transients are everywhere

I climb into my tent feeling like an old man missing out on some quality drunkenness, get comfy, lay my head down on my makeshift pillow (a stuff sack stuffed with clothes and surrounded by a fleece,) and........chic-sh-chic-sh-chic-sh!

Something is scurrying around the tent floor near my head. Farts and thank yous are coming from the other tent, uncontrollable laughing and jokes fling tent to tent too, but this is serious! Some fucking nasty-ass-something has crawled Into my pillow and will probably burrow into my ear, and all I can get from the other tent is a laugh and a "loud and proud" one.

Somethings got to be done! I punch at my pillow, press down hard on every soft surface, hoping for my first kill of the trip, and finally silence comes to camp. No funeral, no remorse, no scurrying or odorous emissions, nothing. Sleep begins, only, its sleep with the knowledge that insect carcass now provides my comfort.

Five minutes later that little fucker is scurrying around again. Head lamp to forehead I tore everything in sight apart in that tent, and there he was, looking at me, I can't read facial expressions of insects, so who knows what he was thinking, this beetle the size of a pack of big red.

Gone. Scared to use my hand the gauntlet of the fist through sleeping bag method came down on his ass and finally put an end to the uninvited squatter.

only just beginning

I think we could have played chess to the constant glow of our cigarettes. We played and smoked for hours. It was exactly what we were looking for. Quiet. Well, In the distance fireworks and drunken howlings were reminders we were not alone. We expected that all the vomiting partyers were out only for a night of drinking on the river, leaving the next. We were out for four days, going long past the take out that was everyone elses. Our trip was only just beginning.

this is not a smile

To all the late night stragglers floating by, those who left late and cant find a campsite, fuck you. This is not a smile,  this is OUR beach, beeyotch!

"Kuurs" and extra virgin olive oil

     Eat my Psoas Major! Chew on my dainty filet. Ok, ok. Sorry. Actually, wait, that makes it all sound small. Well, Filet Mignon's big reputation makes it a perfectly acceptable indulgence for canoeing.

     After camp was set up, and the fire began to give birth to the perfect orange coals, I broke out my little backpackers collapsable  grill. I pulled from the cooler the white butchers paper the two fist sized filets were folded in. Opening it up, an almost guilty look came over us. We cheersed our Coors cans, I'm sorry; "Kuurs". A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper is all it needed before it hit the grill. The same to a few spears of asparagus, a sprinkle if chile, some herbed butter, mmm, dinner, our first night canoe camping ever, was awesome!