Projection

On a road trip through a woody mountains. We stop for a naturalist tour to learn about how endangered the environment is, hopping out of the car by a river that is very nearly dry. The smell of pine trees and blackberries lingers, with a background of the Olympic Mountains at 200% resized. The color is faded cinematically faded, giving the feeling that it is very cold.

Our tour guide leads us down to the riverbank. There is a vehicle waiting for us, similar to the ones you see on the "duck" tours around Seattle, only it is made of wood and has no canopy. In my excitement, I hop in. The vessel is dislodged from the river bottom and I begin floating dowstream. The guide runs along the bank, instructing me on how to steer. The river seems to be tiered, and as I go flying off the first one, I'm afraid I will land in a shallow part of the river and wreck the wooden craft. Upon landing it doesn't smash, but it does get somewhat smaller. By the time I am three tiers downriver it has shrunk to the size of a jet ski and I am able to control it with considerable more ease. The next tier, I launch myself into the air and try to keep myself level. The boat is now similar to a pogo stick, with handlebars and a small shelf for my feet. I feel myself begin to tip backwards. I know I cannot right myself in time, so I flip myself backwards, just barely landing right side up. By this point the river is a small series of puddles, and I land on the sand and stagger off the craft. The other tourists are very impressed.

I shrug it off, and the tour guide leads us all out into the mudflats. We are assigned different areas and habitats. We begin by examining a large green tidepool for arthropods. I am irritated that I have forgotten to take off my socks and shoes in the excitement, for which I blame the tour guide. She didn't remind us.