Now I’m a walkin’ groundhog, mama and I walks around in my den
Now I’m a walkin’ groundhog, mama and I walks around in my den
Now if I come out and see my shadow,
John I believe I’ll go back in
-groundhog blues, sonny boy williams

I got up this morning and sorted through my email as I waited for the sun to come up.  While I don’t get out to paddle too much this year I still seem to spend a lot of time thinking, talking about, or doing something involved with paddling.  That suits me just fine when around here the rising sun only comes to reveal how thick the ice is forming in the driveway.   It won’t be until sometime late April before the matainance guy at Devil’s Lake State Park finally pulls on his waders to walk out into the cold water to set up the swimming bouys.  It will be even later still before the college students working the consessions arrive to drag out the little yellow rental kayaks for another day. 

For the moment I’m listening to Sonny Boy Williams and pondering questions such as, Are there enough people in southern Wisconsin interested in traditonal paddling to warrent another shot and an intro class?   Each year I get asked this question and I never really know the answer.  Traditional paddling seems like something kayaker’s just fall into.  It’s hard to rustle up enough folks interested in taking classes around here.  On the other hand it’s hard to rustle up enough coaches to teach intro to recreational kayaking. . . Oh well. . .