Heck no. It wasn’t dark and stormy, it was just dark. It was 0600 on Thanksgiving Monday. Another great Gonzo Adventure Club outing. We met at the Warnica marina. The plan a) for the early birds – to paddle to the Fairbanks Centre and return  or b) for those whose eyes have never seen the dawn of a new day - to meet us at Fairbanks Centre  at 0830 and paddle back.

Of course this necessitated loading a canoe and two kayaks on the car of the Voice of Reason, so that she could drive to Fairbanks with Jeff and meet Andrew and Stacy.

0610, we (Viking, Dipper, Goat, Guzzler and the Sun God) set out down Lake Thomas to the first stop at the Irving in Waverley. It was dark I mean black but we have done that trip a thousand times. Oh just to add to the fun it was also misty. Dipper and I only missed the bridge under the BiHi by about 30 yards. A decision was made to hug the shore so that we would know where we were at all times. After a short rest waiting for the slower kayakers and a coffee and a  very fresh hot cinnamon bun, we were off. Again Dipper and I hugged the shore by the Porta Bello Rd. so as to know where we were. We could hear the Sun God but could see nothing. It was daylight and the mist was beautiful but impossible to see through. We quickly came to realize that the people who lived in those houses on the water don’t expect to see anyone out their windows at that hour. After taking our 30# kevlar canoe over the portage we went back to help the rest take their 65# kayaks over the same portage. The water was like glass without even a ripple.

Two portages later we were finally into Lake Charles. We meandered down the shore and finally as we got to the other end, we saw the Voice of Reason and Jeff. It seems that Andrew and Stacy had wanted to have a quick dip ( I mean dunk) before actually canoeing and found it to be a bit chilly. Heck it is Thanksgiving in October, I would have thought they would have known it was cold. They then decided that maybe they would take the car back to Fall River. No cars at Fairbanks Centre

Oooops It seems that Goat and Guzzler, having just run a half marathon the day before, thought that maybe they would drive back to the marina, and get an early start on Norm’s pizza. Norm’s pizza you ask? (Oh this might just require a little explanation. It seems that the fact that the Gonzos have given cold pizza and warm pop out since the inception of the Fall River Village Rum Runners  Relay, without nary a complaint, has not been to the liking of Mr. Stein. He doesn’t like pizza and so left his two extra pizzas for the rest of us to bring home, freeze, and save for another day.) Oh I digress Anyways, with the look of  sad puppies, poor Guzzler and Goat had to turn and paddle back.

Well it wasn’t really all that bad, by noon we were back to the marina and up to the house. The Goat was having such a great time by now that he didn’t even take his kayak out on the last portage but just bulled through it and like a horse heading back to the barn actually raced us there. Wow hot coffee and nuked pizza (Does it really always taste better when you know it was someone else’s?) and we were full.

It had to have been one of our better days – still water, mist, nice friends and a fantastic day. What more could you ask for?

                                                Viking

Oh I do think some one has earned a new name in the great and wonderful Gonzo tradition. How about Flip Chick aka Stacy for someone who decides that maybe they should upset before they paddle? Of course this comes at least partly from the Fire Ball/Andrew tradition of NOT PRACTICING but just jumping into the race.