I've written blog posts about Black Canyon in the past. I don't always say a lot, but the fact that I keep on returning to this incredible paddling destination pretty much says it all.
Read MoreHot Springs & Happy Hour is how we described the trip, but really it should’ve been called strong winds and stronger paddlers. Our team of 8 met up early on Friday, made our way to the river and were paddling off by 10:15am. Impressive start for an impressive crew.
Read MoreJewell Island is a 221 acre island named for George Jewell and sits on the outer edge of Casco Bay, an eight mile paddle from Portland, ME. According to history, he traded a bottle of rum to the local indians for it in 1636 and used it a fishing base.
Read MoreIn June I moved to Maine, completed my work on the California 100 and joined the board of directors for Rivers for Change. Shortly after I decided if I was going to work with an organization built upon a founding principle of source to sea literacy, I ought to see what a source to sea is all about. After mentioning it to founding board member Danielle Katz, her immediate response went something like "yes, absolutely, yes lets do it!".
Read More"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man."
Heraclitus said it so certainly and believed strongly in change in the universe. I experienced universal change very clearly on this trip.
Read MorePaddling is one of the best things in my life so sharing that with friends and family in a beautiful location is the ultimate. My buddy from Boston messaged me about returning to a paddling destination we'd visited together six or seven years ago. I jumped on it and pretty soon we had the plan to rendezvous on the river. He flew in with his girlfriend a day before me.
Read MoreLast week I had the chance to tour on the Focus Cali 14' for five self-supported days on class 1 river. To ready the board, all I did was fit a shorter, smaller flexi fin to deal with rocks (I never touched one) and add four tie-downs to the front deck. I've put miles on this board on flatwater, bumpy water & downwinding but hadn't yet paddled it loaded. Unloaded, it excels as a fast & stable all conditions board that is easy to maneuver and control.
Read MoreAfter wrapping up the California 100 on Tuesday morning the plan was to get the hell out of town and shut off my phone. I drove to San Diego on Wednesday, picked up my partner Thursday morning and we made our way towards the Nevada Arizona desert for a Colorado River trip. The trip began with a 3-hour full-moon upriver approach and a midnight landing to our campsite at the stroke of Friday the 13th. It only got better from there.
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