News

September 4, 2005

Hi Todd & other Big Forkers,

What a great race, my brothers and I have been canoe racing since the spring of ’79, and the Flathead Monster reminded me of the “back in the day” races. Not because of the river or back drop because we started racing on the small intimate rivers of the Midwest, but rather the temperament of the experience. Camping in Todd’s yard was delightful not just because we met new friends which is always fun, but more importantly because of the kind of new friends we met. Last weekend we also blended an old tradition that I first learned in the Midwest with an old tradition from the Pacific Islands. Todd brought a little of the Hawaiian outrigger tradition into Western Montana, and a handful of paddlers from eastern Washington have been touched because of his efforts.
At 60, I need my rest more than I did in the spring ’79 when I was 34 so I beat most of the gathered paddlers to bed, still I could hear the laughter in the background into the night. Bean my six–pound, mixed-Yorkie, growled under her breath as dogs ran around the tents joining the fun under a clear moonlit, star-filled night sky. Eventually, the joyful laughter faded into the night. The dogs were the first to awake in the morning and the rough housing resumed early. A new day and a new race, I felt like a lucky senior citizen because I still love the excitement of a race and new races sometimes are even better. I hear both children and adults complain about both boredom and depression, but that’s not my problem. My biggest problem is finding the races, or at least finding the resources to get to the races. When I get to the races, I always paddle and since I’m an excitable guy, frequently I use too much energy up the day before the race.
I’ve been marathon canoe racing for a few years, but the outrigger is newer, hence new places, as well as, some new variations to an old theme. Unloading the OC-2 with tall mountains in the background and a big lake in the foreground with clear sky overhead, I’m ready for some of what the dogs were doing earlier, vigorous play. The race started in a marina to the Flathead River Delta onto the lake to a small island about a mile away, then back to the marina around a buoy back to the river turning upstream for another 6 or 7 miles then around a keg back down stream to the Marina. For Alison and myself over two hours, seems simple, go hard for couple of hours and head home. In my case, I was good for a couple of hours the last twenty-five minutes were fuzzy. My excuse, Alison saw it not me, was weeds on the rudder, the reason I didn’t see the weeds because I was over the mess tent washing down doughnut holes with grape pop, not one either. I bonked big time so although I do try to keep a handle on what I eat, I was down and out in Big Fork. Still, I’ve been down and out in worse places. Days later, I can reclaim that sweet spot in time, so although it was just one weekend, I own the memory.
No canoe racer wants to get passed late in the race, which is what happened to Alison and I, when we got passed by two marathon canoes in the closing minutes of the race. In the words of Charlie Brown, “Good Grief.” Still as bad as ours was, Shaun’s was worse. He led for most of the race in an Olympic kayak only to be passed by the locals in an OC-6 near the end. Shaun also missed the paddlers’ meeting when the first turn around was not the island as originally listed but at the meeting. Todd changed the first turn from “around the island” to “around the boat by the island.” A small change in the race, but big mistake for Shaun because he squandered his hard effort-achieved early lead. He might not have been ground down, but that is hypothetical because he did get ground down.
Load & unload, drive & drive, pre-run paddle the course & race, while another weekend race blends with the hundreds, Beauty under Big Sky is linked to many race days under many skies, new friends and old friends blend into more stories which are later shared. Hand shakes close the weekend. We talk on the drive back to our respective boat houses. Stories link context and meaning in our minds.
After returning to Spokane and reflecting, I realized just what made Todd and the Big Forkers so special. Small clubs conduct most canoe races, but the Big Forkers are different, maybe because many of the paddlers are relative newcomers. Perhaps newcomers are more open to new ideas or it’s just enthusiasm Whatever! What a blast to hang out with such a group of delightful paddlers! Put differently, next year is a go, and I will encourage others.
Thanks for a great race,
Jim
 

I read over your blog, and i found it inquisitive, you may find My Blog interesting. My blog is just about my day to day life, as a park ranger. So please Click Here To Read My Blog
 

I read over your blog, and i found it inquisitive, you may find My Blog interesting. So please Click Here To Read My Blog

http://pennystockinvestment.blogspot.com