It's winter, it's time to think about...paddling.

Is it time for a VFTT spring kayak trip thread?

I don't know if I can make it Friday, I don't think I can get there until 7 at the earliest. The Sunday idea is a good one, but I really shouldn't buy anything right now.

A dry top would be useful for a VFTT spring kayak trip.....

It's never too early for a spring kayak trip thread... but best be a different thread rather than this one.

If it keeps on not snowing, the more my mind drifts to kayaking and mt Hood/Shasta ...

jay

Your bike/kayak idea reminds me of this trip I read about:
http://www.bikeforest.com/canoe/index.php

Round valley is an excellent place to kayak and is quite gorgeous on a sunny day.

The Bow River! I remember that as I've been there many times as a kid who has grandparents and cousins in Calgary and Edmunton.

Anyway, yes, my kayak carrier will be something like that. I already made a kayak cart out of 20" BMX wheels with knobby tires so it should be able to go on dirt woods roads and stuff and handle the rocks and logs. I just need to make it a little more stable because the cart wants to torque if the left wheel hits a rock so I need a better method to attach it to my kayak. Then I know I can make something out of perhaps Burley trailer parts to attach the front of my kayak to my chainstay. But it's nothing I would use for other than biking my kayak to the lakes I live on, can't deal with traffic down here in NJ nor do I have wide shoulders where I live.

Jay

OK folks, Warren and I are going to try to meet up on Saturday for those that are also thinking of going. Perhaps FunkyFreddy will come from NYC along with Warren via the bus. Rick, i12climbup, Mudhook, Rockysummit, Daxs, anybody else who wants to join us, let me know.. I don't know a time but it'll probably be related to the bus schedule from NYC.

Warren, does that bus drop you off right at the convention center or do you need a pickup?

Jay

I can do Saturday but not too too early. I need to pick up my race packet on Saturday for a 10 miler I am doing on Sunday. I think Somerset is about a 120-150 mile drive for me. Its off of 287 right?

I am looking to purchase too. Want something for overnighters. Need something to accomodate the ocean since I will probably be kayaking mainly on the intracoastal waterway, Delaware Bay and the ocean by my house.

When you go to Round Valley, take your mountain bike too. Supposedly, the trail around the resevoir is a bit of a challenge. Its been years since I hiked at (SHHH Norvin Green) .

The bus is supposed to drop you off at the center, but I cant find the specific info on the site right now, I'll look into it tonight if I can.

I amy be able to pick up my car that weekend, if so I can offer rides ot the city bound and carless, if not I can offer company on the bus.

Really want a dry top, getting itchy to be on the water.

I have a dry top, a bomber gear one that I got from STP. I haven't even cut the gaskets yet but trying not to for fear of messing it up. It's soo damm hot though on most spring days where the temps are warm. Worn it a couple times in spring paddling..

Anyway, any luck on finding a time and place. The convention center is popular, they have conventions there all the time.

Let me know what time the bus goes, and we can kind of coordinate a meeting time that I can post here. The place isn't terribly large and there is a lobby there but I figure we can run into each other inside or so. I can perhaps wear my VfTT shirt or so...

Jay

Alrightly VfTT paddlers, spent a mighty good time at Paddlesport, Met up with Daxs on Saturday mid morning and had fun running around, looking at gear and boats. Picking up free schwag since I had no intention on buying anything major. Scored a free Subaru hat, water bottle, sunscreen, tons of magazines on paddling, stickers, posters... I felt like the proverbial kid in a candy store. Talked to the folks at Thule, one of the project managers is going to send me the parts I need for my 589 velo vise gratis which is awesome (ya Thule! ).

After finding a nice Indian buffet, we both left. Sunday, after finding out my friend's wife was sick and he wasn't going, I decided to head back since my ticket is good for the whole weekend and I thought I'd love to hear the speakers, so today's journey was mostly to go see the speakers.

Caught Derek Hutchinson (P&H, noted british Kayaker) give a awesome and hilarious talk on crossing the North Sea between Scotland and Belgium. A really interested first crossing in a very treacherous weather that was funny (you know that british sense of humor and all that).

Then after that saw Rob Center and Kay Henry from the Northern Forest Canoe Trail which is a 740 mile canoe/kayak trail from Old Forge, NY to Fort Kent, ME. A pretty neat slide show of the water trail connecting our northern forests.

Then I actually went and bought the Hudson River Water Trail guide since it was at a discount and they had one left, did some more free shopping, trying to see anything that I missed from saturday before leaving. Now I have stuff to read for the next few weeks..

Jay

Paddlesport was a good time. I stocked up on Freebies too. I talked to several vendors about kayaks and now I am anxiously awaiting the upcoming demo days which will be sponsored by the Jersey Paddler so I can go out and paddle what I looked at over the weekend. The website lists demo days as June 3 and 4. I did buy a bilge pump and PFD in anticipation of my kayak purchase. Its about time I purchased a kayak. This will be my 5th summer living in south jersey at the shore. There are many places down here to kayak. gee, maybe a VFTT kayak weekend at the shore ......

I am definitely up for some kayaking down at Cape May...

17 miles to Lewes... haha... I am soon to buy a simple deck compass for my kayak......

Jay

Ay Yi Yi!!! that was THIS weekend??? Sorry, I meant to get over there. Wife spent the weekend in a Salute to the 50's SCRAPBOOKING party of all things. The Paddleshow would have been perfect for the little one and I to check out, instead of Harbor Freight and Tractor Supply Center... Rats!!!!!

Paddled in the daks

Not my earliest ever, but Saturday 3/25 I managed to paddle in parts of Lake Pleasant and Sacandaga Lake and the outlet that connects them. Watched a number of ducks and a couple of deer roaming the water and shorelines. Still a lot of ice on the lakes, and it was funny watching snowmobilers screaming accross the ice while I paddled in the open water. (I'm sure they thought I was nuts too). It was too nice a day to pass up. From the sounds of the forecast, I'll have a lot more open water to paddle in next weekend!! LL