coffee time…
This past week I had 6 paddlers from British Columbia, Montana, Michigan, and two from the Atlanta area spent 4 days and nights in Rock Island with me. Our off water location was the Jackson Ranch, and our on water location was the Caney Fork River between Great Falls Dam and Center Hill Lake, otherwise known as “Rock Island”.
From the Left: Sean, Mark, Jason, Mellissa, Kevin, Tom, and EJ
The premise of the experience is to combine my personal kayak instruction, with physical training and education, longevity training/discussions, great food (thanks to Kristine and the Foglight) and plenty of time to play games, stay unplugged, and really connect with each other.
Anyone who knows me knows that I like to play games and have active things to do. My house, known as the Jackson Ranch, is set up to assure even the most game needy person has something fun and challenging to do at all times. That person is me, of course, but most of the games are designed for 2 or more, so that assures I have good company, and we have phones down, and face time up.
After paddling beer, wine, or whiskey, while enjoying a hot tub or relaxing on the deck, transitions us from full steam ahead, to preparing for a great dinner and conversation. Of course, until the sun goes down disc golf, corn hole, ax throwing, etc. are happening if I have a say in it. After the sun goes down it is ping pong, chess, backgammon, and shuffleboard mostly. Not everyone is as fired up on games as I am so there are breakout groups just hanging out and talking about all kinds of things.
Around the dinner table…
Other than checking texts, a few phone calls, assuring planes are booked, etc. nobody was on their devices, and it was so refreshing to have everyone enjoying real conversations and activities without being connected. I don’t know if it is because the group age was averaging about 50 or so making it easier to unplug, or what, but it is one of the reasons I enjoy it.
Lots of Apex paddling going on with Kevin, Sean, Tom all owning at least one of them. Sean set the new world record (other than Joe Ball who works for me) in owning 3 Apex Watercraft boats already. (Small Rebound, Medium Rebound, and Medium Ringer)
Tom’s new Ringer Large
Jason and Mellissa used to do my clinics on the Ottawa until they had kids. This is the first time I have had them in a clinic in 7 years and it was super fun.
Jason doing a bold peel out into the water below the dam.
Tom brought his 6 year old to NOC and I taught him some paddling skills in a pool about 16 year ago. Sean lost his left eye in a mower accident and got out of paddling for a while, but is back. He lost 40 pounds and got really fit to be ready. Kevin Parker, originally from Lyons, CO (where we met him) became a family friend back in the Lyon’s Outdoor Games early years. Kevin has also been joining me every year up on the Ottawa. Mark I met for the first time. He is self taught, but a student of the sport and really impressive on many fronts. He had the least experience in rolling in whitewater, but his general boat control was awesome. He is going to be really good.
Mark on new water.
I hope the crew had as much fun attending as I did doing it. Kristine is recovering from cooking three meals/day, but she does truly enjoy hosting cool people like that. We had our steak night at the house and my kids couldn’t miss that one with 16 people over for dinner, it pretty much can be called a party, just the way we like it. Here is the video:
🙂
EJ
p.s. some additional photos
An Awesome Group of Paddlers Complete “EJ Week” #2
