Paddlemania with my My Personal Villain!

This weekend was the 12th annual Paddlemania.  It was going to be special for me as Saturday morning I was picking up my new kayak!  Not just any kayak but my Personal Villain!  This boat was darn hard to come by.  I wanted the the Elite and the wait I was told  was going to be three weeks...at least!  I was leaving for the Northwest in two weeks!  The demand for this boat is exceptional!  I did my home work and located one at Whitecap Kayak .  It was the only one in the Midwest for sale and I was hoping it was any color other than red, white, and blue. I had fallen in love with the blue, black and white one at CKS and was regretting not getting it while I was out there.  Lara said it was....yes...red, white and blue.  I saw it at Wausau and thought it's a swirled pattern and doesn't look too much like a Bomb Pop. OK...I'll take it!  I had already decided on the name of my Villain weeks ago.  Meet McMurray.  McMurray came into my loving custody  from the hands of a Pastor.    Pastor Neil Schroeter, the owner of Whitecap Kayak.  All things considered I asked him to Bless the boat.  Up until now all my boats had their virgin run on my home river, the Vermilion.  It was only fitting that McMurray was broken in on the razor sharp rocks of the St Louis during Paddlemania.  It paddled like a rock star!  I put it through the hole at the bottom of Electric Ledge and it didn't even pause a second. Still it wasn't the color I had imagined for my boat.  Back at the Outpost just about everyone wanted to see the large Villain.  I was amazed at the reaction to the color...people loved it!  I was assured over and over that red, white and blue IS the hottest color to get.  OK... it's my personal Villain and I still love it even though it's extremely bright and attracts large amounts of admiration.

  The 12th annual Paddlemania happened with a little bit for everyone.  A few lessons...a few tours...a first D with a Duo...lots of swims...one double extended swimming tour of a hole that was pretty bad and even a little stitching practice for our resident paddling MD...Burgess.  Surly Beer was consumed at record speed.  The Slot Machine Showdown was great entertainment as always.  Thirteen paddlers gambled....only two lost.  The door prizes from Midwest Mountaineering really rocked this year!  I had been putting off buying a new spray skirt and I won one right off the bat!  WhoooHoo!  Unfortunately there was no rampant nudity this year...maybe next  year. Thank you Team Midwest Mountaineering for putting this on!   Here is Todd's video of the Slot Machine Showcase.

  And for those of you that follow my amazing friend and artist Joi Electa...she had her second whitewater river lesson.  She styled down First Wave rapid!  Awesome!

Ah Yes...Partytime, er, I mean Paddletime, Ah it's PADDLEMANIA TIME!

Paddlemania is fast approaching. June 20th! It's the time of the year when Team Midwest Mountaineering has their thank you bash for all of their loyal whitewater customers. Last year they changed the venue to the Outpost on the St Louis giving us so much more to paddle. There's going to be camping, river tours, boat demos, and gambling. By gambling I mean the Slot Machine Showdown where paddlers can take their chances at running the Slot. I see prizes are going to be awarded to all participants...hmmmm. Midwest usually gives out some good stuff. I got my favorite paddling top at one a few years back. Plan to camp and run the river both days. This will be my 4th year coming and my first time not having to fit work into the weekend! It's going to be a great time! Put a search in on my blog to check out the past Paddlemania's.