If you ever get a chance to paddle board the lower Salt River in Arizona just east of Phoenix, DO IT!!!
What is it? It's a beautiful river in the middle of the arid Sonoran Desert. You would not believe there is a flowing river just 30 minutes from a big city in one of the hottest dryest places in this country. The drive out there is full of Saguaro cactus and the land looks dry as if no water can possibly be anywhere nearby. Once you get to this Oasis, it's so lush and green, behind you are beautiful rocks that glow at sunrise and sunset. But the best part of all are the WILD HORSES.
There's something so magical about seeing wild animals with such massive size and living this dream life in 110 plus temperatures, cooling off in the river and eating the river grass (looks like kelp). Their freedom feels like our freedom. It's like tasting freedom watching them roam, swim, eat, and often times, they are simply still just looking at you. Their stillness is like nothing I've ever witnessed in the wilds (not yet been to Africa, but something about this unique experience reminds me of my imaginations of a safari).
This river has changed me. It connects me to ancestors who didn't know roads or have vehicles, but created floating vessels to flow down rivers to discover new lands and new homes into the unknown. Every time the river is different, the water level, the power, the positions of the rocks, the wild life, all is always changing. Like the saying goes "You can't step into the same river twice".
There is a real magic of healing horses, no secret they are healers for the disabled, the lonely, and everyone. Their hearts are LARGE and they are emotionally intelligent. You can feel their healing heart energy as you gently pass by within feet of their glory. It's like being in the painting. It's like living in a nature documentary.
This experience is one of those things that words can recreate the experience, pictures and videos are not the thing. The feels are the thing that make it magical. Feeling like an explorer and witness wild and free creatures who feel you as you feel them. Makes it feel like the whole world is OK. It's hard to imagine the real world issues going on when you are quietly gently passing through a wild horse tribe. They swim across the river, they run, they play, they even do the deed, most of the time they just take you in. And sometimes when you're lucky, you'll see a beaver building a damn, a cute family of sea otters being cute like puppies. The birds are all over and the bats come out as the moon rises. Been down the river almost 30 times since May and it never gets old and it's never the same river twice.
If you're ever near Phoenix between May and October, get to the river, there are board rentals, there are meet ups and many ways to make it happen, or just ask me and i'll get my spare board ready for you!
Fun to be back on Uptrust!
Thanks for the call to reconnect here Jordan.