Happy Independence Day. Any of you guys around DC actually going downtown and see the fireworks ? Wish I was there. We have a big local party this afternoon, will be looking for good brews and brats and watermelon and baseball, but i'll be thinking and talking about snow. Best wishes everyone!
shoving a half case of reeb into a backpack, grabbing a dry bag, paddle float and pump, then scurrying through a half empty DC to get to the Key Bridge boat house (half empty, that is, except for all the parking spots which were of course taken so first, quick, run up to the pay garage, scour the *full* garage for the one spot in between concrete columns and under sewer pipe, then run full-tilt to get the last real boat on the dock, dodging and weaving around every lollygagging pedestrian out there). Beer: no beer yet. Must stand very still so nothing clinks whilst receiving safety lecture from just-post-teenager.
Imagine: Twilight on the river, paddling through the South River channel (barely scraping through since the parking lot SNAFU means its an hour past high tide), the only company some baby ducklings and a blue heron giving the kayak a fishy look combined with a stink eye. Beer: Yuengling Black & Tan. Heck, have another, you earned it.
Imagine: paddling out from the Pentagon marina into a maze of boats all moored or rafted together, the sun only just lighting the top of the Washington Monument and an airplane coming down to National from Rosslyn. Everything else in dusk. Beer: Molson Canadian Ice. Because sometimes independence means having whatever the frak you want.
Imagine: rafting up to a row of boats all playing "Thriller" to borrow a bottle opener - rats, forgot that- only to be treated to three very pregnant women in Stars and Stripes bikinis (you read that right) with U S A written in white grease pen on bellies, dancing to Michael Jackson on the boats' back decks. Beer: Bells Oberon Ale, yes I brought enough to share.
Imagine: Having 2 fireworks shows going on at once, the Mall one booming out stars inside circles, smiley faces, and colour shifting chrysanthemums overhead, every boom sending water ripples through the boats. And then the other show over your right shoulder (Old Town) with bright almost Irish greens and reds, chunkier and less elegant but vivid like hydrangeas of flame. Cider: Angry Orchard Elderflower
Imagine: paddling back to the boat dock only to get pulled over by the water cops who then proceed to strap another glow light to the back deck. Remember that safety lecture earlier? Get another one about having a 360 degree visible light. Beer: Great Lakes Brewing Edmund Fitzgerald porter.
Imagine: surfing the wake of the Dandy (Nina's Dandy now) straight upstream, the Rosslyn fireworks directly ahead, the waves bouncing off the seawall to your right and making a perfect V so that they launch you forward, each wave making the boat feel like a flying fish about to launch forward and up. Beer: no beer, hands making like motors.
