Archive for May, 2007
ready, set. . . .
May 31st, 2007 | 
Author: 
Your dream’s in a suitcase…face to the wind
That moment is over…and so it begins
You’ve got a long way to go
Such a long way to go
-the rembrandts
So tomorrow I will be working with Bonnie Perry for a rolling class and then Saturday we have a traditional paddling class for the day. Bonnie is in charge. . . (big time) Sunday, it’s Wind and Waves, followed by a tour of the urban canyon LOL!
Yikes 9pm! I have to finish packing! See you in Chicago!!
Posted in 
shaft
Who’s the black private dick
That’s a sex machine to all the chicks?
SHAFT!
Ya damn right!
-isaac hayes
Well I got my replacement Lendal shafts. Of course working at Rutabaga, they trust my story LOL! Yet I can see how hard it could be for someone to go into a shop and say, “they just broke” and have the shop understand and not think you sat on the thing. It does not help when there are dishonest people out there just trying to get a free replacment for their own silliness. But I know there are times when I think I should have documentation and witness statements!So today I was thinking, for all you honest types out there who have legitimate problems with gear. . . I feel for you. .
As Red Green says, “We’re all in this together!”
and then there is the eraser. . .
So my son came out into the office to give me a drawing of Dad and Gryphon, and an eraser. I said, “Thanks buddie, now if I make a mistake on the computer I can just erase it on the screen”. He said, “Yep” and walked out of the office. . . hmmmmmmm
Wow dude, all the colors of the bow!
Sunshine, lolly pops ,and rainbows
everything thats wonderful is what i feel when were together
Brighter then a lucky penny
when ur near the rainbows disapear here and i feel so fine…
just to know that you are mine.
- brand new
Now before I go off on my daily mushroom induced voyage, I wanted to make sure to tell you that Hadas & Tomer have begun updates from their expedition around Newfoundland. Check out the Terra Santa Blog here. My best wishes go out to them on this great adventure!
So without further adieu, let’s think about rainbows shall we!?
Last night I was sitting on Youtube watching of all things Puerto Rican surf videos. With each video I would look and wonder. . could I navigate my kayak through that? How much of that wave would my 17 foot kayak take up? Most of the videos showed nice surf days and fairly smallish waves. I thought, oh sure. . no problem. . then there was this one beach and I knew in my kneecaps I WOULD NOT be landing there! Not unless the gods were on my side that day anyway. You know, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a picture of a sea kayak in the barrel. . .
A response
Ok guys. I know. I’ve received multiple emails from around the country, well, the world actually, telling me “Derrick, I know that this is not true.” To each person that has emailed me, I have responded personally. I have also explained why I just feel it is not right to get into a public argument. I’m deeply hurt and disappointed with what has been said. Especially given the time I have put into working to help Wendy promote her paddling career long before I knew her personally. Frankly I’ve never been attacked like this before, by anyone. Those who know me, know I am not a spiteful, mean or dishonest person. I’ve been just shocked by this.Yes, there certainly are more “facts” than are being told. But what would you have me do? Jump in the mud too? You all have read my writings for some time now and know that I am not a mean spirited person. It’s degrading. Of course being attacked is degrading too, but the thought of responding in kind makes me queasy. I can’t do it.
When I planned this trip, I had no idea who I would do it with. Remember I wrote about this. I did not know Wendy well, but she was dead keen on doing the trip. So I said, “sure”. And that was it. Of course it was my trip, my adventure. My first adventure in fact. Wendy really just stayed out of the way and let me work. Which is what I wanted to do. Of course from there we had to learn to know each other. We certainly have had the time to do this. Yes, I had my own concerns. Yet, I always sort of put them away. I felt none of the concerns I had were detrimental to the trip. But of course that was probobly a mistake. My fault.
The hard part of course is responding to her public attack and yet not hitting back. I can’t find a way. All I can say is this. Certainly we had conversations, by email. In fact they have continued right up to today. There was no justifiable reason to go on a public attack. Yet she did. Which I don’t think has ever before been done in the paddling community. It’s a big black eye for the sport in my mind. Suffice to say, even IF, she had misunderstood something she still could have spoke with me in private. The funny thing, if there is one, is that this whole thing started because she was upset with us for not reading her blog for a couple days and missing her news. I had to go back and figure out what she was attacking me for. It was this actually that led to the decision to take her off the team.
Put yourself in my place guys. What would you do? Lash out? Dish dirt? I am deeply hurt by her attacks. I am deeply hurt that she decided to use blogging as a forum to attack my character. I did my best to not say anything bad about her. All I can do is stand on my name, my reputation and the caring of my friends.
Thank you to my close friends, my CTA team, and to the many people from Puerto Rico who have all emailed or called with their support. You’ve really helped me to stay open minded and stay excited about the trip and meeting all of you. It will be wonderful.
I’m sorry you had to witness this. It was certainly not necessary. Of course it’s up to Wendy to decide how long or how degrading she wants to make this. If she wanted to hurt me, she has done that.
Wars & Memories
Well, take me back down where cool water flows, yeah.
Let me remember things I love,
Stoppin at the log where catfish bite,
Walkin along the river road at night,
Barefoot girls dancin in the moonlight.
-ccr
I am against war as a solution. But I’m not stupid either. Man will always wage war. Humans are funny that way. And as much as I hate to say it there are probably times when taking up arms is. . well, unavoidable. I mean I think we all agree that a person or society, or country attacked has every right to defend itself. When to defend, and when to be passive can certainly be debated. On the other hand of course we can also I think, agree that historically nations have also taken advantage of that right to gain more than just “defense”. One example I think is Russia at the end of world war 2 which was easily on the defensive, but used that position to annex neighbors in the end. Self-defense can be used as veiled aggression. Some of course see 9-11 in that light. For my part I’m not going to go into my personal politics. Most of the time I think the whole herd is crazy! LOL!
Being anti-war does not mean disrespect for those who actually do the fighting and dying. I know that many feel obligated to an ideal, strong nationalism, and yes, even religious obligation. I know that their hearts are in it. Of course then sadly in situations such as the Crusades, Gallipoli, kamikaze pilots of WW2, Viet Nam and on and on, their deep convictions were taken advantage of and young people paid with their lives.
This memorial day we of course dedicate those men and women and their convictions. Regardless of the politics that sent them to war.
gray escapes
I have my books
And my poetry to protect me;
I am shielded in my armor,
Hiding in my room, safe within my womb.
I touch no one and no one touches me.
I am a rock,
I am an island.
- paul simon
Paddlers all have their reasons. Fitness, fishing, exploring, floating, you name it. Some I’m sure, even seek fame. Really we’re often a bit of all of these things. For my part I really started kayaking as a form of escapism. At the time I started kayaking I was feeling really disillusioned. I was tired of jobs with closet Stalin managers, co-workers who sat at tables and judged, ridiculed, and told lies about other employees, politics that does not work, and so many other parts of our human experience. Back then I could stand on a beach and look out, but I couldn’t actually get to the middle of the lake. In my mind, the middle of the lake had to be the best place in the world.
As I began to paddle I found that the center of the lake was indeed the best place in the world. It was almost always quiet. Occasionally the rain and wind would make a racket or the waves would jostle me around. But rain and wind have are just rhythm and pitch. They are just part of the experience. Part of the pleasures of kayaking. Part of the sensual world.
Today of course was a gray day of sorts, a good day to go out to the center of the lake. Of course, today it was Lake Michigan, so a few hundred yards would have to do. I spent the day out with JB & Silbs who are good friends and coaches in our area. 2 of a very few people I’ve learned to enjoy having along out in the middle of the lake. Your friends know why you’re out there. They may not be there for the same reasons, but they do respect the mystical need some of us have to be out there. Lost in grey sky and silver-green water.
I love nature. The non-human world. The forests. The mountains. The lakes. The ocean. Sometimes they sit silent and still. Sometimes they rage. Yet, even a hurricane holds no malice. It just is.
Sometimes you need a reminder of why you paddle. But it’s not really about escape. It’s not about boats or gear, or competition. It’s not about filling a void. Today, with my friends I had a little reminder; it’s not about the things, it’s about the company you keep. Thanks guys!
