I loaded my Crescent CK1 kayak and headed westward, embarking on a solo journey down the South Llano River. The river’s gentle flow of 59 cfs created a leisurely paddle, though rocky in parts, the river remained deep enough that I never had to dismount and walk. As I paddled beneath the broad blue Texas sky, I was surrounded by nature’s beauty and exquisite details – deer grazing riverside, hawks circling high above, spooking a pack of wild hogs drinking from the river, and turtles sunning themselves.