Something Good: A Kayak, a Martini, and a Pretty Great Life
From the “Something Good” files…
Today I spent an hour kayaking on the Chicago River, and it was exactly what I needed it to be.
Recently, I bought a fold-up kayak. I already own an inflatable kayak, and I can say with complete confidence that I do not like it at all. It takes forever to inflate because it has approximately 437 different air chambers that all need attention. Then, once you’re on the water, it feels less like a kayak and more like you’re paddling a giant inner tube.
Oddly enough, I also own an inflatable stand-up paddleboard that is fantastic. It feels as solid as a regular board. The kayak? Not so much.
Some friends own Oru folding kayaks and love them, so I took their recommendation… sort of. I bought a different brand entirely.
I assembled it yesterday in my kitchen to make sure I could figure it out before getting to the river. This led to a wonderful scene when my wife and daughter came home from work and found me sitting in a kayak in the middle of the kitchen.
Fortunately for me, they just rolled their eyes like “of course, Dad is just sitting in a kayak in the kitchen”
Today I carried it down to the dock behind the boathouse near my house and set it up for real. Less than ten minutes. That’s a win right there.
I launched and headed north, against the current. The kayak is on the smaller side and doesn’t exactly track like an America’s Cup yacht. It wanders a bit. Honestly, so do I.
I saw herons, turtles sunning themselves, ducks with ducklings paddling behind them, and all sorts of birds I couldn’t identify but appreciated anyway.
The amazing thing about the Chicago River is that once you’re down in it, surrounded by trees and away from the streets, you’d swear you weren’t in a major city at all. It feels like you’ve escaped to the woods somewhere.
I didn’t paddle far enough north to reach the fancy houses and private docks. Maybe next time. Today wasn’t about exploring. It was about floating. About being outside. About being quiet.
Eventually, I turned around and let the current do some of the work as I drifted back south. I spent about an hour on the water, then packed everything up in less than five minutes.
Sweet.
This is definitely going to become a regular part of my summer.
I grew up behind some lagoons where I can take the kayak. In two weeks, we’re headed to Michigan, where the kayak will make an appearance. Then later this summer it will go to Utah.
Not bad for a little folding boat that fits in the trunk of my car.
And now? An ice-cold martini, a good book, family games with my wife and daughter, pizza, and the NHL Draft on TV.
Days like this make me realize something.
For all the things I worry about, all the things I overthink, and all the times I forget to notice it…
It’s great to be alive.