This past Saturday was my first whitewater kayak day of 2022. I joined paddlers from the River Touring Section of the Wisconsin Sierra Club led by Dave Hiller. We ran the Prairie, the Pine and the Trappe, all near Merrill, WI. Water 33⁰F. Air 40⁰F. Other paddlers were Mari Gasiorowicz, […]
Tag: kayaking
Top 10 Paddle Days of 2021
The Internet loves lists so I’m capping off the year with my top 10 list of favorite kayaking days of 2021. First some stats… Each year I track the “who, what, when, and where” of my paddles, plus other info such as river levels, water and air temperature and so […]
Attempting to kayak surf on Lake Michigan during a small craft advisory
Strong wind out of the north pretty much blew out the waves at Sheboygan yesterday afternoon. Not good for surfing but good for an adrenaline rush. With Josh Gundlach and John Hermanson.
TRR’s Apostle Islands Sea Kayak Camping Trip 2021
“Apostle Islands will forever hold a special place in my heart and soul. Sea kayaking with veterans of all levels teaches me so much about what life is really about. Thanks to TRR for showing and teaching me that service to others, especially veterans, is the key to happiness.” – […]
Recapping 2020: Numbers and Favorites
Well, 2020 was quite a year, wasn’t it? (Understatement of the decade, perhaps.) We know there was much sadness and anxiety locally and around the world but I hope you found many moments of joy and happiness as well. Here are some of my 2020 joyous highlights in list form, […]
Paddling the Wolf River at 1800 CFS
Wisconsin’s Wolf River ran last Sunday, July 27, at an incredible flow rate of nearly 3,000 cubic feet per second (cfs), which was the all-time high since USGS record-keeping began there. Normal flow for the Wolf ranges from 300 to about 1,000 cfs. Brian T., Derrick W. and I decided […]
Brace Yourself
The Red River near Gresham, WI was running at a hefty 430 CFS Tuesday evening. In this video, kayakers in order of appearance, first at Monastery Falls: me (orange helmet and orange kayak), Matt, Justin, Mike, Cliff. And later at Zeimers: me, Justin. There was a glitch with the video […]
Paddling During the Pandemic
It’s tough for kayakers to get out to enjoy the water these days. So far this year COVID-19 travel restrictions and questions about what constitutes safe outdoor recreation during these “uncertain times” have kept some paddlers from paddling. I’ve been fortunate to do a lot of kayaking (28 times this […]
Team River Runner – Apostle Islands 2019
It was my third year to organize and lead our Team River Runner kayak camping trip in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Sept. 14-19, 2019. This year 12 participants, (including eight military veterans with disabilities) enjoyed spectacular weather, paddling, camping and hiking in this kayakers’ paradise. For some it was […]
Foggy River Breakdown
A few photos from Tuesday evening “golf league” on the Red River. The air temperature was nearly 80⁰F and the water was 63⁰F, which produced dramatic scenes as the evening sun shone through the fog during quieter moments on the river. Boaters: Mike, Matt, Cliff and me. A blue heron […]