My three sons....or is it my three Duper boys?

Last summer it was a trip with my oldest brother Larry (see blog entry"Larry does the limbo"). This past Saturday it was initiation day for brother number 2, Tom (pictured above in the blue yak). Brother number 3, Pat, of course is one of the original Duper boys and is part of the current 29 month streak. EDITORS NOTE: Pat claims an unvalidated "masteryak" that took place on May 1 to extend his streak to 30 months.

Although a little cool and windy, the sun was out and we had a good time paddling upstream to just past the Great Western trail (picture above is just north of the trail). Tom seemed to enjoy himself (especially the Duper Virgin rite of passage initiation ritual administered flawlessly by Pat). In order to protect the sanctity of the club's secret ritual, I again refused to document this procedure photographically. I think any of our future presidential aspirations will be thankful that pictures do not exist.

Duper boys, Jim...not the Polar Bear club!

April 2008. Kent got month 29 completed in Captiva Fl and Dan took advantage of the 60 degree weather last weekend. Pat, however, had not kept his streak up so out we went into a dreary, dank, drizzly 40 degree day. This would also give Pat the opportunity to christen his newly received yak. Jim, a one time Duper veteran from years ago, scurried out to Dick's and bought a matching kayak.....how cute! Did you get the "lover's discount"?

The 1st photo shows Pat daintily entering his kayak while Jim (notice the light blue jeans) awaits his turn. Jim, so anxious to join in the fun with Kent and Pat in the river, attempted to enter his kayak much like one would plop down into their favorite recliner or a bean bag chair. You guessed it..... DOH!!! Holy SH&T!!! Like a bull in a china shop, Jim plunged headlong into the icy cold Duper. I know the effects of the ice cold Duper on my frozen digits. I can only imagine the frightened turtle-like experience that must have been taking place within Jim's soaked jeans (notice the dark blue jeans in photo 2). I am pretty sure Pat's hysterical laughter didn't make Jim feel any better as sat on his ass in the middle to the river.

To Jim's credit, he went home, changed and joined us for the majority of the trip. The cocky, confident attitude was a little subdued but he stuck it out nonetheless. Other than the exciting beginning and our 1st ever 4 solo yak voyage, nothing too exciting to report. A couple hawks, some deer and our friend the owl (yes an owl in the daylight) were the wildlife highlights. Oh, yes, the last photo? A rare picture of the author and photographer with a smirk that seems to say: "Damn, rookie!"

Masturyaking...is it wrong?

Masturyak: Noun The act of giving oneself pleasure via a solo kayak trip.

Kent did it with himself a couple of weeks ago (and called me while doing it!) and he said he has never experienced anything like it. So with the weather giving us the year's first glimpse of spring I decided to give masturyaking a try. Down to Churchill Woods Forest preserve and the up stream paddle on the east branch. Not only did I extend my consecutive kayak streak to 29 months, I was able to do something I have not done for a long time.....paddle wearing only a t-shirt and no gloves. Now I am pretty sure while Kent was masturyaking he was not man enough to only wear a t-shirt (no one can see your legs anyway).

The freedom the sunny 60 degree weather gave me inspired me to go further than I have gone before....into virgin territory as it were. Now here was my dilemma. I know the initiation ritual for Duper virgins (I helped come up with the routine, for crying out loud!) but how do you handle virgin territory on the river? Well I took it upon myself and since I was masturyaking anyway, I administered the initiation ritual to myself. I know, you are probably mumbling to yourself right now: "how could you possibly pull that off?" Let's just say I may not be able to sit down for a while and I heard some noises coming out of me that I never would have believed were possible.

Let's hope spring has sprung and the Duper boys can be reunited for some more exciting trips on the river we affectionately call "the Duper."

Do not fear, the streak still lives!!

A little computer issue that lasted longer then expected does not negate the fact that the Duper boys did get out in February to hit consecutive month 27. Dan and Kent took out the two solos in one outing and Dan and Pat took out big blue tandem in another outing.

Kent ventured away from the core team the first weekend in March and made the downtown Naperville run with his 2 brother in laws, one being a Duper virgin. I have not confirmed this but I assume Kent took care of the usual initiation rites in my absence. The following weekend Pat and Dan did the same run, both experiencing a case of the frozen digits even though it was not unusually cold. As always with the winter kayaking, if we could only solve, with 100% success, the cold finger issue we would be set for years to come. Of course, despite this occasional inconvenience, the Duper boys are committed for a long run keeping the streak alive.

April, with warmer weather I hope, is just around the corner and month #29 will be put in the books.

3rd annual New Year's Day float (26 consecutive months)

The Duper boys headed out for the 3rd annual New Year's day float greeted by fresh falling snow. As you can see from the pictures it was absolutely gorgeous paddling through the Arboretum. Kent and Pat took out the tandem and Dan followed behind in the single. Is it wrong for 3 men to go out in the woods together and enjoy the magnificent scenes that only a few others dare to enjoy? Of course it is not wrong, we can not help that so many others lead such sheltered lives!

Not only was this our 3rd annual New Year's day float it extended our consecutive month streak to 26. I suppose when it is 126 or 226 this number will sound trivial but you've got to document it and you must hit 26 before you can get to 126.

On Wednesday, 1/9/08, Dan had to go to Bonita Beach Florida for a conference. Always looking to squeeze as much in to the trip and to take advantage of being in another part fo the country, Dan rented a kayak and explored the mangrove lined Estero Bay. Although it was 80 and sunny, this solo trip was not nearly as fun as the ones shared with my Duper brethren.

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."

Consecutive Month 23 and 24

Mid October was our 23rd consecutive month as we de-flowered another Duper virgin. Perry had the iniation rites performed in the normal way...right in the middle of the woods with the great horned owl looking down upon us. Perry will deny all accounts of this trip as he refuses to acknowledge the existence of an owl on the Duper or any initiation rites of passage that were performed on him. Dan, Kent and Pat, the original Duper boys, all just smiled amongst themselves in a way that only they could understand and appreciate. It is not our place to question the existence of the almighty owl or why he is present during the daylight hours, we just know what happens on the river stays on the river (other than the nonsense I write on this blog!!).

The lack of rain seriously threatened our streak on the river (easy readers, we do not STREAK on the river). Alternate plans were being made by Dan and Pat to go visit a lake to keep the streak alive......why you ask? If you have to ask I do not expect you to understand. We got our 1st significant rain in a couple of months and the 24th month was no longer in doubt. Dan and Pat hit the Hidden Lake to Community park run on Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Two interesting nature sitings, a 6 point buck and a squirrel swimming. I am not sure if that is normal but it is something neither one of us had ever seen.

Friday after T-day Kent and Dan hit another tried and true route: Community park to Royce road. We had a serious tree blockage which resulted in Kent staying in the kayak and getting soaked and Dan portaging and staying dry. We saw our wounded heron buddy as well as 4 deer crossing the river. Does anyone else realize what they are missing out on by not using the Duper? There was at least one other nut enjoying the river this day....as you can see in the 1st photo a fisherman was out wading. The middle picture is Kent and Perry approaching the 7 bridges rapids and the 3rd one is Kent on the November trip. Sorry for the out of order pictures. Double click on the photos for a larger view.