Wednesday, April 25, 2012

To Eastern PA - 6-11

Unfortunately, paddling wasn't the priority for this trip, and it's a good thing too.  Priority one was to be here in Pennsylvania to babysit one granddaughter during her school break.  Priority two was to meet the newest granddaughter.  Paddling would hopefully occur when time allowed, and I was planning on time allowing.  Well, best laid plans of mice and men and all that....
Day 6 - shopping and installing the sewer line and emptying all the tanks.  I also finished reading "The River Why" from the Paddlers' Reading List, which I'll review.
Day 7 - We drove to New Jersey (seven hours on the road) to visit Jean's Mom in her retirement home. 
Day 8 - We had the chance to spend some time with Alaina, the infant granddaughter.  She is without a doubt the most contented baby I've ever seen.  As we near the end of our visit here, I still have only heard her cry three times.  We bought her a "Future Paddler" T-shirt in one year size, and it doesn't fit.  If she continued to grow as she has the first two and a half months, she'll be the first female offensive guard for the Steelers.
Day 9 - Windbound.  Winds to 40 mph.  Having been in Oklahoma the last five years, I had forgotten that you can hear the wind coming long before it gets to you.  Several seconds before the trees responded, we could hear the distant growl of the wind.  In Oklahoma, you know the wind is coming when the red dirt hits you in the eyes. 
Day 10 - Windbound.  We had used up all our reading material, so we went in search of a used-book store.  A retired Army officer and his wife operate a book store in a two-hundred year old barn that they've completely renovated.  The job they've done on the barn is beautiful in itself, but they have thousands of books on the implement floor and in the hay loft.  If you love books, Canaday's Book Barn is a must if you're in the Carlisle/Harrisburg area.   Winter returns.  Lows in the 30's.
Day 11 - Cold, raw.  North wind and light showers.  The dampness takes the chill right to the bone.  At least we now have a pile of unread books and a new can of cocoa mix.  Snow and sleet flurries.
Day 12 was our first paddling day, so I'll save that to use with the pictures.  The temperature rebounded to hit 88-degrees.  We had the air conditioner on one day, and the windows open two nights, but it was a passing and momentary thing.  Winter snow, sleet, rain, wind, and shivering chills all returned.

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