A Day on the Buffalo National River

Arkansas didn't take the name of the Natural State for no reason.

I'm pretty sure it wins best views.

Last Sunday I floated the Buffalo National River for the first time. I even got to man my own kayak for the entire day.

It was the most perfect day. I couldn't have asked for more sunshine or better people to spend the day on the river.

Since it was my first time on the Buffalo and my second time in a kayak, I'm happy to report I didn't flip my boat or lose any personal items. And the river was higher than it normally is at this time of year, or so said the party bus driver who hauled us and the canoes to the river.

I only had to get out once to save my kayak from the river bottom, and it was my fault for not knowing how to drive in the mini-rapids.

I'm pretty positive I could spend every weekend floating the Buffalo.

The Spirit, that's what I called my kayak, was everything I wanted her to be. Lime green and roomy. Perfect for smooth sailing. The roommate got an orange kayak, while the Red Head and her little sister navigated a lime green canoe with all of our stuff.

We only had one minor mishap when the Red Head and her sister ramped a semi-submerged tree in the middle of some rapids. They kept the boat upright, but the Red Head lost her iPod to the river. She totally jumped out of the boat in the middle of a swift current to get it, and by sheer willpower, she saved it. It was much like a scene from Baywatch. Very dramatic.

I tried to paddle back to get her, but I just ended up running The Spirit into another kayaker, which left me to float backwards through a series of rapids. Needless to say, I didn't paddle back to her to save the day.

But it was a perfect day. Perfect in all sense of the word.

We had a blast, and kayaking has quickly become one of my favorite things. I mean it when I say I want to kayak all the time.

If someone were to ask me right now how I'd like to pass my time (as far as hobbies), I'd say more trail running, more yoga and more kayaking. So that's what I'm going to try to do.

Running has taken a backseat since the Little Rock Half Marathon. I fear my right knee is in need of an MRI to see what's causing its issues, but ain't nobody got time for that. I should say ain't nobody got money for that. But I still run. Just not as often or as hardcore.

I did get to run in the rain the other day. Almost three miles. There is something so pure about running in the rain. I feel so physically and emotionally clean when I'm finished. Like my mind is somehow clearer. That the rain has washed away my distracting thoughts.

I also got to go to a sunset yoga class last week, too. Yoga on a patio at sunset is the most perfect thing ever. Well, aside from a hot yoga class. Hot yoga is my favorite.

I'm about to have a lot of free time on my hands. And not by choice. So I will run more. Go to yoga as often as I can. And I will figure out how to kayak more. I'm also going to find time for strength training, but not because I love it like I love the other stuff.

I will strength train to become a better runner, yogi and kayaker. And in case of an incident with an attacker. Morbid, I know. But a girl can't be too careful these days.