lower 20 pecos // inspired by ansel adams
Lower 20 miles of the Pecos River in July
Riverscapes inspired by the striking black and white images of Ansel Adams //
It’s always dark when we shove off for this final stretch. Only the moon and our headlamps allow us to see our surroundings. Everyone wakes up from the deep slumber that only comes from long days under the sun. The dreary shuffling around begins. cowboy coffee is chugged. Pop tarts inhaled. Dry bags stuffed. Boats pumped. By now, a routine has settled in. The simple rhythm of this life on the water is no longer daunting, it is familiar and sometimes taken for granted. We count gear one more time...(redundancies are key). Then shove off into the abyss. But it doesn’t take long for the sun to peek over the limestone cliffs. Pull, rotate, pull, rotate.....it’s automatic now. we exist in this dance for an hour or two. Eventually the big red bridge shows itself around that corner and a wave of relief washes over every muscle. Almost there. That bridge marks the end of the Pecos and the beginning of normal life again. Sweet victory. a reunion to things that are comfortable and clean.....to things that will no longer be taken for granted. it’s our “welcome home” and “see you again”.....as a guide, I used to dread those final four miles of wide open water. But I think they hold such beautiful space to recognize the things that have been overcome and the courage gained. They reflect the strength and endurance that took place before them. They give us a breath to take it all in.....
