Lake People

The whole gang!

It started innocently enough. A warm spring afternoon. A couple of used kayaks. The promise of peaceful mornings on glassy water. We told ourselves we were just getting fresh air, exercising a little, enjoying nature. That was before we knew what we’d become.

The transformation wasn’t immediate. It crept in, slow and silent, like algae on a dock rope. One day, we were newcomers, unsure of the rules. The next, we were waving to strangers on pontoons like we’d known them our whole lives. It was too late for us.

We'd become ... Lake People.

As city-folk, we never thought we'd live for weather updates, understand the science of water shoes, or see our days revolve around tie-off points, life jackets, and no-wake zones. We never thought we'd speak in cryptic phrases like, “You should’ve seen that sunset last Tuesday.”

We thought we were different. We had boundaries. We paddled in moderation. But the lake doesn’t care about your boundaries. It lures you in with still mornings and allegedly mosquito-free evenings (they don't tell you about the chiggers you get making your way down to the water). It rewards you with friends and family who bring floaties and cold drinks. It whispers, “Let's take just one more lap around the lake before sunset.”

Soon, we were out there every chance we got. Then the kids came to visit, and it sucked them in just as fast. Suddenly, kayaking wasn’t just recreation. It was a calling for all of us.

Five adults. Two kayaks. That meant we had to take turns, and the rest of us went for a swim while the kayakers got the oars. We made it work and everyone was happy!

Off the water, Mom made spaghetti, and we ate on the back patio while we waved away bugs like locals. It was a favorite meal when the kids were little, and they still ask for it when they get a chance for Mom to cook something for them.

Spaghetti faces when they were little.

Once fed, we were right back on the water. The lake demands nothing, yet takes everything. Time. Attention. Shoes, sometimes. And we gave it freely.

At first, we laughed at the term Lake People. It sounded like a joke. Now, we understand. We grok it. Now, we watch newcomers dip a toe in and wonder how long before they join us. It’s August now, and our towels never really dry. The lake has us, and we’re not fighting it.

If you’re reading this and thinking of visiting, bring a life vest and some bug spray.

You may leave with sore shoulders, a few mosquito bites, and a sunburn. But you will not leave the same. Just ask the kids! They can't wait to come back and be Lake People!

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