Twelve of us converged on a favorite island in the Columbia River, near Clatskanie, Oregon, this Memorial Day weekend, intending a thirty-mile paddle to Skamokawa, WA. Eight completed the trip, more or less, and four others bagged it, two victims of migraine, and two, heavy headwind. Saturday was a scorcher, reaching the eighties, demanding sun tarps (in Oregon -- remember that in Oregon people don't tan ... they rust!) and bringing on the goodies and vino at an early hour for those launching at Willow Grove Cowlitz County Park some eight miles downriver from Longview, WA. We dodged freighters and fishers enroute, covering the eight-some miles in under three hours. Could have been slower, but we did not have enough to babble about to one another as we drifted with the current and now and then stroked. The six folks in "Easy Riders," monster decked canoes from the Easy Rider people, had the best setup, paddling from the deck, and could see more than the kayakers (in two doubles). But we were sleeker, and proved to be the better craft on Monday when the wind rose. African Peanut Soup, fishcakes, eggplant surprise, multiple varieties of slaw, nuclear chocolate chip cookies, and token sips of Guinness made Saturday's dinner memorable, though perhaps it lead to my SO's midnight migraine. The migraine persisted into the next day, forcing us to stay on the favorite island. The others sprinted off at the spirited hour of 10 am (or 11 am, depending), and disappeared in the ebb current to the west. Becky and I made the best of it, reading books in the sun and wind, dodging aggressive freighter wakes, and admiring a quartet of golden eagles dogfighting later in the day. Garlic and herb fettucine with tuna annointment and cookies graced us to bed. Monday, we returned upriver against the ebb to the put-in, pushed by a vigorous front which brought rain squalls and a stiff breeze. The breeze helped us to the east, but made crossings of the opposing current challenging. On regrouping with the rest downriver, we heard tales of tossed tarps from the rain, hordes of folks on Tenasillahee Island, now a "hot spot," and the saga of stuck in the mud in Elochomon Slough out of Cathlamet. (I told them it was dicey at one foot of tide ... but, listen to me? I don't think so!) One couplet in an Easy Rider faded against the wind, and pulled out four miles short of their goal, but the others stiffed it out. Next year, we'll have the tide we need to do the Elochomon, and we'll __all__ go down the Slough! -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
At 12:21 AM -0700 5/29/01, Dave Kruger wrote: >Twelve of us converged on a favorite island in the Columbia River, near >Clatskanie, Oregon, this Memorial Day weekend, intending a thirty-mile paddle >to Skamokawa, WA. Eight completed the trip, more or less, and four others >bagged it, two victims of migraine, and two, heavy headwind. >[SNIP] Thanks for the story Dave. I also had to cut a trip short this weekend to the Boundary Waters due to relentless rain and eventual soaking. Here is a question for the group. I too often suffer bad headaches on the first day of a trip, no doubt due to sun and exertion. Anyone have good solutions to beat these before they come on (Vitamin I (Ibubrofen)?) and once they do come on? Obviously staying hydrated and avoiding too much sun being one solution. Any others? -Patrick *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
First of all, don't eat chocolate. It may be one of the four main food groups (it is for my wife, especially when I'm away on a trip), but it is a major trigger for classic migraine headaches. Around my house, it is actually antithetical to romance: "not tonight honey, I've got a headache, visual disturbances, and nausea". As far as day one headaches, you can't beat relaxed preparation and the concomitant time frame necessary in order to avoid last minute packing and stress that so often leads to tension headaches and the like on launch day. Lots of sleep the night before helps. If this sounds like your mother speaking, well, I've been called worse. Day one paddling in hot, sunny weather where no acclimatization has occurred can also have a bearing on first day health. I dose up on Vitamin "I" too, and take it with every meal. I also have "double duty" Bolle sun glasses with a tinted prescription inner lens under an outer polycarbonate outer lens (fairly surf-proof, and guaranteed to cut down glare and sun-infused headache manifestations). Also, don't try and knock back the mileage on the first day out. Other than that, avoid a lot of sugary foods and starchy type products, and restrict your level of caffeine intake on the drive to the put-in. Lastly, if you feel a headache coming on, lay down flat for a few minutes (beach, rest area off road, whatever). Going horizontal for a bit can negate further inconvenience. I've had more than my share of big bad headaches, seasickness, and stress induced injuries over the many years of supposedly getting away to enjoy myself. Those are my grains of wisdom. Doug Patrick Maun had said: At 12:21 AM -0700 5/29/01, Dave Kruger wrote: >Twelve of us converged on a favorite island in the Columbia River, near >Clatskanie, Oregon, this Memorial Day weekend, intending a thirty-mile paddle >to Skamokawa, WA. Eight completed the trip, more or less, and four others >bagged it, two victims of migraine, and two, heavy headwind. >[SNIP] Thanks for the story Dave. I also had to cut a trip short this weekend to the Boundary Waters due to relentless rain and eventual soaking. Here is a question for the group. I too often suffer bad headaches on the first day of a trip, no doubt due to sun and exertion. Anyone have good solutions to beat these before they come on (Vitamin I (Ibubrofen)?) and once they do come on? Obviously staying hydrated and avoiding too much sun being one solution. Any others? - -Patrick *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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