Wednesday, December 21, 2011

merry christmas & happy new year!

Does anyone know where Salzkammergut is?  I didn't get around to looking it up, but apparently Santa's up there taking care of business.  Good for him.  We are also taking care of business, working out butts off at The Beast, as we lovingly refer to it this time of year, so unfortunately there has been little in the way of windy city waterman activities to report on.

Fortunately, a few of my compadres were on hand to take advantage of a nice little swell that came through a few weeks ago.  This is Ed Coyne showing some style on a cool November afternoon.

Look at the shape of these waves!  This is as clean as it gets.  Here's Al Segreti enjoying a classic Evanston peeler.  Great stuff!

So like I said, there's not much happening right now, but don't worry, I'm plotting and planning adventures for 2012 and I will look forward to sharing them with you in the New Year.

Have a fun and safe holiday season.  See you on the water!

Thursday, October 20, 2011

suzie trains maui


     We spent a few weeks on Maui this past month, and were lucky enough to score epic conditions.  There was surfing on the south shore, windsurfing on the north shore, and beautiful sunsets like this one pretty much every night.

   
     I felt lucky to be in such a beautiful place spending time on the water every day, but I was really lucky to be invited to Suzie Cooney's studio for a training session.  Suzie is a paddler on the Naish team and a Certified Personal Trainer who works with some of the top athletes in stand up.  Over the past years, Suzie has applied her knowledge of fitness and training toward a SUP-specific training system that helps paddlers maximize their strength, endurance and power on the water.

   
     After an short interview, Suzie put me through the paces working on my flexibility, strength and balance.  It was a great workout, but more importantly I learned a bunch of new techniques that I'll be applying back in the gym at home.  You can get a taste of what Suzie offers at the Naish website under the SUP Fitness link, where many of her SUP-specific exercises are detailed.  Of course, it's no substitute for a face-to-face experience, so if you're planning to be on Maui any time in the future, I'd highly recommend booking a training session or two with Suzie.


     Unfortunately, I got home a bit late to take advantage of the massive system that just hit the Great Lakes.  This grainy shot is of a kiter on Lake Superior, but I know we had equally epic surf here on Lake Michigan.  If anybody has any photos or stories to share, please send them along and I'll be happy to post them.  Looks like the weather's going to calm down and warm up a bit after the weekend, so I'll be out paddling for sure... come and join me if you can.  See you on the water.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

raffle winners announced!!!

If you bought a raffle ticket at any of our events this summer, you may be a lucky winner!  Watch the video to see if you won.  I will be contacting all the winners by email or phone in the next week or so to arrange delivery of your prize.  Thanks to everyone who bought tickets... all proceeds go directly to our two great charities!



If you've been watching the countdown timer, you know that I'll be heading to Maui in just a few days.  I'll try to post an update once in a while during our trip.  The conditions look great with wind and a solid swell building as we speak.  Wish me safe travels, and I'll see you on the water when I get back.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

the big paddle

     With a clear weather forecast, we headed out for the 50-mile Windy City Waterman Stand Up for Charity Paddle early in the morning on September 11th.  Check out the photos and captions, then I'll give you the play-by-play at the end...
We launched just at sunrise, a few minutes after 6am.  This is Dimitry gliding across the early morning glass.
Here's a shot of the Harrison-Dever Crib with the Chicago skyline about 3-miles away behind it.  It was approaching noon when we made it to the Crib, about 20 miles into the paddle.  This marked the beginning of the toughest part of the day, paddling into headwind and chop for 10 miles to the South Shore Turnaround.

There was no stopping on the South leg - with the wind on the nose, any rest would have meant giving up headway as you drifted back towards the city.  Once I finally hit the waypoint, I sat down and took a minute to shoot this photo.  See that grey smudge in the middle of the frame?  That the Chicago skyline, now 10 miles distant.
I didn't take any more pics or video on the way back up, but our ground crew was ready with their  cameras as we rounded the breakwall and came into Greenwood beach.

The Lake even graced me with a little wave to ride in on...  What can I say, she likes me.

"We made it!"

Our landing party was all smiles, and I was too.    Once we got back on land both Dimitry and I were dizzy with reverse-seasickness.  Our bodies had adjusted to the motion of the boards after paddling all day and now standing on solid ground threw off our equilibriums.  Funny.
Alfonso was struttin' his Windy City Waterman t-shirt.  I still have a few left, so if you want one email me.  All proceeds from the t-shirt sales go straight to our two awesome charities!   
Dimitry and I cooled off with a quick dip...
... then we loaded up the boards as the full moon rose and headed to our favorite joint for a big burger.  Oh, you know that tasted soooooooo good.
     If I had to sum up the day in a phrase, it would be, "Everything worked."  Not very dramatic, I know.  I should probably make up some reality-tv BS to make it all sound harrowing, but that's just not how it went down, and I'm happy to say so.  

     Don't get me wrong, it's not that it wasn't hard... it was.  The section on the south shore was killer.  It took me about three hours to do that ten miles and it was the longest paddle of my life.  With 20 miles already behind me, I was seriously fatigued, my hands were starting to blister, my knees were hurting and my feet were tingling.  I had to dig deep for each paddle stroke and the only thing that kept me from plopping down on my butt was the thought that if I stopped paddling I would begin drifting backwards and have to paddle that same water AGAIN!  Besides that, I knew that once I hit the turnaround waypoint I'd have the wind at my back for the rest of the day, and when I did hit it, it felt really good.

     And if "Everything Worked" on Sunday, it was the efforts of the whole summer that got me there.  All the training, everything I learned about fitness and nutrition, all the hours spent on the board working on agility and balance... all of it came together to get me to my goal.  Every aspect of my skill as a paddleboarder was tested on Sunday.  There were upwind stretches that demanded power, downwind sections where catching bumps and surfing was critical.  There was side chop and chaotic boat wake that had the board bucking like a wild pony, testing my balance and focus.  There was the sheer distance, challenging my endurance.  Still, I was happy and optimistic every bit of the way because I had done it all in my training.

     The one thing I hadn't done in training was actually paddle that far, or for that duration of time.  Of course I believed that I could do it, but there were other factors to consider, like nutrition.  I had been using Infinit Nutrition, a powder that you mix with water and drink during whatever activity you're doing.  Infinit is custom formulated for you by a nutritionist specifically for you and your activity.  I had been using my blend for a month or so with good results, but I had never used it as my food for a whole day of non-stop paddling.  I was a little worried about bonking, so I loaded my drybag with a bunch of Cliff Bars just in case.  There was no need... the Infinit worked fantastically and I was energized and feeling good all day.  This stuff really works!  If you're an endurance athlete in any sport, I definitely recommend it (and they are not a sponsor... That's just the testimonial of a happy customer).

     Still, even with all my training and good results with the Infinit, by the end of the day I was crushed.  And I mean, CRUSHED.  Everything hurt.  I was feeling dizzy with the reverse-seasickness.  At dinner I was even talking slowly, my mind and mouth taking their sweet time forming words and sentences.  Sheer exhaustion.  But to my shock, I woke up Monday morning feeling fantastic.  I was a little sore in my legs and shoulders, but not any more than I would be the day after a big workout or windsurf day.  I guess my training was on target, and I immediately started thinking of the possibilities of doing even bigger paddles.  The future is looking bright... so many adventures ahead!

     So, I guess that's it.  It's been an amazing summer.  I've learned a ton.  I've pushed myself and achieved a significant goal in my fitness and skill on the water.  I've met a TON of amazing people.  I raised a bunch of money for some great charities.  I'd say that the Windy City Waterman project has been an overwhelming success.  I'm really looking forward to next year, and another chance to grow this amazing sport.  I already have some ideas formulating for a Windy City Waterman event that is more inclusive, getting people of all skill levels out on the water.  I'll keep you posted as things come together, but if anyone has any ideas or wants to help, email me and let me know.

     Before I go, I want to say THANK YOU to everyone who stepped up to sponsor and help this summer.  First and foremost, Charlie at Pacific Boardsports and Naish International for boards and paddles.  Al and Sue at Lake Effect Marketing for building the WCW website.  The whole crew at Windward Boarshop.  Gary at Paddleboard Specialists.  Kaenon Sunglasses, Headhunter Sunblock, Moosejaw and everyone who donated prizes for our raffle.  And THANKS to all of you who have read the blog, offered advice and encouragement, and especially to those of you who told me, "Damn, you're crazy."  That meant a lot.  I'll still be paddling until the water freezes, so get out your wetsuit and come join me.  See you on the water.  

Sunday, September 11, 2011

wind at our back

With about 30 miles behind us, there's just two more miles into the headwind until we reach the turn. Despite the wind, we're staying pretty much on pace, but looking forward to the tailwind at our backs on the return trip up to the beaches on North Avenue and then Dempster Avenue, where we're expected to land around 6:30pm. Looking forward to seeing our SUP friends in those final miles!

making our way down the shore!

It's just before noon, and the paddlers have reached the Harrison-Dever Crib, heading south to the turn. The report from the water is that everyone is feeling strong and doing great. Check the route map (below), and come out and join us!

perfect way to start the day!

Great conditions and warm water greeted us this morning as we set out on the WCW 50-mile paddle! The North Shore was a little tough, with winds from the west and some side chop along the bluff, but the water is calmer the closer we get to Evanston.

We're expecting to be in Evanston between 8:15 and 8:30 am, on our way down the coast for a total of 30 miles then back up 20 more. Watch for updates around lunchtime, and we'll have ETAs for popular beaches lke North Avenue, Montrose, and our landing spot at Dempster Avenue. Looking forward to seeing some of you paddlers out on the water with us!

Friday, September 9, 2011

wcw paddle is on for THIS SUNDAY!


     OK, here we go... The weather's looking stellar for this Sunday, so the Windy City Waterman Stand Up for Charity Paddle is on!  Unfortunately, Kevin won't be able to join us due to his back injury, but Dimitry and I are all set to undertake the challenge and give it everything we've got.

     As you can see, we've plotted a new 50-mile route, one that takes us along the entire Chicagoland lakefront.  Our original plan was to cross the lake from St. Joseph, Michigan, but somewhere along the way we realized that paddling out in the middle of the lake is, well, kind of anti-social.  With this new route, we can invite paddlers from anywhere along the way to come out and join us for a bit.   If you'd like to come and paddle with us, keep an eye on this blog during the day on Sunday to see when we'll be passing by your local launch.  We'd love to have some company along the way.

     Our plan is to launch at 5:30 AM from Rosewood Beach in Highland Park, paddle south to Evanston, then head offshore to pass outside the Harrison-Dever Crib.  Once we round the crib we'll continue south to around 60th Street, where we'll make a turn and head back north toward our landing spot at Dempster Beach in Evanston.

     I am super excited to be finally getting our big paddle underway.  I hope many of you will come out to paddle with us or join us for our landing on Sunday evening.  As always, THANKS to everyone for your support of the Windy City Waterman project and I hope we've inspired you to push yourself to and beyond your own limits in your paddling or at whatever you do.  See you on the water.

Monday, September 5, 2011

amazing august

     Here on the Great Lakes, August can be amazing... and this year it really was.  While the month typically brings a few North weather systems foreshadowing the coming Fall, this year we had a bunch of them.  Since our epic downwinder on the 15th, we've had a series of great windsurf and surf days... so much so in fact, that I haven't had much time for blogging (sorry).  Last weekend I SUP trained on Friday, enjoyed one of the best windsurfing days in years on Saturday, and SUP surfed on Sunday.  What a weekend!  This week, we ushered in September with the first in a series of big North's that look like they'll continue through the whole week.  We're really living the dream here in Chicago, and I hope everybody is planning on getting out on the water.

In Stand Up For Charity Paddle news, things are still looking good for the big paddle to go down next weekend.  Unfortunately, it doesn't look like Kevin will be making it this time.  He is suffering some torn rhomboid muscles in his back, an injury he amazingly paddled through when he was here on the 14th, but which has worsened since he returned home.   With time running out to get the 50-miler under my belt this season, I don't feel like I can afford to re-schedule again.  The weather is looking favorable for Dimitry and me to do the same run down from Racine that we planned on a few weeks ago, so that's what we're looking at right now.  Expect to see a post in the next day or so with the full plan and schedule.

Sorry, but I haven't had a chance to upload photos or edit video footage, so that's it for now.  I hope everyone had a fun and safe Labor Day weekend.  See you on the water!

Sunday, August 21, 2011

our big downwinder last weekend

Kevin V and I at the bar at Coco Pazzo (an excellent restaurant, I should add...) toasting our upcoming adventure
I know you've all been anxious to hear the full report from last weekend's Windy City Waterman paddle.  Despite the fact that the weather did not cooperate at all, we had an amazing experience and accomplished a lot.  I'll run through the events via photos and captions here, then at the end I'll fill you in on all the details.  Here goes...

We arrived at the launch at about 5:45 on Sunday morning to an ominous sky... fortunately, the weather was pushing east and away from us.


After a quick skipper's meeting and a look at the shorebreak, we decided we were a go.

So we started unloading and rigging all the gear.

A special Thanks to Gary Stone of Paddleboard Specialists for loaning Kevin his personal Bark Dominator.

Kevin and his wife Jenney... don't worry, Jenney, we'll make sure you get him back!

Kevin, Dimitry and I ready to get out there.

The photos make it look smaller, but the shorebreak was about head high.

Kevin and I pushing out.

And, into the fray we went...
4 1/2 hours and 15 miles later, we surfed onto the beach in Waukegan.
Post paddle, looking pretty exhilarated.
Thanks a ton to Jenney and my Dad Gary for driving the chase car with our equipment and provisions.
And before I go, as always, Thanks to Kim and Tiz for all your support and encouragement!
The Story:
     As you know, our original plan was to do our big 50-mile paddle on Saturday.  Kevin was coming to town on Friday evening, so we were going to head straight up to Racine, get a good nights sleep, then launch around 5am on Saturday.  Well, once the forecast for Saturday came in calling for thunderstorms, we decided to hold off until Sunday.  And good that we did, because those storms did come in, and in addition to lightning and strong, gusty winds, quarter-sized hail was reported on the north shore, right where we would have been paddling.

     We knew that strong north winds were in store for Sunday, which meant waves.  Although I've spent a ton of time sailing and windsurfing in strong winds and big waves on Lake Michigan, I hadn't done a downwinder in those conditions yet on the SUP.  Dimitry hadn't done any downwind runs at all, and while Kevin had done some big downwinders on the ocean, those experiences were quite different from the short-period, mixed up wind swell we get on Lake Michigan.  So, it was going to be new territory for us all, and we were all excited for it, but with these conditions, it seemed very unlikely we'd be doing the full 50 miles.  For that matter, it was even possible that we wouldn't be able to get out at all.  On big Nor'Easters like this the shorebreak can be monstrous.  I fell off to sleep hoping that the morning wouldn't bring disappointment. 

     The alarms went off at 4:30am.  I was up in a flash, put on a big pot of oatmeal and started mixing the Infinit Nutrition mix that would sustain me throughout the day in my hydration pack.  You can imagine my eyes, bulging in panic, as the drink squirted out of a hole in the bladder of my pack all over the bathroom vanity.  DAMMIT!  Catastrophe already and we were barely out of bed.  Fortunately, I had a backup bladder for the pack, and I loaded it up feeling quite pleased with myself for being so prepared.

     After the short drive to the launch site, we checked out the shorebreak and called it 'a go'.  We rigged up and launched by about 6:45, paddling with the wind and waves on our left side for the first mile or so as we pushed to get away from the lee shore... the last thing you want is to get caught too close to a rocky or otherwise inhospitable shoreline with a 30-knot wind pushing you.  Once we were safely away from shore, we turned downwind and started getting into a rhythm, catching the bigger swells and surfing them toward the far distant Chicago skyline.

     We had been paddling about 30 minutes when I saw that the nozzle on my backup hydration pack hose had broken off.  I checked the pack and sure enough, my full ration of Infinit had gone to the fishes, and along with it went that 'good feeling' of being prepared.  I couldn't believe my bad luck... fortunately I had a few packs of goo and an extra 30 oz. water bottle on board, so I knew I'd be OK for a while at least.  We pushed on as the wind and swell built.  By 9am the waves were 8-10 feet and the wind was gusting into the 30's.

     All three of us were falling a fair amount, being tossed around by the mixed up swell.  In contrast to ocean swell, which tends to be consistent and rhythmic, Lake Michigan wind swell is very chaotic.  The waves are steep and short-period, meaning there is very little space in between them.  They tend to change angle from one wave to the next, so you are constantly tweaking your heading to stay lined up, and the bigger set waves are punctuated by many smaller pieces of chop that come at you in between, around and on top of them.  It's kind of like paddling through a washing machine on 'agitate'.

     I have to say, even in these tough conditions, my Naish Glide not only performed, but shined.  The Glide was able to get down the face and surf the swells much easier than either Kevin or Dimitry's boards would do.  And I will tell you, the feeling of shooting down the face of a 10-foot wave out in the angry soup of open water Lake Michigan on a big Nor'Easter is something I won't forget, and hope to experience again soon.  This was without exception the most exciting paddle I've been on.

     Still, for all the exhilaration we were feeling, we were all surprised to see that after 2 hours we'd only covered about 7 miles - not even half the distance to our first possible landing spot in Waukegan.  We had all been expecting to hit speeds of 7 to 9 miles per hour since we had the wind and waves behind us... A pace that would be typical of an ocean downwinder.  Whether it was our course, the amount of time we spent falling and re-mounting our boards, or some other factors we hadn't counted on, we were making much slower progress than expected. 

     As part of our safety protocol I had my cell phone sealed up in a couple of ziploc bags in my hydration pack, so I took a minute and called my Dad & Jenney, letting them know that we were doing fine and not to expect us in Waukegan for another couple hours.  They were with our chase boat driver and informed us that the boat would not be able to launch in the wavy conditions.  "No problem", I told them.  We were all feeling good and we could land in Waukegan and decide if we would continue or not then.  Once we knew that they wouldn't be worried, and that we'd have to make shore somewhere in Waukegan at the very least to replenish our food and water, we settled in to having fun in the crazy conditions.  By this time, the overcast had given way to an outrageously blue Midwest sky dotted with fluffy, grey-lined clouds so low that you thought you might reach out and grab one.  Of course, you wouldn't dare try, because it took every ounce of concentration and balance to stay on your board, and every bit of your focus to read the water so you could catch the next big wave and feel that high of screaming down its emerald face.  With every ride, you'd catch yourself laughing and hollering, caught up in the rush of riding this ultimate roller coaster.

     After another two hours of fun, we headed into the beach at Waukegan having covered 15 miles.  It was after 11 already, and after a bit of discussion we decided it would be best to call it a day.  The next leg of the paddle toward Chicago was about 24 miles, and would have had us landing with barely enough time to race Kevin and Jenney to the airport for their flight.  We'd had an amazing day and paddled a good distance in the most intense conditions that we (or anyone else in Chicago, as far as I know) had ever paddled in.  We had fun, pushed ourselves and our equipment, and learned a lot.  This was a very successful experience.  I will definitely be watching the weather for the next opportunity to do a big downwinder like this again.

But... But... But, we didn't do our 50 miles.  Could we have?  Absolutely.  Had we not been worried about time, we could have just sat on our boards and let the wind and waves push us to Chicago.  But riding downwind in a gale is not what we set out to do or what we've been training all summer for.  We wanted the challenge of paddling for 12-plus hours... working our way across a great expanse of the Lake by our own endurance and effort.  So, we've re-set the date for our half-century paddle for September 10th.  Stay tuned for location info and other details.

Thanks for reading everybody.  See you on the water.

PS I took a bunch of video footage while we were out on the water, so you can look forward to a short film in the coming days...

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

... and so it continues

I know you're all waiting to hear the details from our big paddle this weekend... I will have a full report up in the next day or so.  As you know already if you've been following me on facebook, we weren't able to do the full 50 miles on Sunday due to the conditions, but we did have an amazing day.  Kevin, Dimitry and I did a rip-roaring 15-mile downwinder from Racine to Waukegan in some of the biggest conditions we've seen this year.  It was super fun and very challenging. We shot lots of photos and video while out on the water, so stay tuned for that.

In the meantime, I wanted to let everyone know that we will still be doing our big 50-mile paddle sometime in the next 2-4 weeks. We've all been training really hard and we're not going to let this season end without getting the half-century under our belts.

As always, thanks to everyone for your support and encouragement.  See you on the water!

Sunday, August 14, 2011

And so it begins...

The Windy City Waterman team needed every ounce of their big breakfast as they set out for the Stand Up For Charity paddle this morning. After some last minute instructions, the guys pushed off into some challenging conditions: 30 knot gusts from the north/northeast with 8' swells. It was damp and cool at the start, and so far the weather doesn't look like it wants to help out much. Reports from the chase team has the paddlers through the first 15 miles and "feeling exhilarated."


Dimitry, Matt, and Kevin: ready to go!

Saturday, August 13, 2011

12 hours to go!

It's just 12 hours before the start of our epic SUP adventure, and the entire Windy City Waterman entourage is on its way to Kenosha, Wisconsin — our starting point on Sunday morning. Everyone is incredibly stoked to get this expedition underway!

The Windy City lived up to its reputation today, with unpredictable weather that included electrifying lightening and a furious downpour. We caught a lot of the action on our way north.



With all the crazy changes the wind and weather have brought about, we're looking forward to seeing what the lake has in store for us tomorrow.

Our "ground crew" will be posting photos, updates, and hopefully some videos — stay tuned, and hope you can join us tomorrow!

Friday, August 12, 2011

aaaaaaahhhhhhh.... This weather's making me crazy!!!

OK... now look at this.  For the past few days they've been calling for light South winds turning west for Saturday, but now they've switched  it to stronger West winds for most of the day.  This is a big problem for us.  West wind would be a side wind, which would mean we'd have to paddle pretty much on the left side for the entire 50 miles.  Not fun... and more importantly, not good for our chances of success. 

So, after much deliberation, we are switching the paddle back to the original date of Sunday, the 14th.  Sorry for the back-and-forth, but as all of us who enjoy the Lake know, you can't argue with the weather.  And besides, look at that forecast for Sunday... Strong North wind means we'll have waves.  We expect to see the seas building to 4-6 feet during the day.  I've never done a downwinder this long, and I know it will be a big challenge.  It's going to be a very exciting day! 

One other thing to note, the tail wind will make this a faster passage, so if you're planning on meeting us at North Avenue Beach when we land, it will likely be somewhere around 3:00 or 4:00 PM.  Keep an eye on the blog throughout the day for updates on where we're at. 

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

course and date change for the big paddle!!!

Yesterday I put in my last training session - about 10 miles - before our big paddle this weekend.  There have been a few program changes due to weather and logistical issues, so here's the updated plan:

  • We will now be doing the big 50-mile paddle on Saturday, August 13th (THIS SATURDAY!) instead of Sunday the 14th.
  • Due to forecast-ed weather conditions, we will be launching from Kenosha, Wisconsin instead of St. Joseph, Michigan.  North winds are in store, which would make crossing from St. Joseph difficult if not impossible, and since our goal was to do 50-miles non-stop and land in Chicago, launching from Wisconsin works just as well.
So, if you're interested in meeting us at our landing point at North Avenue Beach in Chicago, plan to be down there sometime around 5:00 pm.  My technical team will be updating the blog throughout the day with our location, photos and progress updates, so you'll be able to see where we're at every step of the way.

Also, any paddlers who want to join us for a bit, feel free to paddle out, say hello and paddle with us for a mile or two.  Check the blog during the day to get an estimate of when we'll be passing by your local launch!

...and now a word from our sponsors...
So, now that we're getting close to the big day, it seems appropriate to express a little gratitude to some of the supporters who have helped us along the way.  Here I am catching some shade under a bush hat from our sunscreen sponsor Headhunter.  I've been spending 20+ hours a week on the water, and I haven't had a burn all season.  Thanks Headhunter!  I'm also wearing my indispensable Kaenon Klay sunglasses.  The polarized optics are amazing and the frames are super comfortable and durable as hell.  Plus they look great!  Thanks Kaenon!

Thursday, August 4, 2011

fun surf day

This week is going great.  We had a strong Southwest wind on Tuesday, so I did a training paddle from Evanston to Montrose and back, a 13-mile loop.  The first leg was straight into the wind, gusting into the mid-twenties.  It was a tough workout that took me almost 2 hours.  The trip home was a super fun downwinder.  The Naish Glide is such a great board for catching the bumps... what a great time!

Then yesterday it was back to the beach for some surf.  The wind had shifted to the North and blown all night, so we had some nice waves.  I met up with Al and Ed for an afternoon surf session.   Unfortunately, my Naish Mana is being repaired after being vandalized, so I ended up surfing the 14' Glide.  I was amazed how much fun it was cruising down the line on that huge board. 

Here's Ed Coyne working hard...

... and relaxin' with equal enthusiasm.

Al's digging in here to catch a nice one...

... and he got it!

Me, sliding down the face...

... and, that's a wrap.  See you next time.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

meet WCW paddler Kevin Vangritis

     When I was up in Madison for the MidwestSUP race there, a strapping guy with a charming southern accent came striding right up to me, shook my hand and said, "So, you're the guy paddling across Lake Michigan.  Well, I want to come with you."  And that was how I met Kevin Vangritis.  We spent the better part of the afternoon chatting over beers, and by the end of the day I was really hoping that he would be able to work it out to join me on the crossing.  I'm happy to say, he has.  I sent Kevin a few interview questions so we could learn a bit about him.  Here's what he had to say:

1. What's your age?
Slightly older than 20 and significantly younger than 100.

2. Where are you from?
Morrisville, NC

3. How long have you been paddling?
 I've been paddling for approximately 2.5 year since discovering the sport while in Maui, Hi.  After recovering from double knee surgery, I was looking for a sport that would help me keep active and in shape while not putting too much stress on my knees. I have always enjoyed water sports and have come to realize just how versatile this sport is.  It enables me to push myself as hard as I want, from enjoying a fast paced, high-energy downwinder run, the exhilaration of paddle surfing, or a leisure cruise along the coastline with my wife to enjoy the beautiful scenery.     

4. Why do you want to do the WCW Lake Michigan crossing?
I'm always up for a challenge and looking for ways to expand my paddle boarding abilities and experiences.  I started out paddle boarding on flat water and have moved on to ocean riding (which is my preference).  In the ocean particularly, the conditions are always different giving me the opportunity to face new challenges and test my abilities.  After talking with other paddle boarders who have challenged themselves with truly amazing feats of endurance, I feel I am ready for this challenge as well.  I look forward to learning from this experience and hope to use it as a building block for other challenging adventures on the water.

I would like to send a very special “Thank You” to Karen Wrenn, Morgan Hoesterey, Mike Simpson and Will Rich. These four individuals have recently accomplished awesome SUP endurance challenges of their own and have helped prepare me for the challenge ahead. I also want to thank Matt for allowing me to share in his adventure.

5. Is there anything else you'd like me to mention?
Paddle boarding is such an amazing sport.  There is just so much you can do with this sport and I have met so many amazing people, a number of which that have become to feel like family. Everyone that I have met in this sport seems to enjoy it just as much as I do and are always willing to share their experiences to help fellow paddlers grow.

Friday, July 29, 2011

training continues... and a few waves

Training for my upcoming Lake Michigan crossing continues on schedule. I have one more big paddle to do this week. I'll be pushing for something around 25 miles. I had intended to do that distance last Monday, but a 15 knot wind slowed my progress and I fell short. In between the longer sessions, I'm doing 5-8 mile paddles every other day throughout the week. Overall I feel really good about where I'm at. I'll be ready in two weeks for sure.

At this point, it looks like there will be three of us paddling, with a possible fourth 'surprise paddler' crashing the party. I'll post some paddler profiles soon so you all can meet the athletes. It'll be fun to have some other guys (& gals?) out there with me.

Like I mentioned, Monday was pretty windy, which made the training session tough. I paddled an hour and a half upwind, then did a fun down-winder back to the launch. When I came in Al had showed up with his Naish Nalu, so we grabbed a few little waves that were breaking on the beach. The waves could have been bigger, but it was pretty close to Chicago summer perfection. Here's a peek...

Sunday, July 24, 2011

training update and maui to molokai video

Tonight I am resting and hydrating before tomorrow's 25 mile training paddle... I'll let you know how it goes. In the meantime, here's a video of Connor Baxter winning the Maui to Molokai race... enjoy.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

interview with soul surf media

Last weekend at the Madison race I was interviewed by Chris Aguilar of Soul Surf Media. Chris is a super-talented videographer who shot and edited the film 'Destination 3 Degrees'. After you watch the interview, check out some of Chris's other stuff on his vimeo page...

Monday, July 18, 2011

the clearwater midwest masters on lake geneva

Get ready...
This Saturday I competed in my second and final race for the season before I start focusing 100% of my training attention on my upcoming Lake Michigan crossing.  Clearwater Outdoors in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin hosted the race, held on (you guessed it) beautiful Lake Geneva.

... get set...
Lining up at the start I was feeling good... well rested, fully hydrated, fueled with a great breakfast and ready to give it my best.  The little bit of pre-race anxiety I was feeling was completely stripped away by the camaraderie of the paddlers.  Everybody on the start line was chatting, pointing out the markers we had to paddle for and exchanging tips .  It felt more like the beginning of a group fun paddle than the beginning of the race.  Once again, I am blown away by the spirit of this fantastic group of people.

... GO!!!
That is, until the horn sounded... then everyone burst into action.  I knew I had an edge on my 14' Naish Javelin since most guys were on 12'6" boards, so I really hammered out of the start and it payed off. I managed to find my own line (that's me on the left) and took advantage of the quiet water to take an early lead.  

In most cases, SUP is not the most spectator-friendly sport.  The course on Lake Geneva was a 6.3 mile loop around the bay, and after the first few minutes the paddlers are out of sight from the beach until they come in for the finish.  The girls found a nice shady spot to hang out and enjoy the view.  The park around Riviera Beach where the race was held is super nice.  This was a great spot for a paddle event.

This photo is kind of blurry but I had to post it... my first ever SUP race win... What a great feeling!  But it didn't come easy... here's the race recap: Like I said, I took an early lead out of the gate, taking full advantage of my longer, straighter-tracking, faster board to get away from the pack.  I kept up my sprint pace as long as I felt I could without over-fatiguing myself, then settled into my normal race-pace rhythm.  I managed to stay in the lead until about mile 5, when my FIN GOT TOTALLY MIRED IN WEEDS!  This was my big learning experience for the day... BE PREPARED AND KNOW THE CONDITIONS YOU'LL BE PADDLING IN.  I hadn't checked to see if weeds were a problem on Lake Geneva, and I didn't have a weed fin.  The upright fin on the Javelin makes it track really well, but in weedy conditions it's a nightmare.  By mile 4 or so it felt like I was paddling through molasses, and when I looked back to see Westy, a paddler from the Yolo team, right on my tail, I knew I had to get my fin cleared.  I jumped off the board and reached under the tail, pulling about 10 pounds of weeds off my fin.  Westy passed me while I was in the water, and I was so frantic to get back on board that I fell off in the process of getting up.  When I finally got back up and paddling, Westy was around the next mark and paddling strong.  I put my head down, focused on my breathing and paddle rhythm, and took after him.  It took me a mile or so to catch him, but once I did I was feeling good again, ready to finish strong.  Westy and I paddled together for a bit, then I pulled away to come in first. 

Post-race I was interviewed by James, a journalist from SUP magazine.  Wow, I was feeling like a real celebrity... I'll let you know when the article is up.

And finally, here I am at the trophy ceremony.  I was fully prepared for the photo op in my Windy City Waterman t-shirt, hot off the press.  If you'd like to support our two great charities, you can order one of these stylish, organic cotton t-shirts for yourself... but not just yet.  I'll have them up on the web shortly...

Thanks to David and Sarah from Clearwater Outdoors in Lake Geneva for putting on a fantastic event.  Now I'm off to train... still have my big paddle ahead, so enough back slapping... time to get back to work.