Re: [Paddlewise] Best place to live ...for paddling?

From: Shawn Baker <shawnkayak_at_yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 28 May 2003 07:34:01 -0700 (PDT)
--- Doug Lloyd <dalloyd_at_telus.net> wrote:
> Funnily enough my wife and I were just talking about our game plan
> for the next few years early today. Her words, "Doug, you're a
kayaker, what do you care about a big place in the country. 

Just to play Devil's Advocate for myself....my wife is a "horse
person", and now wants a big place in the country where she can raise
and train horses.  If any of you think kayaking is an expensive sport,
you ain't seen nuttin' yet!  Uggh!!

I kayak quite a bit, 2-3 evenings a week in the summer time.  I work 5
days a week year around.  For me, it makes the most sense to budget my
time and have a 5-minute, 3-mile commute 5 days a week.  When I have
"time" to play, a longer drive to water makes sense and is easier.  It
would be fun to have a lake right out my back door, but realistically,
I'd be then spending more of my life time driving back and forth to
work every day.  But I might paddle 1 more time a week...

Trying to convince my sweet wife that pasturage for her horsie separate
from our dwelling would make the most sense (and also not contribute to
"urban sprawl")

> As for kayaking, I'm sure there are many places around the world that
> are just as lovely as BC. 

Driving from Hope toward Grand Forks on Monday, I couldn't help but
imagine myself floating the Similkimeen (sp?)...gorgeous Class II wave
trains, canyon walls, mountains...and then I rounded a corner and the
whole thing funneled into a roaring Class V slot!  It doesn't get much
prettier than BC, but do you have room for all of us to move there?

As for snobbishness in BC, I haven't seen it yet in 5 trips there. 
More of it in the States.  You got it good, man!  Snobbishness is
largely a factor of the people around you.  Co-workers you can't do as
much about...if your friends are snobbish, they're probably not your
close friends.  I grew up in a town where people were quite
snobbish...and it wasn't a very cosmopolitan town.  I can walk around
the town where I live now in polypro and walking shorts and Chaco
sandals and not get a second glance.  (Most people would probably
think, "hmm, I wonder what interesting things that dude is up to
today") I went back to my hometown for Easter, and was going WW boating
with my little brother...dressed for boating in the above attire, we
went into a couple of discount stores to find a skateboard helmet as
he'd forgotten his ww helmet at home.  I got the twice-over from many
people.  ("Hmm..that dude must not be able to afford clothes").  We
decided that it's a somewhat uninteresting town without a lot of
outdoor recreation.  Rather than finding interest in the world around
them, many people 'create' interest and differentiate themselves by
what they wear..and judge others by the same measuring stick.

Would I live in that town again?  Probably never.  Could I find a great
place to live that would suit my interests within 50-100 miles? 
Absolutely!  (I could even find a spot with a position under my present
employer).

Wow..that was a lot of rambling....

>Anyway, kayaking isn't a destination, it's a journey.

Amen to that, brother!

Shawn

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Received on Wed May 28 2003 - 07:34:05 PDT

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