38 NEBRASKAland • JUNE 2016
Becoming an Outdoors-Woman
kayaking event on the Niobrara River
in 2010. In spring 2011, she purchased
her own vessel, and since then each trip
has been unique and exciting.
"Kayaking is a great way to connect
with nature. Every time I go out I see
something new. It's been a great way
to make new friends and strengthen
bonds with old friends. Nothing beats a
sunny day on the water with a handful
of people that you care about," Bekah
said.
Our friend Jamie Bachmann said it
best.
"I think the thing for me, when any
of us women get together to do any
kind of outdoor experience, is doing it
without men. There is just something
special about lifting your own yak on
top of a vehicle and ratchet strapping
it down all with the power of my own
freaking uterus – I suppose some upper
body strength, too. There is power and
freedom floating all day with just the
ladies. It's liberating and outside of any
construct of woman role models I have
Kayakers found bones of an unidentified animal, most likely bovine, fossilizing on a
sandbar in the Missouri River.
Our kayak trip from Niobrara to Santee in 2013 was halted by torrential rainfall. We got off the Missouri as quickly as we could and
broke into a cabin in Running Water, SD, with a marshmallow roaster. We are forever indebted to the owners, who were on vacation
at the time, for not getting angry and allowing us shelter and a marvelously absurd story to remember.
