The ambient air is either warm or cold. Air currents make you think you should be wearing something besides a t-shirt, but a spot in the sun begs otherwise. Welcome to Fall! It's actually well underway, and many activities feel like 'just one more' before the snow starts to fly and there is no question of jackets, hats and gloves. So, it was with pleasure to kayak down the slow and easy lower stretch of the Wood River and simply enjoy the cool/warm air. The current is casual and we enjoyed time in conversation, exchanging pictures on our phones, and on the last stretch, paddling side by side in our version of the Magnificent Seven-no, make that Four...
Whenever that last 'just one more' paddle happens, thoughts of storing our kayaks for the winter make their play. A couple of things come to mind when I consider storing my kayak. One-wiping down the outer surface, of any additional grime. Ideally, I would have done this after our last paddle to keep up with the 'clean-boat-in-other-waters' -law. Wiping down the inside and using a piece of duct tape to pick up small stones that couldn't be caught with the rag. Two--propping open my hatch, after wiping down the inside, to avoid a trapped air stink smell; and Three--covering the hatch and cockpit with covers. Nothing like seeing a spider crawl out from under your seat in the middle of a long rapid stretch....of course, that could just be my imagination working overtime.
Take the winter to consider new rivers to paddle, places to paddle camp, acquiring gear-like inflatable bulkheads for your river-runner; maybe clothes to keep you dry when the splashing gets rough, or the weather colder, and we'll be out on the water again in no time! ...or sooner.
