There was simply no resisting the weather that final week in October. Yes, even living full time at PK it's sometimes easy to get caught up in work and daily routine. But I finally finally finally promised myself to do something outdoors a couple hours each day with all the gorgeous autumn weather bestowed. Here's how it went. Sunday boat ride, then Monday hike. Tuesday paddle, Wednesday golf. Thursday hike then Friday paddle. Saturday boat ride, Sunday golf. Probably sounds like a whole heck of a lot of work to most people! Stripped down like that things even sound somewhat routine! But those of us who live at Possum Kingdom Lake know there is no such thing as routine here. This place is magical. Here's how things really went down. Sunday's boat ride was marked by a most extraordinary sunset. We were out on one of those slow cruises... listening to the tunes... when the evening gradually turned spectacular by the beauty of the brilliantly orange western sky. PK dwellers know what I'm talking about. It can happen any day of the week... you're going about biz when suddenly your radar goes up and you're instantly aware of the upcoming event. We've come to recognize the signals, keep our eyes peeled towards the west and settle in for the show. This one was spectacular! Monday's hike up to Angel View was special in that we had a newcomer to the group who was in awe of everything on the trail nearly every step of the way - the breath-taking views, the cool rock formations, deer peaking around from behind large trees with the smell of cedar in the air. With the newbies it's always "I had no idea" afterwards over breakfast while the rest of us just grin sipping our java. Tuesday's paddle took five of us out on the open water then along the most magnificent cliff line in all of north Texas, the one below The Ranch. (Sportsmans World folks would likely debate this!) We do this only 2-3 times a year so it's very very special. I don't know why we did it that day, we didn't set out to, it was as if we were drawn towards it by some mystical force. It's a stunning shoreline... up close in a kayak you can smell the musk of the wet limestone and hear the water lap up on the rocks. The light shows from the sun casting its rays upon the cliffs are dazzling. An awesome paddle! Wednesday's golf was a friendly 9holes, just one of my golf buds and me, the back 9 at The Cliffs. It's always good fun, no pressure, numerous mulligans and foot wedges. And had it not been for just one most extraordinary moment, I would've considered this just a 'normal' day at the course. I nearly ran over a gal with my cart who just happened to be walking by. Oops, sorry... then not. Instant new friend! Thursday's hike with my new bud was fabulous, non-stop talk all the way to the top at Angel View. When I pointed out Hells Gate and mentioned I could take her to the top, she jumped on that and we were there an hour later. Coming down off the Gate she noted her petrifying fear of heights and how, just now, she faced that. PK has a way of having you stretch your limits. It's fun watching that unfold for people new to the lake. Friday's paddle took us around Devils Island staring up at those most awesome cliffs. Then out of nowhere came 3 sailboats blazing up river outside the Gate. PKers know we rarely see sailboats on the lake, let alone 3 sailboats, let alone 3 sailboats together, let alone 3 sailboats together right in front of Hells Gate!!! We raced out where they'd tack around us... we could hear their sails flapping in the wind as we watched the captains maneuver their vessels. What a treat! Saturday's boat ride was, well, no less than superb, cruising at a fast enough pace to throw a mesmerizing wake that glistens in the afternoon sun. We then backed off on the throttle for the slow cruise. PKers know it well... the kind where you sit on the bow with your feet dangling over with the warm breeze in your face... pure sensation! We docked and grabbed a late lunch at The Cliffs. By beer-thirty we have 8 more people at our table, most we'd just met right then & there, now friends. Magical. Sunday was a full round of golf for four of us. By the 14th hole one of our longtime friends with a weekend home joined us. The pace of the game slowed even further as we wound down the afternoon over chatter and laughter. The magic was still in the air as we came off the course to find two more of our neighbor friends watching us on #18, just waiting to hang with us for a bit. And that we did. So that's how it went, my 2 hours of activity each day that week. Translated into lake lingo -- plunging into the magic of PK, living the lake life, PK Style. Out there outside, the lake will always deliver, most often beyond expectations.