Siesta Fiesta float, 2007

It was a much smaller event this year, attended by Peggy, Debbie, Heather, Gloria and Rick, Katherine and Allen, and Carol and Marc. The canine contingency consisted of Poco, Abrahm and Sophie.

Ideal weather greeted our paddlers with temperatures in the 80’s and sunny skies. The location of the trip was the seldom traveled section of the Buffalo from Buffalo Point to Rush. When all paddlers were present, shuttle was run at break neck speed led by Heather in her Nascar edition Extera. Water level was “lowish” and cold. Temperature, however, did not stop the more hearty from taking a dip in the river.

The upper section of the traditional gravel bar was occupied so we went around the bend and set up camp on the lower section. Most kept with the Mexican theme for dinner. Conversation around the camp fire Saturday evening ranged from politics and ghost stories to the irreparable damage zombies are doing to the environment. A half moon reflected brightly against the towering bluff that stood sentinel over our intrepid paddlers.

The following morning was cool and clear with very little dew and no fog. Breakfast was mostly a Mexican theme except for Marc and Carol who had jailhouse eggs.

As we paddled out we were treated to the rarest of occurrences…a strong tail wind. Everything considered it was a successful, if not smaller, Siesta Fiesta.

-- Marc Graham