Kayaking, Cycling, Swimming

I attended Ted’s kayaking camp-out where they floated down the Little Miami River together as a Boy Scout Troop. They learned how to do a lot of cool stuff, like self arresting, bailing, and various paddling strokes and maneuvering. I also got to show off my boat, which I have learned is now an antique. People were commenting about it all throughout the float. I’ve had it for at least two decades, and it was a very run of the mill boat back then, but most kayaks today are sit-on-tops, and mine is a sit-in. It seems the old sit-ins are no longer in fashion, as evidenced by how hard it is to find one under ten feet online. Sit-on-tops are more stable, easier to bail out, and comfortable, but they are not as fast as a sit-in or carry as much gear, but that is of little concern to the majority of recreational paddlers. As one of the canoe livery employees remarked when he saw my kayak, “that boat’s been around”, the truth is, yes, it very much has been, and will continue to do so.

After kayaking I decided later in the week I would get my bicycle out and pedal around Lunken Airport. This was one of my favorite destinations when Leslie and I would ride together before kids. The next day I swam laps for a trio of my favorite things in just four short days. This was quite a weekend of nostalgia and honestly reigniting how much fun I used to have doing outdoor adventures.