Santa float makes it 25 consecutive months

Saturday 12-22-07, Pat (elf boy) and Dan (Santa) made the 2nd annual Santa float through down town Naperville. The festive garb and the timing the weekend before Christmas had people in a holiday mood. Many people enthusiastically acknowledged the blue kayak with 2 bearded men braving the elements (it really was not bad, about 50, but overcast). Although the downtown acknowledgment of the people was to be expected, it was towards the end of the float that gave us the most pleasure. As we were finishing up the last mile or so, passing by the million dollar+ luxury homes, 2 people came running out of their house yelling for Santa as if they were 2 little kids seeing Santa fly by on his sleigh. I can only imagine they were laying on their couch watching TV when in the corner of their eye they saw some nuts floating down the river.....then it occurred to them that those nuts were Santa and one of his elves! The fun we have on the river just never ends.

Wednesday 12-26-07, Kent and I did the same trip done by Santa and his helper a few days before (Pat could not make it due to "jammie day"). There were no special outfits this day but we did test drive some recently received kayaking accessories. Dan's new kayaking boots proved to be quite adequate (they truly were not tested since we did not hve to step into the 34 degree water!). The best part was the dual testing of the 2 pairs of gloves Dan received. One was a pair of Reactor kayaking gloves and the other a scuba diving glove. Dan had recently came up with brilliant idea that scuba gloves may be the perfect answer for winter kayaking and the only drawback associated with it.....frigid digits!! Dan's plan was to wear one of each (suggested by Pat, the giver of the scuba gloves) and do a side by side test. When informed of this plan, Kent was quick to suggest that he too could participate in the test with the other two unused gloves. I am glad to report,we gave both gloves a thumbs up (conditions were sunny and 40'ish). Nothing of significance on this trip although we once again talked of some overnight kayaking / camping trips that never seem to materialize. Let's "just do it."