Another eagle sighting...

Sunday, April 21, 2013

Since Holly’s mom died this past Thursday, we have received generous gifts of food from friends.  One such container was the size of a large pumpkin and filled with salad.  Not many of the Rolf’s are salad eaters, so I figured it was up to me to put a dent in this massive amount of rabbit food.  So when I got up and went out to get the morning paper to read with my cereal, I decided that I’d read it with my morning salad instead. When I told Savannah later how I’d done that, she was quite appalled.

“Yuk…dad…that’ just not RIGHT!  In fact, it’s really gross!” she said.

But it really wasn’t.  The problem with good salads is they’re way harder to make than pouring some cereal in a bowl and covering it in milk.  I think I’d eat salads all the time if someone else would take the time to mix them, keep them fresh and always have them ready for me to eat.  The last time I checked, that someone didn’t exist at 1002 Millridge.

It was supposed to have been the weekend for my birthday triathlon, but things happen to change those plans…and they had.  Still, Heidi was home and she’d mentioned doing a kayak with me.  It was almost idea weather with blue skies overhead and temperatures in the fifties.  I was anxious to go but when I brought it up with her, she demurred.  I know she’s going through so much with the loss of her grandmother and I didn’t push it, but I still wanted to go and loaded the kayak on the Jeep.  I went inside to grab the keys…and found they weren’t on the key rack where I’d told Jack to put them the last time I couldn’t find them.  He was at the store with friends shopping for prom outfits, but hadn’t taken his cell phone.  I was ready to kill him.

I went out and unloaded the kayak and racks from his Jeep and moved them over to Savannah’s.  She’d gone out with her mom to do some shopping and when I went to get the keys for her Jeep after spending 20 minutes transferring the kayak, was none too pleased when I couldn’t find them, either.  In the meantime, Jack called to tell me the keys to his Jeep were in the laundry room.

“Umm…and reason you’d store them there?  I mean other than because you really want to piss me off, that is,” I asked.

He didn’t have much of an answer, but when I found Savannah’s on the floor in the family room, I went with the Jeep that was loaded.  I arrived at East Branch Reservoir and quickly got the kayak in the water.  I pushed off from shore with binoculars and my camera dangling from my neck.  I was determined to spot my eagles.

I paddled past the nest, but saw no indications that it was occupied.  I continued north along the shore and followed another large bird as it headed for an alcove to determine the species when I got it in my head to turn around and check the nest with my binoculars.  When I did, I saw one of the pair perched high in the tree about twenty feet above the nest.  I quickly returned and took some pictures from a safe distance before paddling away and to the end of the reservoir.  Along the way, I passed a fellow kayaker with a dog in the bow of his boat.  He had an open cockpit to allow this; I could never do the same with Dakota because mine was closed though I doubt she would enjoy such a trip since water is not really her friend.

I fought with the wind on my return trip.  It was attempting to turn my 17’ craft and I was paddling without the rudder in the water.  The rudder, of course, is specifically designed to help keep a craft straight when working in windy conditions, but I always considered it cheating…like training wheels…and figured I should be able to correct the craft with strong strokes.  I could and it was a better workout, so I wasn’t complaining but I was having trouble staying close to the shore with the nest.  As I approached, I noticed the male was on a branch just over the water and in a perfect place to have his picture taken.  He obliged me with wonderful photo opportunities and I finished the trip thrilled that I’d come.  I suppose I may someday get bored with these magnificent creatures, but don’t believe it will be anytime soon.

Kayak duration:  90 minutes.

Training Heart Rate:  90 bpm.
Calories burned during workout:  650.