Jeff Schmerker
Paddling away from it all
We pulled in late at night and backed into the first camp spot we found. The tent went up in a few minutes, brush your teeth, roll out the bags, and fall asleep almost instantly. With the sunrise at 5:30 the baby was awake and so were we. Brekkie and strong coffee – in the Rockies in midsummer, 7 a.m. can feel like midday. Soon we are pushing kayaks out onto the lake, taking turns while one stays on shore with Cooper. Not far from shore the quiet noises of the campground fade, the smoke from morning campfires blends into the forest, and paddling into the clear shallow water feels like true exploration.
