I had the honor of leading a great group of veterans and volunteers for our Team River Runner National Sea Kayak Clinic, Aug. 21-26. Five nights on beautiful Rock Island State Park in Lake Michigan off the northern tip of Wisconsin’s Door Peninsula with lots of instruction and good times. […]
Tag: camping
Top 10 Paddle Days of 2021
The Internet loves lists so I’m capping off the year with my top 10 list of favorite kayaking days of 2021. First some stats… Each year I track the “who, what, when, and where” of my paddles, plus other info such as river levels, water and air temperature and so […]
A Road Trip with Twists and Turns. Part 6: Illinois
Part 6 of our RV road trip to the Blue Ridge Parkway and other destinations. Thursday, Oct. 24 Illinois Sightseeing We drove from Millwood, KY into southern Illinois, stopping for a hike at Garden of the Gods Recreation Area. We had no idea “flat” Illinois had this kind of scenic […]
A Road Trip with Twists and Turns. Part 4
Part 4 of our RV road trip to the Blue Ridge Parkway and other destinations. Friday, Oct. 18 We’re once again southbound on the Parkway. Our first stop is the Museum of North Carolina Minerals; interesting for its geologic and human history lessons. A few more miles farther we stop […]
A Road Trip with Twists and Turns. Part 2
Part 2 of our RV road trip to the Blue Ridge Parkway and other destinations. Tuesday, Oct. 15 Up and at ’em for breakfast in the RV, then southbound to the Blue Ridge Parkway. We stop at the Smart View picnic area located at milepost 154.5. The loop trail here […]
A Road Trip with Twists and Turns. Part 1
We’re home after our most recent RV road trip to and along the Blue Ridge Parkway. It was a another wonderful trip, filled with experiences almost too many to remember. I’m glad I kept a daily journal. Friday Oct. 11, 2019 Not a fun day to drive the RV. We […]
Team River Runner – Apostle Islands 2019
It was my third year to organize and lead our Team River Runner kayak camping trip in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Sept. 14-19, 2019. This year 12 participants, (including eight military veterans with disabilities) enjoyed spectacular weather, paddling, camping and hiking in this kayakers’ paradise. For some it was […]
Grand Canyon — Day 12: Homeward Bound
Wednesday, September 12 Last night I was up as late as I ever have been on this trip — until 9:30! It was our final night on the river so everyone was in a joyous mood, which raised our music-making and revelry to a new level. Despite the jollification, I’m […]
Grand Canyon — Day 11: A Sense of Accomplishment
Tuesday, September 11 Today is one of our longest days on the Colorado River — 29.5 miles of mostly flat water — giving us time to talk, laugh and think about how much we’re going to miss this Grand Canyon experience. During this hot, slow section some paddlers choose to […]
Grand Canyon — Day 10: Lava Falls
Monday, September 10 This morning the mood is different. There’s the usual friendly banter over coffee and breakfast. But as we pack the rafts and kayaks the tone is quieter, more subdued. Each of us is thinking about the giant rapid waiting for us. Before we launch from our campsite […]