Canoeing-Camping in Big Bend: Off the Grid & Out of Commodities

Nature offers a plethora of spiritual, physical and emotional benefits. These benefits are amplified in a place so far out as the banks of the Rio Grande River. There is no cell service that reaches this land. Communication to my loved ones and friends at home was entirely cut off. I had no access to Snapchat, Facebook, or Instagram. There was no social media clutter in my conscious or sub-conscious mind.

We actually lost cell service before we reached our first campsite. In the car, we kept ourselves busy with riddles, road trip games, and conversations. Cameron even read us parts of Edward Abbey’s excursions in Big Bend. It made Abbey’s experience much more relatable being in the same desolate desert.

I cherished the bonding the most. It was genuine. There were no distractions in conversations so I knew my words were always heard by the people around me (except when the wind blocked them out). I also never got sick of anyone. Since we all chose to go on such a trip it meant that we already had a core trait in common: adventure. We were there to have fun, to enjoy the world, and to make memories. I’m always amazed by how a group of near strangers can become great friends in a matter of days. We share a bond that no one else can ever fully come to know. No amount of story-telling could ever do it justice.

A couple of the mornings, we hiked into the canyon near our camp before heading down the next leg of the river. We explored caves (full of bat guano) high up in the mountains. Being so high up, I felt angelic. However, I felt less so when I discovered a bunch of prickly pear spines in my legs on the way down from the cave. Oh well, it was worth it for the raw desert experience.

The grandeur of the canyon’s grounded my spirit. The soaring cliffs and mountains reminded me how small I am but how immense of an impact I can have on the world. The silence provided serenity. Rarely have I experienced that kind of silence. Pure.

I got used to the dirt on my skin, the knee deep mud on my legs, and the sand in my hair. A dip in the river was the closest to a shower that I got but that didn’t bother me. I knew what I was getting into so I embraced it fully and I cannot wait to go back. You were too good to me, Big Bend. Thank you.