Today’s kayaking trip was a great opportunity to look back on our readings of Flambaeu from Aldo Leopold and Eisley’s piece, The Flow of the River. We made the transition from society into a calmer more natural setting but still occasionally seeing these signs of civilization. I noticed a house on the hill breaking up the beautiful hillside. Andy mentioned he felt the same way and I joked that whoever lives probably doesn’t like having his view of the river tainted by kayakers.

But once we reached the stretches of pure nature it was a much more humbling experience. I made an effort to keep track of all my senses while I paddle down the river. I made note of the birds flying overhead a cat eating a catfish on the side of bank. But for me, the most interesting thing was when it started raining. The symphony of splashing raindrops falling in the river all around us was almost a sensory overload. The familiar smell of rain was amplified by the river itself and by the millions of raindrops exploding across the entire river. In that moment, we were connected to the river from above and below.