Hey everybody, school is back in session and I am happy to fully exploit my free access to campus computers. Did I miss anything exciting? My December 31st trip went really well, no one got wet, 5 degrees, windy, lots of icebergs to sit on, hundreds of waterfowl, and lots of gawkers from the nearby roads. Two things could have been better, one, I lost my boat and the second, I put my first scratch into the $300 carbon fiber beauty of a paddle that I have come to love. About the boat, my paddling companion and I removed the boats off my Metro and set them down near the beach. And then started to get dressed, I had my drysuit partially on, when I felt a gust of wind and saw my boat shift on the snowbank and start booking towards the water. I ran to catch it and (almost comically)in slow motion yelled "NOOOOOOO!" as I made a headfirst dive for it only for the stern to slip out of my hands and take off down the river. My friend who was nearly ready to go grabbed her PFD and prepared a recovery. I quickly read the flow of the river, sprinted down the road, over the bridge and tumbled down the embankment. I watched my boat move through a class 2 rapid, under the bridge, and over a small dam by itself. My little kayak seemed to be giggling as it came right up to me and I fished it out with an embarrassed look on my face. A parent is always concerned about their "children" am I right? I guess I could write this off as a scary, funny, learning experience. My moral is to never let an eye off my sneaky Overflow, it is always up to something. Hope all is well with everyone else, did any other crazies enjoy the perfect day for a New Years paddle? Anyone taken their boats to the local sledding hill yet? I think I will go tonight and possibly run over a few startled onlookers. (you should see 'em fly when you nail 'em with a tube!) Later, Phil Huck thekayaker_at_yahoo.com __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger. http://im.yahoo.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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