What's Next

I returned from the MR340, without a future event on my calendar for the remainder of the year. An unusual place for me to be, but, I'm going to keep it that way for awhile. That's not to say I don't have some dreams, plans, and goals.

Top priority right now is to play with Paul, we've been getting in lots of biking as he adjusts to his new recumbent. Last weekend, looking for a ride without hills, we checked out the American Tobacco Trails rails-to-trails ride in Durham.

I'm also taking a weeks vacation next month, visiting my parents in Hawaii. While there I plan to try out a number of OC1s (a one-person outrigger canoe). Outrigger canoe paddling and racing has become quite popular on the East Coast these days through ECORA, the East Coast Outrigger Racing Association. It hasn't quite moved into North Carolina, but it's close enough.

I've been interested in OCs for awhile now, an expansion to my single blade paddling. I've been reading everything I can, joined some forums, and hope to pick up a used OC1 this fall. Always planning big, I've always wanted to race in the Blackburn Challenge, possibly next year, maybe in an OC1, and my ultimate goal will be the ultimate race from Molokai to Oahu.

I'm also going to retire my Kruger Dreamcatcher for awhile. It's had most of my time the last couple years. I'd like to spend more time paddling my NDK Explorer sea kayak, I've really missed it's playfulness. I may even go back to the sea kayak for next year's WaterTribe Everglades Challenge. I did my first 2 EC's in the Explorer, it might be time to come full circle. We're talking about ordering a Balogh sail rig for the Dreamcatcher, it's an excellent sailing can-yak, and I think Paul would really enjoy that.

And, I'm committed to finally finishing building my Skin-on-Frame. Hard to believe I actually finished the frame in 2001. I attempted to skin it with a polyester skin, and was so unhappy with the unfinished result, it's sat in the basement ever since. I've just ordered a nylon skin fabric, and plan to re-skin after my vacation (and before I buy anything else).

Of course in order to fit in this skin-on-frame kayak which I made to fit my anthropometric measurements 7 years ago, I HAVE to lose the 20 lbs. So, in the meantime, I'm back to my usual swim-bike-run fitness routine. Hmmm, that reminds me of the life-long goal I've had of finishing an Ironman Triathlon before I turned 60. I'll be 55 in November, maybe I should start getting ready for this too.

And there are still expedition goals of paddling around Isle Royale, the Baja, a return to paddling Maine, the Inside Passage, and the Northern Forest Canoe Trail, and, .....