Normal for me, except that I seem to be paddling more days than I usually do. Since 1966, when I started racing, I've been right at the 150 days a year mark. But this year I'm already over 160, and I didn't paddle at all in January because we actually had snow to ski on in Chicago for a change. I know I'm paddling less intensively since I stopped racing, but the time in the boat is still there. Most days I paddle the DesPlaines River near my home. This time of year the sewage treatment plants on it and its tributaries are allowed to dump untreated sewage because "no one is using the river." But I haven't had so much as a head cold since 1996, so maybe the exposure is doing me good. And the fact that I glow in the dark makes night paddling easier. Big trips were to Cumberland Island, Georgia for a week with the counseling service that I volunteer with (wild horses!), a week in Maine with the same group (seals and FOG!), three weeks paddling through the Grand Canyon (first whitewater trip in ten years and only rolled once!), and the usual monthly weekend trips on the Mississippi. Taught, as usual, at the Western Michigan Coastal Kayak symposium. Hoping to get back to Greenland in 2005. Just a normal year in the life of the luckiest person in the world. Happy Hanukwanzmas to everyone. Jim Tibensky *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************Received on Thu Dec 09 2004 - 06:12:33 PST
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