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April 30, 2007

First Paddle of the Season

In preparation for the adventure race I'm competing in, my fellow team mates and I went for a paddle yesterday evening down the Yukon River from Whitehorse to the Takhini River bridge.

In spite of the fact that it's a controlled river (damn dams), it was a nice trip. We saw a dozen swans and a bunch of different types of ducks. My paddling partner asked how it was that their feet didn't get cold, but I didn't answer because I still don't have my voice back. It's because their legs are skinny and their arteries and veins are closely tied. The arteries, carrying warm blood from the body are able to reheat the cool blood coming back into the body along the veins.

Mike T, one of the team members, soloed for most of the trip. Near the end, I traded with him and soloed the last little bit. Paddling up the Takhini River was a bit of a challenge. While the Yukon River was clear, the Takhini was still discharging little bits of ice. I used the slow sections of the current as best I could, but eventually I had to step out of the canoe and wade it upstream. It was chilly and my feet stung for a second, but I've been in worse for longer, so it wasn't that bad. Maybe it's because my legs are skinny. Maybe I'm like a duck.

All-in-all, a good start to the season.

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