Pictured above: Dave Linthicum paddles along Cocktown Creek, a tributary of the Patuxent River, at Kings Landing Park in Calvert County, MD. Photo by Dave Harp By Jeremy Cox, Chesapeake Bay Journal It wasn’t until I got home that the full measure of what I had experienced came into focus. I was unstrapping the kayak from the top of my car when I noticed hues of brown, beige and gold standing out against its white hull. It was sand scoured up from the Patuxent River’s shoreline. More than likely, it had gotten slathered there when I ran the plastic vessel aground upon my return to the launch site. I wiped some off with my fingertips. And for a few moments, I had some deep thoughts about grit. This was more than a mess to be washed away with a garden hose. This was a metaphor for what happens to us when we travel, especially outdoors: We end up carrying back things we don’t expect. Sure, it can be sand. But it’s often something ineffable. The day took us — Bay Journal photographer Dave Harp, paddling enthusiast Dave Linthicum and I — to Kings Landing Park in Southern Maryland. The Calvert County Department of Parks & Recreation manages the 260-acre suburban getaway in partnership with the Calvert Nature Society. Our expedition took place on the last day of winter, but hints of spring were in the air. Temperatures had climbed from the 30s in the predawn hours to 70 degrees by the afternoon. Most of the deciduous trees were bereft of leaves, but buds on the red maples were flashing their trademark color. “It’s my favorite month of the year,” Linthicum said, gazing into the distance. “You can just see so far out into the woods.” There was certainly no lack of nature…