Nice
rotation and edge control. But, gosh, some of those landings had to have hurt.
Formerly
I no longer hang it up for the winter, just paddle less often than in the rest of the year. When it’s too cold or windy for my on-water tastes, I go hiking instead. Have been thinking of taking some dance classes, as there are good local opps every week. Indoor sports are always available, and most of them don’t require much gear, if any.
When I lived in CO and had to endure both the hard-water restriction as well as the administrative ones–some lakes were closed to kayaking despite still being liquid–I champed at the bit. A lot. Enough to sometimes travel south to paddle. We had terrific pool access, which I took advantage of, using my tiny whitewater kayak instead of the space-hogging sea kayak. But sometimes I took a break from our 5-month winters by leaving it temporarily. That’s a long time to stop doing any sport.
Since you expressed a habit of obsessively immersing yourself and then dropping hobbies, I guess next spring we’ll all see if kayaking becomes another expensive item on the casualty list. That’s something I never worried about, because I tend to circle around and dip my toes in a few times over a longer period before deciding, “This is for me.”
How about making a paddle, or if you
room, building a kayak or canoe?
Bicycling and walking
until it gets really miserable in January and them head down to Florida.
ski
– Last Updated: Dec-05-14 11:16 AM EST –
I skate ski, back country ski, and alpine ski in the snowy months. For me, bicycling and kayaking overlap and I quit both as dictated by weather (I don't bike on slippery surfaces). While waiting for ski season, I hike. Lastly, I check my kayaks and refurbish as necessary.
Location: North Idaho
Spring snow squalls
I’m looking forward to getting a kayak down to my lake shore once the access road opens up. When the ice starts to break up along the shore, it sings. While I’ve spent lots of hours watching and listening from shore, I think it will be much more fun from a kayak. And if a snow squall pops up, all the better.
Probably a good job for my robust Necky Rip. I can use it as an ice breaker.
Sixteen days until the solstice and lengthening daylight!
Extended paddling season?
Well, so far the extended forecasts and models are calling for a warmer than normal December. I was actually able to get out on my local river last Sunday and will most likely be doing so again this weekend. Keeping my fingers crossed that this will continue for a good long while.
I’m dropping hints with my wife and trying to get approval for winter pool training sessions. I don’t know if that’s going to fly though. There aren’t too many winter courses offered in my area. And the couple I have found would require significant time commitments due to driving distances and class hours. Don’t think my wife would be too keen on me trading my super-early-morning paddle sessions for classes that would require me to be gone for most of the day.
I’m intrigued by hiking and/or snow-shoeing in the winter, but those activities would require additional investments in cold-weather gear. Don’t think I can get away with spending more money on another new hobby/activity.
If/when we actually get significant snow, I’ll probably just try to be content with playing outside with my kids. That should keep me active for the whole 20 minutes before they get too cold and want to go back inside.
Have You Rolled?
If you’re working on your first roll, try to get mama to agree to just the first three lessons. I bet you roll on the third lesson then you can build from there on your own when it warms up.
winter has us…
READ THRU
http://www.exrx.net/Exercise.html
work on glenohumeral, wrists , fingers, lower back.
Try glenohumeral workouts with with arm weights and wrist grips…eg extend fully extended arms
posteriorally in a swinging reaching motion with wrist gripping reaching as a stretch behind glutes.
Lift your hull over head several times every other day.
Buy a pilates ball, heavy steel bar, practice rolling movements
Get a stretching manual, establish a stretch routine for an every day wamup.
Jog every day until tired
Practice holding your breath…read a book on breathing exercises.
Design a simple wooden hip snap practice platform
Take cold showers
Buy Gore tex and learn hat and sock making.
Read Thomas’s book of knots. Learn 10 including variations of Indian knot, bowline tied upside down and 4 different ways, 3 sheet bends, truckers knot, and there are other suggestions ….
Clean the boat’s insides.
find the perfect stream, buy land there.
Boots are made for walking
All that cold weather gear you bought for winter paddling will work just fine for hiking/walking. No other expense involved and it’s not a new “hobby.” Walking is healthy for the entire family - especially interval walking. You could make it a game.
No snow in Chicago right now, so you don’t even need boots.
Seasons are flip-flopped
… in South Florida and it is now time to enjoy the cooler weather and fewer bugs. Camping season starts and snowbird friends arrive.
I’m having lunch with JackL and Nanci today, a sure sign the Winter season has officially started…
awww
was over to Titusville/Patrick AFB via the Upper Okeechobee plain. Speaking with a Michigan Winter Cabin hunter…and standing above the beach in a rain squall…realized the East Coast at and above Melbourne’s summers are similar to the West Coast below Punta Gorda’s winters.
Nothing like a buncha free loading northerners for lunch.
Project?
As suggested by others above. Some days it’s too cold out for outdoor activities. These are the days you need a project to play with.
http://yostwerks.com/
70 degrees right now
It is in the lower 70s in northeast AL right now. I usually only experience maybe a month or two that it is too cold to paddle. But when it gets bad I will take my rec boat or crossover to a slow moving creek or lake/pond and paddle around there. Nothing keeps me completely out of the water.
Full moon paddle last night
Shorts and flip flops. Took off about an hour before sunset and went up a bayou, watched the moon come up over moss covered trees, came back down river looking at Christmas lights.
That sounds AWESOME!
Pool lessons!
Well, I got lucky! I found winter pool lessons at a nearby community college AND my wife said, “Merry Christmas!”
So, now I am registered for an 8-week whitewater kayaking pool course beginning mid-January. Not that I have plans to jump from rec boating straight into running the rapids, but I figured most, if not all, the skills I learn in the whitewater course should be applicable to any other form of kayaking I decide venture in to!
Yeah Man!
If you get REALLY bored
read B and B and reflect on mental illness.