Pigs, Paddles and Nutria Scat

Guess what we did on Saturday?

Here's another clue.

Kayaking!  Because, when it's 34 degrees, why WOULDN'T you want to sit in a fiberglass craft, praying that you don't tump over?  The Cyclist finds the funnest (yes, I said funnest) things for us to do. This weekend was no exception.  We volunteered to be a part of the Great American Clean Up - Keep Texas Beautiful and kayak the Elm Fork of the Trinity River, picking up trash while we did so.  

We are either incredibly strong kayakers or poor trash pickers up. Because we pretty much stayed ahead of the group. Whoops.  

We were given trash bags, rubber gloves and a trash grabber and told to pick up what we could, as long as we could safely reach it.  Neither of us had ANY interest in getting wet on this cold morning, but after a while, we got the hang of siddling up close to shore and snatching some trash.  Turn out, teamwork was the best method.  One of us would use our paddle to grab onto the bank, the other would grab the trash.  Not surprisngly, two neat freaks rocked the heck out of clean up!  

It was a gorgeous, sunny day for being out on the river.  Being down low kept us out of the crazy wind!

The main trash boat - look at what he found!

We'd never been kayaking together and honestly, it has been years since I've paddled a canoe.  But we got the hang of it, figuring out which position does what, drawing on each other's strengths and communicating well.  (like the time we were going through a particularly foamy, sludgy section and I cried out, "Whoa, not in the face!" Ha!) 

Oh, it was so peaceful on the water!  Once the sun was good and up, it sparkled on the river and warmed us up a bit.  It was mostly silent, just the sound of our paddles dipping into the stream.  I had really hoped to spot a nutria, but I guess it's still a little cold for the little guys.  We did see what I declared to be nutria scat (like I have any idea), a handful of beautiful redbirds and what looked to be pig tracks.  Oh, we gots LOTS of wild pigs here in Texas - they are like mean, ugly, destructive squirrels around here.  Just everywhere.  

Later in the summer, when our training demands slow down a bit, I can see this becoming a more regular event.  And maybe, just maybe, I'll figure out by then how to stop us!  

Because I LOVE puns and LOVE terrible jokes, I'll pass on this little gem I heard on Saturday.  What did the minnow say when he hit his head on some concrete?

Dam.  

Yuk yuk yuk!

Have you ever been kayaking?  Tell me about it!  Or tell me a punny joke!