We rounded the bend in the road and dipped down to the where the lake and the road intersect. I gasped and begged John to stop.  Just for a moment. The sky was covered with the wildfire smoke but I felt that it only added to the beauty of area.  I pulled out my camera and wandered to the boat house half submerged in the water to take a few photos. A group of kayakers slipped by under the bridge and out of sight. Although our boats were in the back of the truck we had only used them once on this quick trip.  We had all of our gear and really no reason to rush home except for work waiting for us the next day. We could easily spend a few hours exploring Lake Diablo.  I hesitated to ask but I was pulled, almost memorized by the scenery and pleaded to take the time. We drove to the other side to unload our kayaks and gear so we could explore by boat. The hull of the kayaks scraped along the rocky shore as we drug them to the water.  Pushing off from the shore the boats gently glided into the water.  We turned towards the bridge and quietly made our way under as cars rushed passed overhead. Following the shoreline we made our way towards the narrow passage between the two hills.  The further into the lade we went the quieter it became until we couldn't hear the noise of the road anymore.  It became tranquil and peaceful.  The lake was calm and each ripple from the paddle melted into each other until it disappeared. Rounding the bend we came upon a small island with enough room for a tree or two. we silently paddled around and decided it was the perfect place to claim as a small oasis.  We pulled alongside the rocky island, finding a small cove like area we beached our kayaks and found the perfect spot to relax and close our eyes. We became almost invisible as if we were in another world altogether.  Then the magic dissipated, it was time to return.  Slipping back into our kayaks we made our way back towards the bridge and our truck.  It was a nice diversion for the way home since we were not in a hurry.