Video Tour of My Canoe

This video was made on launch day just before I put the canoe in the water. Watch it and take a tour of my canoe.

Helping Friends

It's always good to have friends. Smart friends who don't mind approaching you with a suggestion or three.

My friends have been following this blog and learned of the struggles I have been having. Here are their suggestions:

1. Go to an 18 foot canoe instead of 15'. A longer canoe runs faster.

2. Sit in the back seat. The canoe is more narrow at the back seat than the front seat. The back seat enables you to keep your paddle closer to your core body thus giving you more power, leverage and control with less effort.

3. Paint the canoe UT orange. Passing boats may not be seeing me because my canoe is highly polished and it reflects the water making me look like part of the lake.

4. One friend is a yacht builder. He said yacht owners feel that they own the river as well as their yacht, like 18 wheelers feel that they own the road. Paddle defensively.

5. Exercise your legs often. It can be unhealthy being confined to a canoe for days at a time.

Thank you friends. Good stuff.

Injured and Sick - Going Home

You try to think of every detail in the planning stage of an expedition hoping to have all of the bases covered. Sometimes it is the little things that get you.

Friday I was using sun block on my exposed skin but for a short time my ankle was exposed and burned. I didn't feel it until the next day. It blistered and became edematous. I have lived at 8000 feet and climbed to 13,000 feet with no sun problems before. 

  

Also on the second night the air mattress went flat and I found myself sleeping on two bars. I woke up with my back in a mess. I have such pain in my foot that I didn't sleep much last night and so far I have not been able to sleep tonight.

I have called someone to pick up my trailer and come get me for some medical care. I guess what I do about the trip depends on what's wrong with me and how long it takes me to mend. I can't safely continue while in pain and not able to sleep for days. I need all of my wits about me on the river.