Jill lowered the sails and dropped the anchor in forty feet of water. The water was so clear they could see the fish swimming below them. Now that they were at anchor, Jill took James down to the galley. They began to prepare two salads. Then they returned to the barbecue grill that Jill had lit earlier. The steaks were now thawed and ready to cook. Jill placed them on the hot grate of the grill and James heard them sizzle. Within two minutes, the incredible smell of roasting meat permeated the vessel. They both liked their steaks medium rare and it only took a few minutes to cook them to perfection.
As they sat in the galley, eating their supper, Jill said, “Now that you have had a chance to get used to sailing, are you okay with sleeping out here tonight? We can make our bed out on the deck so we can watch the Perseid meteor showers.” She looked into James eyes and waited for an answer. He laughed and said, “I am game. I love listening to the waves lapping against the boat while I sleep. Besides, I love spending time with you. We have a lot to discuss.”
***
Once they had moved their kayaks to the beach and finished stowing their backpack contents into the watertight compartments, they pushed off from shore and began the thirty-mile trip down the river. The river was flowing fast and some of the rapids were treacherous. There were few places to stop and rest so they continued downriver at a blistering pace. When they did finally manage to find a sandy beach area along a sweeping bend in the river, they all pulled to shore. Molly was no more out of her kayak when she pulled off her life vest and ran into a wooded area. When she returned she waded out into the water and pulled off her pants. She spent a few minutes in the waist deep water rinsing them out before returning to shore. She hung the wet pants over the hull of her kayak to dry and located a dry pair of pants in one of the watertight compartments. Barbara walked over to Molly to talk to her to insure she was okay. Molly giggled and said, “Just peed in my pants, nothing to serious.”
After lunch, they loaded up and headed down the river again. They worked their way down the river until they spotted a sign marking the campsite where they planned to spend the night. It was already four o’clock in the afternoon and all four of them were tired and sore from paddling and from sitting in the cramped quarters of their kayaks. When they pulled their kayaks up onto shore, they found a pair of backpackers just setting up their campsite for the night. They all stood around for a while and talked about the kayaks and about the hiker’s journey through the hilly terrane along the river and along the edge of the mountains. The hikers explained that the trails they were following were well marked, but difficult to hike because of the rocky terrain and steep ascents. After a few minutes, they all agreed they needed to get their camps set up before the light of day failed them. This was active bear country, so the campers set up their tents close together around the campfire. They sat three picnic tables end to end and built one community fire in a circular stacked rock fire pit. This campsite was set up to accommodate six separate groups of campers. The Department of Natural Resources provided each campsite with tent platforms, stone fire pits and picnic tables. The setup was quite nice actually. There were metal T-poles at each campsite for hanging food out of the reach of the critters that roamed the area.
They had traveled twenty miles the first day. Much farther than they had intended, but places to pull off the rapidly flowing river were simply not acceptable for an overnight campsite. Since they had company in the campsite, everyone kept their clothes on. They were careful to keep their bodies properly covered and kept their bad language under control. Molly had a loud voice and trying to keep her volume down while she talked was a constant chore for the others.
The sun had set an hour before they finished with the evening meal and had cleaned up the campsite. Everyone brushed their teeth and insured that anything that might attract a hungry bear or other critter was properly stowed in the watertight compartments of the kayaks or hung from the bear poles in Ursack bags. No one wanted a visit from a bear during the night. There was plenty of wood for the fire so they would keep it burning during the night. They would also go in pairs to the pit toilets if they needed to get up during the night.
By nine o’clock, everyone was asleep for the night. Chris and Barbara had zipped their two sleeping bags together so they could sleep cuddled close together. They were both tired, but Barbara was horny after sitting on the seat of the kayak all day. The seats were custom built and formed to match the shape of a butt. Sitting on the seat was comfortable, but in the middle was a raised area that seemed to rub in just the right places as she paddled the kayak. When Chris was on his back, she pulled a condom that she had tucked into the case of her blow up pillow and opened the package. It only took a moment or two for Barbara to massage some life into Chris’s male body and put the condom on him. When she was on top, it only took another minute or two before she was giggling over her second orgasm. It took Barbara a few more minutes to finish Chris off, but her tight bottom and a little lubrication provided just the right stimulation he required to finish the deed.
When they woke in the morning, Chris started a fire and put three pots of water on the grate to boil. He planned to make oatmeal with raisins and honey, scrambled powdered eggs and bacon. The bacon was fully cooked and all Chris had to do was warm it up a little.
As they all sat around the picnic tables eating the fine food Chris had prepared, Molly explained that she had finished writing a poem that she wrote for her six-year-old niece. The young girl was struggling with a broken leg that the surgeons had to pin in place. She was very miserable and Molly hoped to give her a two-foot tall doll accompanied by the poem she had written. When Molly stopped talking and put some food in her mouth, Chris said, “That conversation was incomplete. I hope you intend to read us the poem.” Molly giggled and said, “I actually have it memorized. I will recite it to you. Please, don’t laugh; I am not certain how good the poem truly is. The name of the poem is Fantasies and Memories.”
Fantasies and Memories
I carefully wrote my letter
I sealed it with a kiss
I hoped the elves would read it
They’d pass along my wish
As Christmas Eve arrived
I sat outside and watched
I hoped to see my Santa
With a present just for me
When the snow began to fall
I heard the sounds of Santa
His reindeer and the sled
I hoped to catch a glimpse
Instead of slowing down
He slapped the leather rains
He just kept on going
Never even looked around
My mother said to wait
He surely would return
The man was busy on Christmas
All God’s children were in need
My mother is now calling
Bedtime is surely near
I guess I will forget
This Christmas I have missed
I step into the kitchen
I smell the fresh baked bread
I walk towards the bathroom
To wash the tears I shed
I look towards the tree
The candles lit with care
I spot a fresh wrapped box
Could this present be for me?
I walked into the room
I read the tag with care
The name is surely mine
I feel all warm inside
My father truly loves me
His arms are strong and warm
He moves the present towards me
He smiles and reads my name
I open up the present
I tear the paper fast
The box is just so barren
No hint to what’s inside
I see the tiny doll
The one that Santa brought
I wrap my arms around it
My heart begins to race
I turn to hug my father
His smile is warm with love
>
My mother wipes my tears
And shares the love I feel
I surely will remember
The love my parents shared
The best of any Christmas
A present just for me
When Molly finished reciting her poem, Donald leaned over and kissed her. Barbara wiped her eyes with her finger and said, “I got a large doll for Christmas one year. I loved that doll, but she burned up when our house burned to the ground. My mother saved my brother and me but she could not go back in to save my doll. Years later, one Christmas to be exact, we both bawled our eyes out over that stupid doll. I think alcohol may have been involved in our crying jag. Your poem brought back memories of that doll that I considered my little sister. Thank you, Molly, for writing such a beautiful story. I hope your niece loves her doll as much as I loved mine.”
***
When the galley was clean and James had cleaned up the grill, Jill helped carry up a twin mattress from the aft cabin. They placed it on the deck near the wheel so they could look up at the stars. The sky was clear and no rain was in the forecast. If the weather were to become stormy, they could quickly move the mattress back down into the aft cabin and sleep there.
As they brought up a couple of sheets and a blanket, they realized that another vessel was dropping their sails and setting anchor a half mile or so west of them. Jill watched the vessel with a spotting scope and then giggled. She said, “Those people are no threat to us. They are now naked and taking a swim. I suspect they will turn in early tonight.”
Once they had the bed ready, they returned to the galley and opened up a couple of cold beers. The beer tasted good after the steaks they had just eaten. James sat looking at Jill while she told him about another vacation story their boss had asked her to write. She looked James in the eyes and said, “I intend to write a story about two writers who hook up while watching the stars on a sailing vessel in the North Pacific.” James looked deep into her eyes while he asked, “Are these two people you are writing about lovers or just friends?” Jill laughed and said, “They start out as friends but eventually turn into lovers.” James smiled and said, “Maybe some real life experiences will help you write the love scenes a little easier.” Jill took another sip of her beer and said, “Maybe a swim in the ocean before we prepare to stargaze will set the mood.”
***
Chris, Barbara, Molly and Donald were cold and wet by the time they stopped for the day. The river was treacherous. The small campground was set well off the river. There was plenty of room for their tents and they were able to pull the kayaks well up off the river. The chances of someone stealing one of the expensive kayaks was unlikely, but they all liked the kayaks within sight. They could also store their gear in the watertight compartments during the night. Then all they would have to hang was their food in the Ursack bear proof bags.
Once their tents were set up, they began to prepare some food. They had not stopped for lunch; a few protein bars kept them going through the day. Now they were running on empty and needed some food in their stomach, and soon. The food for the evening meal would be tacos. They had brought enough food with them to last until they reached the lake. Once there, they would resupply their food cache at a small town.
When the meal was finished, they all walked down to the river to bathe. There was a small section of sandy beach, just right to strip off their dirty clothes and lay their dry towels. When the clothes hit the sand, the giggling began. The water was cold, which produced incredibly small penises and very large nipples. Donald washed Molly’s back and then began washing her bottom. She stood with her legs apart and allowed him to get his soapy fingers in all the right places. After a minute or two, she turned around to face him. She soaped up his chest and then began scrubbing. Although her hands had magical effects on his body, the chance of a full erection in the freezing water was near zero. Molly finally gave up and decided to enjoy the orgasm Donald’s fingers had provided her. She would provide her man some pleasure when his body was not so tired and not so cold.
The sun soon slid over the horizon and the campers would soon find themselves in total darkness. As they began to prepare for bed, a raccoon moved out of the forest and began searching the campsite for some left over human food. The raccoon was accustomed to finding a scrap of food or two under the tables. Tonight, when the raccoon climbed up on the table and began rifling through a bag of potato chips Chris had stuffed in the gap between the table’s planks, Donald aimed his slingshot at the animal’s head. The steel ball bearing hit its intended mark and the raccoon quivered a couple of times and rolled off the table and onto the ground.
When Molly, Chris and Barbara finally climbed out of their tents, Donald was already up and had a nice bed of hot coals in the fire ring. He had built a spit out of some green hickory he had cut from the forest. The smell of roasting meat permeated the campsite. There was a pot of coffee, all steamy hot, on the grate near the hot coals. A large pot with a lid hid a substance that everyone figured was oatmeal. Barbara walked over to the fire pit and raised the lid on the pot, hoping to find a molten bath of dark chocolate, only to find what she feared: oatmeal for breakfast again. When they sat down at the table and Donald served the roasted meat and the oatmeal, Barbara said, “This meat tastes incredible. I can only hope that my first spoonful of oatmeal is half as tasty, but I doubt it will.” Chris laughed and said, “We should be off the river late this afternoon. I have hotel rooms reserved for the night and I made dinner reservations for seven o’clock. If we don’t dawdle, we should be at the hotel by early afternoon. That will leave plenty of time for a hot shower before supper.”
It seemed that Chris’s words inspired everyone to finish their breakfast, pack up their belongings, take down and pack up the tents, and have their morning constitutionals in record time. The discussions about hot showers had boosted everyone’s morale.
On the ninth day of the trip, they paddled the kayaks around the southern edge of the lake and met up with their friend. He helped them load up the four kayaks into the trailer and then drove them twenty miles back to his cabin. When they arrived at the cabin, there hosts invited them inside for lunch. The smell of food cooking floated around the forest and drew the hungry crew inside. There, they found a table set with mismatched dishes and silverware and a red headed lady that went by the name of Gabby. Once they had washed their hands in the old chipped porcelain sink with a bar of homemade soap, they sat down at the table. Gabby served baked potatoes wrapped in tin foil that were so fluffy inside, they melted in your mouth. There were steamed green beans and asparagus, perfectly cooked so they were still crisp, yet hot and steamy. The meat was venison topped with bacon and perfectly spiced brown gravy that they poured over the meat. The meal was incredible.
By the time they arrived at Chris’s house, it was dark. Chris and Barbara insisted that Molly and Donald spend the night. Chris and Barbara also asked them to spend the weekend if they could. Everyone was still quite full from the incredible lunch they ate earlier, so they made s’mores in the fireplace and washed them down with cold beer. After an hour or so, Chris and Barbara moved Donald and Molly’s backpacks into the guest room. They also showed them the guest laundry area. Once they had Donald and Molly comfortable, Barbara looked at her guests and said, “I need to strip down and have a swim in the pool, followed by a hot shower. Who needs to join me?” Clothing soon littered the hallway and pool area as the group entered the hot steamy poolroom and slid down into the warm water. The temperature of the pool was just right and very soothing to their sore tired bodies. The hot water in the communal shower was even better.
While they stood in the pool area and dried off, they used hot towels from a fancy towel warmer box near the pool. While they talked and dried their bodies, Donald and Molly had a chance to look around. They soon realized that the home Chris owned was very expensive and very well decorated. It was obvious that Chris had done well with his job as a pilot.
When they we
re dry, they walked out the back door of the poolroom. Chris sat them all down at a glass table where they had a chance to look out over the orchard and vegetable garden. Donald said, “Chris, you have done well. I did not realize that flying airplanes was such a lucrative career.” Barbara began to laugh and then reached over and squeezed Chris’s hand. Chris looked at Molly and Donald and said, “This ranch is not all my doing. My family lived on this property for over two centuries. They did quite well selling Buick automobiles. That business funded this property and most everything you see here. All I have to do is pay the taxes, the utility bills and keep up with the repairs and updates.”
Barbara looked into Chris’s eyes for a moment and he smiled at her. He said, “Barbara and I have been keeping a secret from the two of you. I think it is time Barbara comes clean and tells you both the latest news.” Molly saw a tear run down Barbara’s cheek and then she giggled as she said, “Chris has asked me to marry him. I said, yes of course. I love this man more than he will ever know. If this mansion burned to the ground tonight and Chris was instantly broke, I would still marry him.” Chris laughed over her words, but then leaned over and kissed her hard on the lips. Barbara giggled and said, “Don’t start kissing on me when you are sitting here without any pants on. You might embarrass yourself and I am not bringing you a towel to cover up.” Donald and Molly began to laugh; then stood up and began congratulating Barbara and Chris.
Vacation Writer Page 4