Saturday, January 24, 2009

Months 36, 37 and 38.....4th annual New Years Day





I have been a little lax in my updating of the blog. Somewhat inspired by the New Year (although not a big fan of the New Year's resolution) I have updated my 2 other delinquent blogs so I felt obligated to get this one back on track. Please note that the consecutive kayaking streak is in no way affected by the author's lack of discipline to continue documentation of said streak via a monthly bog entry. If however, someone out there is monitoring the legitimacy of the streak, the pictures I have chosen to display within this entry are all time and date stamped as to when they were taken, therefore providing "proof." I know, who am I kidding? There are about 3 people that read this nonsense.
Take a look at picture 1, or has I like to refer to it as Big Foot's great adventure. The core Duper boys (Pat, Kent and I) made up the group to get number 36 in the books. Kent, equipped with hand warmers and brand new insulated, waterproof boots, thought he was all set for the coming months of winter kayaking. One problem, Big Foot. You need to actually be able to get your feet in your boat in order to paddle effectively. Kent's solution to not being able to get in his kayak on land was to slide down the hill and somehow miraculously get himself in the boat as he plummeted into the 33 degree water. After some convincing, he did not take this approach. With the assistance of Dan and Pat surrounding his boat with theirs, they managed to contort Kent's legs into his boat (nearly capsizing more than once). Kent's excruciating pain in his legs caused us to shorten the trip but #36 was in the books.
Picture 2 took place on our 2nd annual Santa trip a week before Christmas. Kent, sporting antlers, unfortunately poses for pictures better than he takes them and a good shot of Santa does not exist.
Pictures 3 and 4 are of Pat, Jim M. and Dan on the fourth annual New Year's day float. Notice how Jim is electing to also do the toboggan slide into the water technique contemplated by Kent above. Everyone successfully managed to stay dry and enjoy the float.
Here is one last tidbit to tie the delinquency of the blog entries with the toboggan slide entrance theme photographically captured above. At some point over the last 3 months (I should have written an entry!) Dan and Pat went to do the Arboretum run, despite Kent's previous warnings of a major portage. Knowing that only Kent would appreciate the insanity of it all, Dan left him the following voicemail to let him know we were out on the Duper: "It's cold, windy and raining.....KAYAAAAKKER!!!!"
The Arboretum was beautiful as always and the major construction portage at I-88 was gone so despite the weather all seemed good. Good, until we hit the portage. We both successfully climbed up the 3 foot bank and managed to stay dry. However, we had to get back in. Pat elected the "straddle the downed tree in the water" technique while Dan went the toboggan slide route. Pat anxiously anticipated Dan's complete submersion into the frigid Duper as he slid down the embankment. Dan held his breathe and began the descent. The front of the boat plunged deep under the water, causing Dan to instinctively put his hand down to steady himself, however, there was nothing to steady himself on and the paddle he was holding pulled his arm elbow deep into the water. Pissed pants and soggy arm aside, Dan completed what is now known as a "Kenterheide" (Kent inspired toboggan slide followed by a Muckerjheide partial dunk in the Duper).
We are into another frigid January weekend and we can only hope that sometime before 2/28 we will be able to get back out there. Here's to the upcoming 4th consecutive year, boys.