Whelp here I am in back in the Texas heat, throwing back a cold one and thinking of all the cool stuff Anna and I have done over the past month and there is a lot of it. Since we have last posted we have kayaked 5 more rivers, toured the capital of Canada on July 4th no less and met tons more awesome women pushing themselves on and off the water.
So here is the skinny on our trip in stats and numbers.
10 Rivers: Green(upper and lower), Potomac(Little Falls, Mather Gorge and Great Falls), Woodhull Creek, Middle Moose, The Rouge, Ottawa(Middle and Main Channel), Madawaska, Lehigh, Yough(Middle and the Loop), New River Gorge.
24 days total on the road
19 of those we had paddle in hand.
3 full days spent driving start to finish
3404.2 miles driveway to driveway including all wrong turns which mostly occurred in DC…
16 States/Provinces/Districts
Days of rain on the river 0
Craziest shuttle: Woodhull Creek
3 days good for wearing my Eddie Bauer First Ascent Puffy Vest (I love my puffy vest) my favorite piece of gear
11 Days of Clinics taught with 70 women.
16 nights spent with family and friends
3 nights we paid for stays
Best sleep: Lean-to in Vermont
Prettiest River: Ottawa
Favorite River Run: The Rouge River in Quebec
2 swims (not Anna)
1 lost paddle (not Anna)
1 Bear sighting
1 flat tire
1 Class V waterfall run(not Cindy)
Best Party: Canada Day at the Jamieson/Darrahs
Best yoga class: Therapeutics with Desiree Rumbaugh
As I recount all these facts and figures my mouth turns up slightly into a grin of happiness and gratitude for the opportunities that abound in life and the beautiful people I meet along the way. I also giggle a little to myself because there is always a nervousness and apprehension for me going into a big travel or paddle into the unknown. And on this side, I can see the universe always lines up in my best interests with exactly the right experiences to make me stronger and wiser.
So go on, get out there do what you love, stretch your boundaries and bask in the goodness of it all!!
— Cindy
To paddle with us next summer, check back in with our Summer Tour info! Or if you can’t wait that long to paddle with us, check out our clinics in North Carolina, wilderness adventures in Idaho and tropical getaways in Mexico!
