Is it passion or stupidity

A man builds a 76-foot, 22,000-pound pencil. Why?



I couldn't read any further, it just seemed so ridiculous, then I saw "Twenty Craziest World Records", so bizarre I refused to scroll to the last ten, so did an edit.



Then it got me thinking... I can only speculate that it is their passion to be a winner. All that energy, all that preparation... Is there really a loser in these types of record attempts?



When you manage to stay connected to your Energy stream, you always win. And you know what, somebody else doesn't have to lose for you to win. There is always enough. - Abraham-Hicks Publications

Answer: It’s what he does.

Top Ten Craziest World Records as Recorded by Guinness and Other Resources

1. Heaviest weight lifted with a human beard: 130.2 lbs. by a man in Lithuania



2. Fastest time to solve a Rubik Cube blindfolded: 5 minutes 42 seconds by Ralf Laue in Los Angeles, CA



3. Most figure eights with a kite: 2,911 figure eights in one hour set in 1988 in Ocean City Maryland



4. Leapfrog over most standing people: Andy Wiltz leapfrogged over ten standing people at Seaman High School in Topeka Kansas. He got a running start to clear all ten heads in a row.



5. Longest midget toss: Yes, this is actually tossing a little person and it is an annual event. The record is 11 feet 5 inches.



6. Fastest Furniture: 87 mph. This sofa is actually street legal



7. Largest collection of belly button lint: Australian Graham Barker has been collecting for over 20 years and has more than half an ounce of the stuff.



8. Largest collection of paper and plastic bags: Heinz Schmidt-Bachem has collected 150,000 bags since 1975.



9. Most accurate value of Pi: The number is too large to list here but Japanese mathematicians have calculated the number to 206,158,430,000 decimal places.



10. Heaviest neck tumor: A West Virginia woman had a neck tumor for 22 years it kept her from leaving the house or doing anything. It weighed over 8 kg.


I been talking with the Boo for sometime, eleven years and some change. About making a difference, leaving your mark or making a statement by leaving no mark at all. Emi has heard this as well and it is interesting how we all find our way. The things we attempt, the things we do.


What drives us to do the things we do? Passion or Stupidity.

I think I'll pull my eleven-year-old out of school and paddle for 300 plus miles on ocean with bunch of other "passionate" folk and contemplate. Oh yea... we might be setting a record. Go figure.

A great day for...

After a slow start on Saturday morning, things began to come together once Laura got up and said she was heading out for a run. Not to be out done, I dragged the paddle simulator to the T.V. room and got in an hour and a half, some core work and a upper body strength training routine.

Sunday morning found us looking at 1 degree Fahrenheit (needed to wait to see which way the mercury was going to go), we went for breakfast and pondered the day.

Upon our return, I started boxing up gear that Boo and I sorted last week. Laura had a TriBabes meeting, but our plan was to get in another good work out. Laura returned and said she was going to put in 2 hours on the bike trainer. Yikes!! I decided to hunt for open water - I heard the Oconomowoc River was open, so I grabbed the Summersong and hit the road. Am I glad I did.

A great day for a paddle. Mid-20's and lots of sunshine. Doesn't get any better then this -January in Wisconsin.

Glassy conditions sheltered by the tree line, made for an outstanding paddle.

Met up with Brian and Dan taking advantage of the open water. Turns out they have kids. Shared some PEAK Camp stories. Looks like we may have a couple more takers for the paddle trip in June.

We made it up to the Dam on Oconomowoc Lake. Hung out on the water for awhile, the stories continued.

Heading back down river. Got in 40 minutes of intervals which turned to cruising and grabbing some pictures.

Far end of the Oconomowoc river, the Lac La Belle Cemetery. Everything so crisp and bright in the sunlight.

As the sun sets, so does the paddle. It felt so good to get out on the water today.

Perfect- The Capt'n

Large helping of

Picture from 2005 - Somethings never change.

No stranger to the buffet, I went in for a large helping of motivation this morning and I think I got it. There are some outstanding "dishes" (tales of adventure) out there to feast on.



Now into my second mug of coffee and blogging... I stare at the paddling simulator wondering if I have the moxy to put in a couple hours watching reruns of Leave it to Beaver and get a workout in?



Then like a lightening bolt, it occurs to me that the temperature has risen by nearly 30 degrees... a balmy 18 degrees Fahrenheit... sweet.



Question is, can I find open water within reach of my mug of coffee and the buffet of inspiration which is the Internet?



A jaunt outside to assess, brings an appetiser of a fresh snow fall... another 1 1/2". Just enough to breakout the snow shovel. Drats... motivation waining... more hurdles to over-come... The boathouse door is completely frozen shut and the Sea Wind is on the far side of the garage with a labyrinth of gear to navigate through.



Re-assessing... Stop the Tom Foolery, I could have had almost an hour on the paddle simulator, if it weren't for my paddle dreaming. I've wasted too much time thinking about it rather then doing it. Now I'm hungry, and Mr. Bagel calls to me...


Another hour passes...

With a click of a mouse, I wonder what Sandybottom and KiwiBird are doing? - The Capt'n

Paddle on

Bushwhacker Challenge 2008

The word on the river... "Tough as nails" - The Capt'n

Canoe sailing...

Click image

An on-line publication that encompasses the entire sport of canoe sailing, from historical and classic craft up to today’s high-tech recreational and competition canoes. Just stumbled across their site.

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It has possibilities. - The Capt'n

More then a tale / tail

Marissa (Boo) tells a good tale of our weekend planning and sorting gear, but forgot to mention our sub zero - 13 degree rescue of a kitty from a drain pipe.

We spent about an hour gaining the confidence of this little kitty we saw running across a parking lot and seeking refuge in a drain pipe. Emily and I finally got the kitty to come out when a couple ran to the pet store and got us some Salmon cat food to lure him from hiding spot

Paws are a little tattered and some frostbite on nose and ears, but the kitty now named "Ray" is doing well.

Marissa and her Aunt Jenny went to the pet store and dropped $65.00 bucks on the fixings for Ray. Life went from totally bleak to totally sheik for Ray.

With further investigation, we summarized that someone dropped the kitty off in the area as there was a towel and some dry food staged in the pipe.

Ray is now on a fluffy pillow at Aunt Jenny's....
All is well, you are loved.

Minus 9 and

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Not that I am complaining... minus -9 is a lovely number. :-/ But it cuts like a knife and any exposed skin will suffer its wrath.

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When you move away from the steam bath of Lake Columbia you become a very **frozen crusty likeness of yourself. ( You better know where your car keys are) Standing around pondering... not advised.

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The lovely power plant on the horizon that keeps this wintery paddle paradise open all year long.

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For another chilling tale...go to Journey on the ....

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**This is for Mark at Kruger Canoes... (i.e. our phone call). I don't want to be the crusty me anymore.. :-) - The Capt'n