On the Water at Reed Bingham State Park

June 15, 2014

On the Water at Reed Bingham State Park

While the Summer temperatures may be too extreme for many here in South Georgia, as a life-long resident, I've learned to live and cope with them. Notice that the emphasis here is on "live". Life doesn't stop just because it is hot. Though I prefer the cooler temperatures of the Fall, there's plenty to do during those long, dog days of Summer. This post deals with one such thing that I did on Saturday prior to Father's Day 2014: Canoeing at Reed Bingham State Park.

The park itself is no stranger to us. In fact, we've spent countless hours there camping and hiking. We've also fished and picnicked. What we'd never done, prior to yesterday, was take a canoe trip out on the lake. Even in the midst of 90 degree heat, there was something magical about being out on the water. Perhaps it was the fact that my eldest son had come home from Athens to spend Father's Day weekend with us. Being together with family always makes my adventures better! Or perhaps it was the fact that my wife had recently recovered from an illness and was finally able to get out and enjoy time in the outdoors for a change, instead of being couped up in the house taking meds. Maybe it was the fact that we took our adventure seeking canines, Walker and Spencer, with us...that's always an adventure! Most likely; however, it was a combination of all of these things. As I said previously, being together with family always makes things better for me!

We don't have our own canoe or kayak, but the Georgia State Parks make them accessible for a small fee. And though our original intent was for all three of us, plus the dogs, to be in one canoe, we found that it would have been a bit cramped, so we opted to rent a kayak also. My son used it, while my wife and the dogs and I used the canoe. Those arrangements made us much more comfortable and were more conducive to picture taking (mostly by my son). There were a few hairy moments; however, when one of my dogs barked excessively at an alligator that passed nearby. Thankfully, the gator must not have been hungry, otherwise, he may have decided to come have a snack.

The beauty of being outdoors is about sharing the experience. Whether it is with loved ones, the camera, or on the pages of a blog, there is something about the outdoors that makes everything okay. Long work weeks seem to fade into the past with a trip such as this. Healing often replaces sickness. Financial burdens lessen. Worries simply disappear. Again I say to you, there is just something magical about being in the outdoors!