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Time

I know its time to start writing again when story starts begin swirling in my head, or I find myself thinking about crafting a story about..... whatever my imagination has me ruminating on at the moment.  Yes, I'm still here, and have let several posts go by without writing them down. Yet, my own lapse in continuity of post writing is reflective of the cycles I go through in the interests that take my life in so many interesting directions.  It's also a time to tally events and recognize the cumulative effect of experience.
But I dither in reflection.  How about what this blog is all about?  Friends finding kayaking experiences together-what's going on with that?  It still happens, when we can and will.  The open invitation for as many as are interested, and inviting people we know to come experience our kayaking places. Then, each season has its own set of rules as to the best time to kayak and where.  We expand our horizons, searching for challenges, new waterways to explore, favorite places to revisit, and most in the company of fellow travelers. 
Still dithering, it seems!  The point of this post is merely to send  a whisper your way to let you all know this blog is still pretty useful for articles, shopping places, useful information AND contains some nice pictures of the kayaking experience from our corner of the world. 
Summer kayaking is just around the corner, so I'll grab a couple of friends  and see you out there!

p.s.  It would be pretty useful to take in a training, also.  Whether a river safety course, or first aid, it's never to late to brush up on skills that could come in handy someday.

Happy New Year!

  Two months can either be a long time or a short time that flies by, and one can only appreciate the 'flying by' part when one lands on the ground and has a chance to look around.  Water under the bridge, a trail's beginning seen in the distance, the low road seen from the other side of the u-bend on the mountain pass....real life tesseracts as seen by the naked eye from here to there.   The time before the New Year is the space in which to reflect on comings and goings, the distance between those points and what we do to accomplish the journey.    Whether it's the desire to improve one's fitness level by means of diet and/or activity, a desire to increase knowledge and skills, or to improve the relationships in our lives, there is no shortcut for us to make that jump into the future without the road between.  Paddlin'Chix has been on a journey these last two years, or so, and it is time to move on.  There is talk of a name change, and possibly a companion blog to reflect what this name change entails, and the growth in which we see our group.  Many things that have been a part of our time together will stay-the details of our trips, the pictures, the memories, the friends and paddling companions-all a part of what this has become to this time. 
   For now, this is all I'm prepared to say.  But this picture that I found on PaddleNews newsletter this week reflects my feelings as well as a picture can tell.  A sense of mystery, a sense of adventure, companions, friendships- I don't expect A LOT from kayaking, but I'm sure hoping for more times to explore the possibilities with those who enjoy the same.
  Photo by Mr. Wayne Floyd, found at PaddleNews@paddling.net   

Happy New Adventures!     -Becky Hunt

Oh, Yes, I Can!

I set out with, and without the company of friends to walk, or paddle.  I have certain rules that I follow: listen to sounds, greet fellow passersby and look them in the eye; smile.  Take a walking stick. Be aware of my surroundings. For paddling: paddle as far from the bank as I would want to swim; wear my PFD; go on familiar waters, and stick to what I know...mostly.  For the colder days now, shift to clothing to keep warm, but not constricted-after all, I may want to take a picture!   I don't want to get wet, and a dry suit is a welcome thought for warmth and protection, especially in water that is cold all the time anyway.  But, for now, silk or NorthFace mid-weight long underwear, is keeping me warm under fleece pants tucked into  neoprene boots.  Wool socks, wool finger-tipless gloves with a mitten cap, and a light knit hat on my head keep the far-points warm, and  two layers add warmth under my PFD.  That is what I face the cold with, determined to keep moving, to beat the cold.

Where you might ask would I want to go in such armour?  How about Spring Creek, where I saw ice in the mud on the stream bank?
I was looking for Aspen, and there were few here.  However, there were still  leaves turning color...just around the next bend.  The headwaters, and the end of the creek proved especially colorful.  It was there for the finding.

Other places, hinted at the change of color, or what was left of the leaves- and the clear waters never fail to entice.

This then is the draw to resist winterizing and putting my kayak away for the season.  The view from the water....is fine.

I found the camping spot near the springs of the creek with a fire pit, and used the Sterno stove and fuel to make myself a nice warm cup of tomato soup.  Perfect.  Warmth inside to take me back.

Enjoy the views!

Bumping Up

The Klamath River Irongate run stretches on for approximately 10.8 river miles to near  the R. Collier I-5 rest area.  It also has some stretches of class I and II rapids.  I learned a few things from this run, which fullfilled my mental check-off list:  #1.  Face fears.   It gets easier when I'm experiencing new or challenging things.  The experience becomes less huge with friends who have gone before.  #2. Use proper equipment.  While learning the way of the water on my 106 Dirigo kayak, I was also learning the importance of a well-fitted spray skirt.  The 7.0 that fits the 14-foot Dirigo, does not fit the 106 quite as well.  Once the water splashed over the deck and filled my lap with water, I was tasked with watching every splash over, leaving me to fiddle with with a distraction I didn't need or want.  #3. At the end of a run, even though you know where your key is...eyeball it again before you hop in the shuttle.... a whistle that is as black as the key will simply not start the car!

While thinking about this run and remembering the Rogue River last summer, it feels like the Rogue was more work.  I took it in a raft, which I thought at the time would  feel more controllable.  I am pleased to say, that the Klamath River was 'not so bad'.  It was taking on what I thought of as a bigger challenge.  After all, there were reports of others who had fallen in at some point.  I paddled the river, and 'bumped up' my experience.

Experience alone isn't the only way to 'bump up'.  Solid information fuels expectations and possibilities, even remote ones.  While waiting for the next paddle, I'm reading  related topics to paddling, learning about others experiences, what they've observed, and how they view their paddles.  In this week's  "In the Same Boat" by Tamia Nelson, on paddling.net  she discusses survival in the event of a capsize without  the day-bag stowed on board.  Worth thinking about.
Now, I just need more time on the water.

As a reminder- many of our paddle trips are listed under two links,  "Trip Reports" and "Put-in and Take-out Locations for Local Area"  on the right hand side of this blog.  You will find information such as time-of-year river flows, put-in, take-outs, notable features, and much more for your paddling enjoyment. Also, equipment can be found at the web sites, many of which we've used.  I think I'll go look up 'spray skirt'...

Clues

As I paddled on Upper Klamath Lake last week, I saw several species of birds-pelicans, white egrets, gulls and 'ducks'- even a blue heron- resting on the exposed rocks near Putnam's Point.  The water has dropped maybe three feet, and the willow tree no longer brushes the water. The birds enjoy a safe place out in the open, untroubled by my distant passing.  I pull out my camera, and the low battery symbol is flashing on the screen.  I know I can push it a little and pull off a few exposures before the system collapses.  I was just starting my paddle up the shoreline.  I ran out of tape in my dispenser a couple of days later.  Something else, that I've already forgotten, finished, ran out...whatever it was- there were three things that said to me, 'finis'.  Need I say that the Fall equinox is this Friday? 

The feeling to hunker down for winter, is on the horizon, but it's not really necessary, yet.  The waters are calming, running low in the rivers, and paying attention to the changes will keep us going for a while.  Changing to warmer clothing, using spray skirts more, checking on river flows to see if rocks are going to be a problem- just a few things to enjoy the changing season.  My summer list of places to kayak, campouts  and hikes have been pleasantly accomplished.  The fall list is fairly small-paddle Spring Creek when the leaves are changing; take the run from Collier Wayside to Chiloquin; paddle Lake of the Woods... maybe Fourmile before it closes? and going with fellow paddlers!

I recharged my camera battery; I bought a new roll of tape; and while I'm still working on my version of a 'dry-top' for water resistant wear while paddling- I'm ready to think about this change of season.  What remains is to connect with paddlers wanting to do the same.  "Getting Connected" was a theme in church this last Sunday- and I am eager to kayak with others who enjoy it, too.   If you are interested in any of the paddles I've mentioned, please let me know and we can work out the times. 

Winter doesn't have come in a hurry and storing my kayak would be in line with missing the marvels of Autumn.  Let's connect and go kayaking!

Waldo Lake & Crater Lake

It's taken a couple of weeks to process the paddle camp that the three of us went on simply because there are too many words to express how satisfying it was. The weather was good, with winds that blew in the afternoon and then with gusto during the night and into the early morning.   Winds died down by the afternoon and put a kabosh on using the kayak sail Mary had rigged.  We found the camp spot across from Shadow Bay 'right where I had left it', and it was available-yeah! Goal one.  Goal two-paddling to Rhododendren Island, find it, and walk it.  Which we did.  If I had known, we could have packed our lunch and enjoyed one of two picnic tables there.  The last I had heard, it was closed to camping, however, the fire pits showed signs of recent use. This year, we just missed the flowers blooming by about three weeks.  Along the way we saw several other paddle-in camp spots I remembered, too.   In a book I have that spoke of Waldo Lake, it said the best way to explore it, is to take several days.  Oh, yes.  There were sandy shores that beckoned, and I saw more to want to go back and explore.  One note of resignation.  If you aren't bundled up for the cold, just assume that a screen tent is a sanity saver worth planning for against the mosquito hoards.  and repellant.  Lots.
Sunday morning dawned over a still lake disturbed eventually by our passage back to the put-in. I saw a humongous beetle doing a back-stroke in the water and made a slow lazy circle (that's about all I could do with my loaded 14 foot kayak) around to check him out. As I leisurely paddled into Shadow Bay, I became aware of a good reason that it might be called that. Through the clarity of the waters was my shadow on the lake bottom.

The legacy of Waldo Lake was exemplified by the departure of a fellow kayaker. I asked his permission to take his picture because I just loved what I was seeing in this family's outing. Thanks, Brendan!

For more Waldo Lake photos, please visit the photo album at the right.

"Wildflowers At Plaikni Falls, Crater Lake, NP"

And Crater Lake.  Just visited there yesterday to hike the new trail up to Plaikni Falls.  A nice easy path, and RIGHT NOW the park is awash in a proliferation of Wildflowers!

"Plaikni Falls, Crater Lake, NP"

Vist soon, they won't last much longer.