Surf Ski

  Surf ski. It just sounds cool. That is what I tried out tonight at 'yak racing (top). It is like paddling a boat with a knife edge on its belly. It goes through waves like they weren't even there. No bounce, just smooth. Was it tippy? Well, it sure was, but I just have to learn how this boat responds. It is extremely narrow and feels more like something you put on than sit on top of because it just fits and responds to your body.

By the end of the evening I found myself joining the paddling company's inaugural women's race team. "Can I be captain?" jokingly rolled off my tongue, and relieved looks and affirmations were the response. Wait...what does the captain have to do? We start "training" tomorrow. Good Lord. This will be my first attempt at a team sport. Wish me luck. Did I say I meant to do more kayaking this year? Goal accomplished and what fun it is.

Another highlight of the evening was the staff donning electrical tape for war paint and piling into the war canoe for a lap around the course. They challenged anyone to beat their time. Perhaps the Women's Race Team will heed the call.

Ripple Effect

There was a downpour when I left work, so no kayak racing tonight, but here's a pic from when B and I went out last.

Yak Racing

I made it back to the local kayak race series tonight after two weeks of not being able to go. What a blast. I got to try a real racing boat tonight like the one pictured. It has foot pedals to control the rudder. Press right, you go right. Press left, you go left. Very simple. Let me tell you that is a lot of boat to turn though when you're used to a little 14 footer. I noticed the wind affecting the sit-on-top style boat as well, but it really carved through the water nice. My recreational kayak kind of gets bouncy out there. In a perfect world, I would need two boats. From the results, my time was 24.63 with an average of 4.87 miles per hour. I could have gotten out and run faster, but the whole gravity thing would have impeded my progress. Makes me curious how fast I can swim.

Note: There was another wildlife incident. I nearly ran over baby ducks. I know! How horrible! There was my kayak and another in a narrow area and the other boat had startled them so they bee-lined right in front of me. I slowed and they all caught on real quick about what evasive maneuvers are. No baby ducks were harmed. The first night I went I was nearly attacked by a swan. Damn, that's a big bird.

Adirondack Camping Trip

"Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountain is going home; that wildness is necessity; that mountain parks and reservations are useful not only as fountains of timber and irrigating rivers, but as fountains of life." -John Muir

Every minute was spectacular, but here are some highlights from this magical place. This year the Jiffy pop went off without a hitch (last year it leaked oil all over the camp stove). Cute as he was, we did not feed the chipmunk, but he sure was persistent. The wood grain is from the bottom of an uprooted tree that lies exposed to the lake winds. Isn't it gorgeous?



An excerpt from my camp log: "Each night the first thing we see in the sky is a planet. You can always tell because planets don't twinkle. B thinks it might be Saturn. Tonight is our last night and we stand with our heads upturned for what must be over an hour. The sky gains depth the later it gets and is filled with layer upon layer of celestial illumination. The lake reflects the starlight - and planetlight as well. Seeing the reality behind the daytime's pale blue facade is fascinating. I could stare all night. We make wishes on a handful of shooting stars and promise to tell if they come true."

Just the Two of Us

My husband and I spent this 80+ degree day off from work paddling our kayaks from morning to noon - and then some. No better way to spend it. How pretty are those buttercups?