, choosing not to, hung back to explore the campgrounds. Set on kayaking the river a bit, I did. Not far up river from the grounds I found an area that peaked my interest tenfold. Wooden stumps, possibly poles from a bridge once was, on both sides of the river, on the left side a small creek, brook, tributary, what name you flow down from the forest into the river. Rowing hard, my kayak hit the small beach of this area, and I stepped onto it, eager to explore.

     Upon first arrival, my first notice was the tiny bluff, per se, to the left, a perfect spot for a tent after some light clearing. Another area between it and the water would make for excellent campfirings. To the right, the itty bitty toothpick width flow of water. Trees of all sizes lay above it, fallen over some time before, perhaps from erosion, or wind, or the violent hurricanes of years prior. Against my better judgement, I walked deeper into the woods, following the petite stream upwards. Deeper into the woods I found larger trees, fallen over and hanging above the creek like wooden bridges some 15 or 20 feet high, an amazing site to see. I took pictures and videos and made sure to bask in the sounds of nature, the running of the stream, the birds and the bugs chirping and cawing away, the distant sounds of motor vehicles pumping to their destinations, the sound of the river Chipola flowing by, and the sound of me, breathing and stepping, speaking, ooing and ahhing at the amazing sights before me. I was awestruck.

     It is not very often I get out into nature. The occasional walk in the park is not enough to suffice the soul of a born vagabond, a wanderer through and through. The natural world calls to me just as the social world does. An equilibrium betwixt the two is the perfect life, a yin yang juggled of the world of nature and the world of the social human. Humans are both nomadic in nature and socialable at heart, these emotions need tending, they must be nurtured. So to have the chance to kayak and to be treated with such a spot was a Godsend, a much needed Godsend. Thank you, Great Spirit!

     While out there I couldn't help but stray my thoughts towards the likes of Chris McCandless (Alexander Supertramp!) and Everett Ruess, two fellow nature lovers and solidarity seekers as I, two who died amidst this natural world I preach of. While they perished doing that in which I want to do, travel I mean, they did so with a great legacy, an inspirational encouragement for those yet to come, yet to take up the torch and run with it. My heroes, whom I read and respect, and head the mistakes of. Two beings in one, a yin and yang, a dyad of vagabondage.

     The day is not through, the sun still shines, even if faintly through the grey clouds of storm, it still shines it's yellow beams upon the world. The day is still young, and the night is nothing to fear. The time to travel, to learn, to grow never runs out. It is always that time. And I must spend it as well as I can, experiencing and traveling, journeying, exploring, meeting, hearing, telling, sharing, growing. My story is still untold and unwritten. But not for long, my friend. Not for long.

       "There can be no other life for me but that of

                              the lone wanderer."

                                  - Everett Ruess