looking forward - backward

"Your time is limited, don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma, which is living the result of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinion drown your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition, they somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary." -- Steve Jobs

going Zollo

tae's birthday celebration included his own choice for entertainment. dave zollo of wellman graced the stage at peace tree for the evening and with chinese and a blonde fatale we honky tonked our way into tae's 29th year.

change of venue

"what lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." -- ralph waldo emerson

a recent bone density test verified a top 3% spine/u/e value, but a middle of the road pelvis/hip/leg recording. cross training is easier now that nature has provided at least a bit of cover for woodland/prairie trails. a visit to the krumm conservation trails with stripbuilder found me chasing along through the woods for a couple hours yesterday. unfortunately warming temps will demand a return to the river, although i have missed the water.

starved rock at sunrise

hiking the canyons at starved rock was tricky with icy paths and flowing water but the view was worthy of the time and effort.

the lodge at starved rock state park as seen from an early morning hike to the top. after xc skiing every morning in plymouth indiana at swan lake golf resort, during a ctp, the trip up the steep slopes was easy.

on thin ice

first full moon of the year and still paddling on red rock.
http://s103.photobucket.com/albums/m149/JoPears5/Red%20Rock%20January%207%202012/?action=view&current=028.mp4 credit to John Pearson for a video of what we saw.

last evening stripbuilder and i launched from cordova on what will probably be the last time on red rock this winter. the ice was forming as we paddled and an open channel across the lake to elk rock connected with a channel across to the mile long bridge (with 50' of thin ice to break through). once into the open area east of the mile long bridge we made a quick run to as close to the bridge as possible, but on the way back our connection was again iced over and the ice was thickening by the minute. we got out in the middle of what was originally thin ice, which was now 1/2" thick and difficult to break through. with some chopping and pushing my boat broke through and created another opening to elk rock's open water and then back across the lake to the ramp. as we paddled across the water was skimming with ice and threatening to close up, but we made it back just in time to see a beautiful full moon cresting the clouds in the eastern sky. on one of the most beautiful nights of calm clear water ever on red rock, with beautiful reflections and purple clouds and a wonderful sunset, i had left my camera at home. once again, no more 3x5's but the lasting memory of a time of peace and tranquility.

on to valparaiso

the lighthouse on cape horn (island named after schouten's home, hoorn netherlands) must have been the biggest rush of a lifetime for kayaker Freya Hoffmeister this week, as she paddled around the southernmost tip of south america. i revel in other's adventures and dream of what might have been were i to have lived in sailing times past. she now continues on her journey to valparaiso, chile and the end of her first 1/3 of the circumnavigation. gehen sie mit Gott Freya!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zzuWh1Fcn0

a new day

"on earth there is no heaven, but there are pieces of it." -- jules renard

paddling on new year's eve with friends included wind and waves and a great workout. the wind yesterday, on new year's day, was a bit excessive and against my best judgment i stayed home. if a lone paddler, freya hoffmeister, can paddle around cape horn in high winds and waves a mere fraction of that must be possible here. so now it's off to the lake again to meet a new day.des moines, from a helicopter, was a blur of lights but so peaceful on a holiday evening. you'd think that after taking pictures from a rocking kayak i'd be able to hold still but it wasn't to be on our 1/2 hour excursion to see the "jolly holiday lights". maybe the results were better anyway. happy new year to anyone out there and may this be the best year yet... but remember...

"nothing great was every achieved without enthusiasm" -- ralph waldo emerson, "circles"