Keep on trucking

Janis truck and I took a little drive into a nearby canyon a few days ago. I was hoping the rainstorm we had would have washed interesting desert debris, especially cholla cactus skeletons, down the arroyos but there was little sign of any serious water flow. A lovely load of rocks came home with us anyway. No desert wander is ever wasted.

There is however currently a lot of water flowing at Lake Caballo where, as is our habit, the truck, the kayak and I find ourselves at sunrise on another day this week.

A combination of wind and accelerated snowmelt from high temperatures in the catchment area means the lake is full and on that morning was slapping the pebbly shoreline with fierce bubbly waves. It was almost like launching in saltwater surf.

Once launched, the water was a lumpy, bumpy dark fluidity pulling hard south, reminding me that the heart of this manmade lake is and always will be the mighty great grey green god which is El Río Bravo del Norte (translates as The Fierce River of the North aka Rio Grande - translates as Big River - the river’s name in the USA) No prizes for guessing which name resonates more with me who spends a significant amount of time dipping paddle in the various local waters which hold this river in their heart. I have felt that ferocity of spirit which no dam wall can quell.

That morning’s paddle was hard work all the way, with a bobbing little plastic sit-on-top kayak not built for navigating grumpy water. Erratic waves buffeted from all directions, especially closer to the shore where herons were fishing. For me, the most interesting things in a a body of water always happen in the often challenging to paddle eddy line and along the shoreline where water meets earth. When I lived near salt water, paddling the eddy line was always my favorite form of sunrise prayer paddle.

I managed zero pictures of birds though there were plenty of cormorants and herons, and even a turkey buzzard who flew over low scoping something on the shoreline. I was too busy bouncing around like a rodeo stunt performer on this unruly, strong and utterly magnificent licorice water to get out the bird camera. Arms and shoulders got a good workout.

Back at the beach, with the kayak loaded again, the first rays of sun give Janis a monster truck shadow. Is that the identity you are secretly hiding deep in your shadow side, little truck? To be a monster truck in a grand parade? I prefer the classic simple lines of early 2000s vintage Ford Ranger myself, but I guess we all harbor some unwise and impractical shadow aspirations.

I walk a way down the pebbly shoreline, admiring de colores and allowing my shorts to dry. The thing about a sit-on-top is one sits in a puddle of lake. This is an advantage as temperatures rise here (in the colder months I take the canoe), but isn’t kind to Janis truck’s cloth seats. If I’m in a hurry I do always carry a change of clothing, or at least a kikoy (sarong). On this morning, with the whole lake to myself, I was in no rush.

Water tumbled pebbles of so many colours glistened. I found a fish carcass, neatly filleted, leathery and so beautifully laid out on the rocks.

This was probably what had caught the turkey buzzard’s interest.

I was pleased to see the shoreline so free of litter.

The current state park camp host is doing a good job. Picking up litter is usually one of the duties assigned to these volunteers at New Mexico State Parks.

I did find smaller, less obvious trash which went into my collection bag to be hauled out. Picking up trash is a service project I assign myself after each paddle, in gratitude for the easy access I have to these beautiful places.

So much small plastic, mostly from bottle caps and, because this area is frequented by fishermen, the ubiquitous nylon line. Yards of it. Sigh. On this day there is a broken fishing reel and little bits and pieces of cheap camping gear too.

My shorts are dry, the sun is up and I have a date back at the shala with the stove and some apricots.

There’s not a lot because the harvest was small this year, but the condiment selection is now enhanced by two jars of apricot date chutney with ginger, cardamom and apple cider vinegar to make it sing. Now to find the discipline to wait three weeks or so to allow it to mature.