Rowing the boat and running rapids takes a lot of energy and concentration. So I found myself ready to rest and eat when our leader declared it was time for lunch. Wwe beached our five boats and set up a pair of small tables. We reached into the ice chests and filled our bellies with fresh fruit, chicken salad sandwiches and a few cans of Pringle chips. Some drank tea, others soda and the rest of us water so all were fully hydrated.
After lunch several of us hiked up a dirt road to an orchard planted many decades before by a mountain main who made applejack and sold it prospectors. We came upon the remnants of a cabin. Destroyed presumably by fire, all that remained was the foundation. Up ahead were other cabins, well preserved. I was drawn to them with curiosity. Through the window we could see furnishings that included a wood stove, sink and table. Electrical outlets led me to believe the tenants must have used a generator. Our walk through the orchard led us to four or five grouse: a hen and four chicks. They didn't seem to mind our presence. We marveled at the elaborate irrigation system the delivered water from the creek to the stand of apple trees. On the right I spotted a doe standing motionless. I froze in my tracks. The deer and I exchanged stares for a few minutes before she calmly walked away at a deliberate pace. Two other deer that had gone undetected followed her into the woods.
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