{"id":21997,"date":"2020-01-02T12:00:57","date_gmt":"2020-01-02T20:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/community.nrs.com\/?p=21997"},"modified":"2020-01-28T17:07:22","modified_gmt":"2020-01-29T01:07:22","slug":"weathering-the-storm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/community.nrs.com\/duct-tape\/2020\/01\/02\/weathering-the-storm\/","title":{"rendered":"Weathering the Storm"},"content":{"rendered":"

As we round the last oxbow for the evening, we beach our SUPs at our first night\u2019s camp. I\u2019m exhausted and slightly frustrated. Not sure if I want to cry or throw a tantrum. We just paddled more miles than we ever had in a single push and we still had seven more days ahead of us\u2014a total of 114 miles. Sunburnt against my proactive efforts and reeking of sweat and grime, all I want is a shower and that won\u2019t be in reach for three more days.<\/p>\n

I drop my face into my hands and try to wipe away the grimace before my husband notices that I\u2019m into pieces. I can\u2019t help but wonder why we are doing this. We\u2019re celebrating our sixth wedding anniversary and our first-ever multi-day trip<\/a> away from our kids on the winding Neuse River in North Carolina. I should feel hyped right now, but the exhaustion and realization of being in BFE has gotten to me\u2014and way sooner than I imagined. I pull myself together and put my one \u201cmoment\u201d behind me and set up camp.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

We scatter our gear around us in a semi-circle, keeping everything within an arm\u2019s reach. I bask in the experience of wine in the wilderness as the trees start bustling in the distance. A coolness creeps over us. The first night was our only chance of bad weather, but the forecast had only predicted rain. Yet, during those last few sips of wine, the distant wind grows louder, reaching an intensity that makes us question what we are hearing. We exchange looks of confusion\u2013A boat? Rain?<\/p>\n