misadventures and fool's errands - In search of river water part one

At the end of this story there are pictures. I promise. 

How hard is it to find a gigantic river like the Potomac? A few weeks ago I developed a fixation on taking my kids to see the river. I found a creek, and while we were tossing rocks into it, a police officer showed up behind us out of nowhere and scared the crap out of me. There must be some inner criminal inside of me that feels pangs of guilt whenever gazed upon by the law. 

He happened to just be inspecting some graffiti on the bridge next to us, and he suggested we check out a good river access point in Lansdowne nearby where you can drive up to the water and they have boat launching points, thus firmly fixing the river quest into my mind. The following weekend, Tim drove us around in circles looking for this mythical river access (and even possibly finding it, though not realizing it). Eventually I pulled the plug on the mission for the day and we went home. 

Convinced that I had located the spot on google maps, I loaded the girls up several days later with promises of fun and adventures at the river, and packed us into the car on a hot hot morning. We ended up at some national converence center that seemed to border the river. At first sight I thought it was a mistake, that I had led us astray, but I figured driving around the place and inspecting it wasn't a bad idea. There was a walking trail and a stream going through the property, which gave me hope. Meanwhile, the kids in the back seat were becoming agitated and ready for adventure.

Observing the signage, I noticed that there were arrows pointing to the docks. Ah ha! I thought in triumph, I had succeeded where we had failed before! I had found the river! I turned back and smiled to the girls, "mommy found it! we're almost there!" 

Momentarily, we were led past the docks. They were docks. Loading docks. For trucks to drop things off at the conference center. 

Having loaded them with empty promises, I knew the girls were about to erupt in tears and whining if I didn't do something soon, so I decided to swing back out to the parking lot and take them down the walking path to the stream. They don't know a stream from a river, so the deception seemed plausible..... I parked in the only meager piece of shade I could find and opened the doors, being blasted by a wave of hot, wet air.  "This is a mistake," I thought. "Just turn around and drive away." Alas, I give myself very good advice but I very seldom follow it. 

So we unloaded and commenced our sweaty, whiny, jaunt through the wilderness of the conference center. 

Clover was very concerned about the broken path where this determined tree root planted a speed bump.

This bear puppet saved my dear Violet's face that day (said face is dotted in asphault, which she paused to taste just a minute before this photo was taken). She was wearing the puppet on her right hand and careening recklessly down the walking path when she tripped, sailed forward, and came crashing down face first.....into the soft cushion of the puppet.....

I grew tired of this outing quickly under the weight of too much crap in my bag, a camera, a child that needed to be carried to be kept from trouble, excessive heat, and ominous looking webs bordering the path. 

To wrap this section of my long long story up, I wound up finding the stream with the kids, not being able to get near it because of high banks, spending a few anxious minutes on a bridge with inadequate fencing, forcing the kids back to the car with a lot of screaming (clover, come ON!!....Carry me, mama!!!.....I can't carry you Clover, I have two bags, a camera, and your sister in my arms. Just follow me, please!....CARRY MEEEE!!!! AHHH!.....) and eventually promises of iced tea and chocolate when we got home, loading our sweaty bodies back into the car, and departing with a sigh of relief. 

In the next part of the story we really do find the river....