Paddle Dog

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The weekend in Michigan participating in the Hugh Heward 50 was really a lot of fun. The energy around the event is huge and with the Ultimate Hugh Heward just makes it that much more appealing.
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We have the Adventure of Super Boo's Blog and the Missouri 340 for Breast Cancer groups page following the girls. But I thought I would give the spotlight to Koa who has really turned into quite the paddle dog.
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Koa has been on lots of day paddles and has winter paddled at the tender age of 8 weeks. But this weekend with almost 12 hours on the water in horrendous conditions. torrential down pours ( 2 inches of rain in 2 hours) and high winds, she persevered.
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A dip of the paddle to K -Dog - The Capt'n

Gone Paddling!!

Time to get these two cherubs out on the water! Weather looks promising for the Hugh Heward 50 - Swing your browser to http://www.krugercanoes.blogspot.com/ to follow the action.
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I will attempt to up date from the river. - not to duplicate posts - HH50 will be posted on KCA blog and then a follow up to the girl's adventure will be on http://www.theadventuresofsuperboo.blogspot.com when we return Monday.
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We gone - The Capt'n

duck duck GOOSE!

" City Goose" found his way to the country!

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I assume this is one of them there city geese that got hand fed for months and then makes their way to the marsh lands of the river basin. All his buddy's took off in a hurry. Now there is a chance his mate is nesting close by and he is the distraction, but none could be seen.

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Paddling was great over the weekend - got in a couple of lakes and the Oconomowoc River - ah when the sun shines bright, perfect. Even got a little sun on the ole noggin. I think Spring is here.

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Boo is back from Florida, so our energies turn to the Hugh Heward 50 from Dimondale to Portland Michigan. We are going to take off Thursday after Boo gets out of school.

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Our goal is to get there in time to see The Intrepid 4 come down the Grand River as they participate in the Ultimate Hugh Heward - Detroit to Chicago via the inland river ways and lake Michigan.

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You can follow along at the KCA blog http://www.krugercanoes.blogspot.com/ - I have been updating the blog a couple times a day. Also they are using SPOT navigation so you can see tracks of their journey.

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If you want a history lesson on Hugh Heward, check out Jim Woodruff's blog, you can access it from the KCA blog. Quite the historian, quite a read.

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It's all good; see ya in Portland - The Capt'n

It's A Go!!

Buy a brick to support the Verlen Kruger Memorial

Head your browser to Kruger Canoe Adventures Blog and follow along as the start of the Ultimate Hugh Heward Challenge is moments away!!

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Adventure on - The Capt'n

Happy Easter - paddle paddle

With kids off to Florida, Koa and I got out for some paddling on the Fox River. We did the section between Mugwanago, and Big Bend. A nice stretch of river with lots of wildlife, though the river winds it's way through a very flat section of our state with little reprieve from the wind, which always seemed to be in our face.
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Spring is a good time to paddle the Fox River. The water is at a good level and the algae and weeds are at a minimum. Lots of wide open spaces, farms and a golf course on this section. Not too many homes which gives it somewhat of a remote feel. It was worth putting up with the wind to paddle this section which can be very buggy and smelly in the summer.
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Came across some canoeists which happen to include a couple of Mad-City Paddlers and a couple from Prairie Paddlers Canoe Club out of Illinois. They were on their way to Big Bend where I put-in. It was close to noon, so we looked for a spot to stop for lunch and socialize. This gave Koa an opportunity to run around a bit too.

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Koa was pretty excited to see some people and when jumping back into the boat she fell in. The good news is she is a natural swimmer, the bad news was she was wet in a pretty breezy section of the river. She was curled up in a fleece the second half of the paddle to stay warm.
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Taking a break to get out of the wind, the discussion turned to rudders and decked canoes. The proof was in the pudding, rudders good in high wind.

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The Cooke Custom Sewing spray skirts are becoming very popular on traditional canoes too. Dan Cooke (Wisconsin native) makes all sorts of fun gear for the outdoors, tarps paddle bags anything in high tech fabrics or canvas. Good stuff, I have a spray skirt for my Summersong which is worth it's weight in gold.

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All in all a pretty good day to be out on the water. See ya out on the pond - The Capt'n

Spring Break

Well the girls are off for Spring Break! They leave for Florida with Teri on Sunday to visit with Grandpa, see the sights and hang at the beach. They're pretty much packed and ready to go, so there was time to sneak in a couple of paddles with Boo on the Oconomowoc River with K-dog.
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We have been working on keeping K-dog in a seated position and in one spot while out on the water. She's not doing too bad, but with the transition from decked Sea-Wind to open tandem canoe there is just too much room to move around and too much fun to be had.
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K-dog has extremely good balance and is very agile and can leap the thwart and gear in a single bound with out upsetting the canoe.(she is under 30lbs.) It's a toss up whether her actions are annoying or entertaining, but after reaching for the camera to capture some of her antics. (I put the canoe into the shore and almost dumped it in the current)
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Boo throws a cross bow and K-dog looks to the shore as something has grabbed her attention. It doesn't look like much with the deep water, but there is a significant current on the river. We paddled up hill first to one of our favorite rest stops a 50's style custard stand called "The Kiltie" hoping it would be open. No luck but you could see they were making preparations and opening soon.
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It was Boo's first paddle of the season and gave her the opportunity to try out her new Kialoa Paddle. She says she likes it, commenting that the wood shaft and t-grip are pretty comfortable.

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We brought a significant amount of gear with us due to the cold water; two day packs and the black waterproof portage pack with change out clothes, hypothermia, fire starting and emergency kits. Throw in a sleep system and we would have been expedition ready. Our plan is to paddle gear heavy in preparation for the MR340.

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Check out the inspiration for the cartoon character "Charlie Brown" upper right; nice - The Capt'n

I think I'm on to something

Photo by Tracy

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This basically sums it up. A lone beach chair on a secluded beach in Belize. "Capt'n, come rest your weary bones after that long hard paddle of our tropical island paradise"

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After recalculating my retirement with the small down turn of our global economy, I only have 30 more years of hard labor to look forward to. "Not Bad"

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I hope this chair is still there when I am 80 - The Capt'n

What a...

What a difference a day makes. This morning found me and K-dog (Koa) searching for the lee shore to put in without getting pounded by in-coming snow squalls and waves. The wind was supposed to pick up bringing heavy snow, but the radar brought us good news and it looked pretty good at the put in.
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We paddled up the east shore of Rock Lake. It was actually quite nice out once we got moving. I knew there would be morning glass to paddle on the North shore of the lake so we worked our way up. For me, this is the best time to paddle, not a soul on the water.

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Ah yes, you can almost feel the silky water beneath the hull. The snow let up and made for some outstanding paddling. Personally I would rather paddle in the snow then in the rain. Either way I needed to get out and paddle with the Hugh Heward 50 coming up at the end of the month.

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Just another day in paradise - Unknown

Staying ahead of the weather

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K-Dog " Koa" and I headed out early before the wind picks up and the "winter weather blows in from the Northwest. We paddled the morning glass as ducks and geese congregated near the shore. Later in the day they are forecasting 2"- 4" of that pesky white stuff we call snow.

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The sounds of on-coming water fowl over head spark a lifted ear as we shore hugged our way around the lake. Not a soul out on the water but a few geese and mud hens.

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A bit brisk at 33 degrees, but once we got moving it was wonderful. K-dog has a pad she sits and lays on as the bottom of the Sea-Wind is a tad cold.

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I have had a bit of an identity crisis with the WaterTribe. Back in the day I was known as Sea Biscut then Sea Biscuit (cause I can't spell) then I was tagged with the name Da Biscuit... Then after a 125 mile paddle with ManituCruiser, Michelle and my girls Boo and M&M , I was re-named Kapakahi (Hawaiian) for all all out of whack, all mixed up or dis-futtled.

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So K-dog (Koa) now has a WaterTribe name... She will for ever more be known as Da Biscuit in tribal circles.

Now I don't have to heat gun off the name on the Sea Wind.

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We're off to hike the Waterloo River Basin - The Capt'n

Perspective

Obama tries to rally world to cope with downturn
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Somebody alert the media.... the paddles are in for Schatt Creek!!
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"Olga"

Hmm, yummy. You never know what you'll find up a creek... It's all in your perspective!! - The Capt'n