Kayaking 101

There are some crazy moms living in Boise and they all happen to be friends of mine (thanks, Peyton, for being friends with their kids which has allowed me to get to know them). These ladies talked me into taking a kayaking class with them this past weekend. Now, when Jeff and I were first married I did what any new wife of a kayaker would do--I took a class to try and be kayaker, too. In that course it was apparent that I was not meant to be a kayaker. So for the past 11 years I have been content to be a kayak widow on the weekends (and some weeknights) while Jeff pursues his passion. When Melissa sent the email about taking this class, I figured it had been 10 years and maybe now that I'm older I'd be better (the irony is now apparent but when in the midst of peer pressure one overlooks such irony). So I forked out the money and signed up.

We started the course on the pond at 9:00am. We reviewed all the strokes and braces and practiced our "wet exits" with which we would later become very familiar. After lunch the demonic instructors thought it would be fun for us to fight for our lives on the Boise River. I can't say I cried like a baby (but I wanted to). After the first few eddy turns I was feeling pretty good, so I challenged myself on one of the rougher eddy lines--and let's just say we learn from our mistakes. Good thing I've learned how to swim through rapids after years of rafting.

I ended up swimming "by accident" twice. I'm still frustrated about it. However, it was a lot more fun than I thought it would be. And our instructors were not demonic at all--I even wrote on the class survey that I liked the hands-on river experience! Can you believe it?! So, in my older age, I'm not a "better" kayaker, but I think I enjoy it more. I'm ready to go again! And I'm pretty sure Melissa, Carrie, and Carolyn will all join me -- the bunch of crazy women that they are!


(kudos to Mr. Scott Burnett for providing the photography for this post)