The River Rat Ranger Reboots...

The RRR's youngest daughter Midkid... complained that he hasn't blogged in 3 months. She's right... here it is.... Outside under the Sugar Maple the new to me, old and battered jon boat bought for $50 waits upside down as the glue on the hull leaks dries. Beside me on the living room floor are 5 gallon buckets. One full of dried food. One full of cooking gear. Mrs. RRR is sewing a padded bag for the new Coleman Exponent dual fuel lantern. There is a poem on the new lantern's box.....

"I will EXIT the beaten path. I will
Exit the beaten path to ESCAPE
The urgency of clocks. I will exit
The beaten path all BECAUSE I
Enjoy a good CHALLENGE. To
RECHARGE my batteries. To
REBOOT. I will exit to hear my
Spirited shouts ECHO off the
Cliffs and back to me... back to
ME... to me. I will exit the beaten
Path to REDISCOVER who I
Actually am. I will exit the beaten
Path, and in my SOUL, not return."

Tomorrow Mrs. RRR and I leave for Texas to be with Midkid and her family as she has surgery. Saturday night we will head back for my beloved river valley. Sunday afternoon we will put the boat and the gear into Das Boot, our creaky ancient diesel Suburban and drive to another river. And Sunday night I will be where the frogs sing and the blue herons squawk sardonically.

Call me an escapist, call me a waster of time and energy, but till June..... call me long distance.