Thursday, September 6 Our sixth day in the Canyon. Last night our camp was at mile 96.5. This morning we’re up at 5:30 a.m. anticipating another day of big rapids, including a series known as “the Gems” because they’re named after precious stones. The rapid we’re most concerned about today […]
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Grand Canyon – Day 5: “Tell Me Why It’s Beautiful”
Sept. 4, 2018. Tonight as our fourth day on the Colorado River comes to an end, we camp at Vishnu Creek just above Grapevine Rapid. It rains again this evening as we’re setting up tents, so afterwards we huddle together in a small rain-free spot formed by the overhanging canyon […]
Steve Baskis to Speak in Green Bay
I’m excited to announce that Steve Baskis, Grand Canyon “Vision Team” kayaker will be the featured speaker at the annual meeting and banquet of Northeast Wisconsin Paddlers (NEWP) here in the Green Bay area on Jan. 26, 2019. As I have reported, I had the honor of being one of […]
Grand Canyon – Day 4, Part 2: Hance and Sockdolager
Our fourth day on the river had already seen some spectacular whitewater challenges. Now it was time for one of the biggest. According to trip leader Steve Mace, Hance would be the most technically challenging rapid we would encounter during our 12-day trip. I love the following description of Hance […]
Grand Canyon – Day 4, Part 1: A Swim
Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2018 Today was my most challenging day of kayaking; so far anyway. We awaken at Crash Canyon (mile 63) to the sound of someone trumpeting the conch shell, followed by the now-familiar “Good morning, Grand Canyon” echoing off the canyon wall, letting us know it’s time to […]
News Coverage of our Grand Canyon Adventure
The Colorado Sun published a story about our Team River Runner trip, which included five blind military veterans kayaking the Grand Canyon. It offers good insights about our experience. At the end of the story there’s also a link to a heartfelt video by Iraq war vet Steve Baskis. “Post-traumatic […]
Team River Runner – Apostle Islands 2018
For the second year in a row, it was a pleasure to lead a Team River Runner kayak camping trip in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Last week, 17 participants, (including nine military veterans, some with disabilities) enjoyed the spectacular beauty of this Lake Superior archipelago of 21 islands. SATURDAY, […]
TRAK Kayak Summit: Unveiling the 2.0
One of the benefits of owning a TRAK Kayak is the sense of community built around the uniqueness of the product. Like Ducati motorcycles and Tesla automobiles, TRAK is a distinctive product with a loyal and growing customer base. As a TRAK “Pilot” brand ambassador, I was invited to join […]
Idaho’s Salmon River Preps Us for the Grand Canyon
Today marks 65 days until our Grand Canyon Adventure! As I previously announced, I’m stoked to join Team River Runner this September as we guide five blind military veterans — four men and one woman — kayaking more than 200 miles on the mighty Colorado River. You can read more […]
Assessing a Kayaker’s Skill Level
Have you ever wondered how your paddling skills and knowledge stack up against other kayakers? There are ways to find out. Informally, you can paddle with more experienced kayakers. Observe. Ask questions. Emulate what they do. Maybe you want a more definitive rating of your skills. Or maybe you’re thinking […]