Lifes Disappointments

Life is full of disappointments. It appears that the 2009 Yukon 1000 Canoe and Kayak Race is not to be for me and Kristen. Our troubled economy and the seemingly bleak looking future have affected our sponsorship for the race. BubbaGirl our primary sponsor so graciously continued to express commitment even in the face of difficulties with the economic uncertainty. But a kayak race with a big budget seems a bit ridiculous, at the very least frivolous, and certainly selfish. Kristen and I gave BubbaGirl an out, and it was taken.

When Kristen and I decided to race this event together, we did so with the understanding that all expenses needed to be covered by sponsorship, so as not to burden our families with additional sacrifice. Now without a sponsor Kristen and I have agreed that we cannot continue with our original plan. A special thank you to Paul, who after hearing this news and seeing my disappointment, offered to help me work it out, someway. It’s just too much.

The good news is that life is also always full of wonderful people, and other adventures and challenges. There is little time in life to mop around for one missed opportunity. This past year I’ve been particularly blessed with some new paddling friends and groups that have offered many wonderful and varied paddling experiences, and with many more to come.

So life continues and so will my adventures. For now, I’m focusing on the WaterTribe Everglades Challenge in March, and maybe I’ll breathe a little sigh of relief that I can stay the Challenger and relax about trying to be the Racer :)