Racing in a storm

Its almost a week since I posted oops (brain has been elsewhere with this heatwave).

The racing was great on Saturday I raced in 3 of our 4 races and I only raced in 2 of the ladies races which was fine for me didn’t want to over do it on a hot day. As we were warming up for our last race of the day the heavens decided to open by the time we were about to start our race the thunder and lighting started so the event organizers canceled the rest of the regatta. I think this is the 2nd regatta that got cancel half way though due to mother nature (the 1st one was two years ago where the wind was nasty and the white caps looked like we were in Hawaii)

In the end 4 heats of 4 boats (so 20 teams.. one of them being our A boat) each did not get a chance to race in the finals. Instead we all have an interesting story to tell as we got to see it before the rest of the lower-mainland did.

This wasn’t a normal thunderstorm either it was a sun storm, the lighting went from cloud to cloud mostly. When I got home I looked outside at the power lines near the house and noticed lighting hitting the same rod more then once. I was surprised that Vancouver still held their annual summer fireworks display.

While the fireworks were going on, I was hanging out with Gary, Rainer until 2:30 in the morning as they took part in the Blogathon.

So now I can say I’ve paddled in a thunderstorm/sun storm, hail (x4), white caps/nasty wind, snow(x3), smoke haze (there was a fire near by), fog, on the hottest day of the summer (outrigger in the morning and then went out again with #H2OGeeks), rain that felt like rhinos and elephants.

WAIT! There is more to read… read on »

Nile | Caity |

#H20GEEKS and a broken paddle

For those of you who follow me on twitter, may have heard me talk about forming a dragon boat team of twitters.. I wanted to see if there was enough interest in Vancouver’s tech community to even go though with it. As a way to remove oneself from behind technology to interact with fellow Vancouverites that you would not meet at a tweet up or meet up and it was away for me to introduce my love and joy (the sport) to people who have always wanted to try it and or wanted to get back into the sport. And I’ve done it thanks for the lovely souls who’ve signed up to learn how to dragon boat in 8 weeks (a practice a week).

Right now #H2OGeeks is ranked 2nd in fund-raising and I’m proud of the team and all their effects. Pads on the back forever one. If you’d like to help support us you please feel free to support me or if you have more then one friend who’s on this team you can donate straight to the team instead. Tax receipts are given to those who donate $20 or more.

I might do some more Dragon Boating Intro for Vancouver techies /anyone starting next spring if anyone would be interested. Please let me know.. It is afterall my dream job to be on the water all (err most of the day) teaching people how to dragon boat and work as one team .. not a bunch of people in a big long boat.

Yesterday at #H2OGeeks practice my brother borrowed my paddle so he could and 6 others could grab the boat and paddle it back to the dock. Well, he came to the dock and was scared shit-less that I was gonna kill him for breaking it. I’m upset and mad but what more can you do? Over the years I’ve seen and heard about carbon fiber paddles breaking somewhere on the shaft and now I have to find myself another paddle and fast (the 3 semi retired paddles I own aren’t at the length I need) as I’m racing this Saturday.

Earlier in the season I thought about getting a new paddle in September when the season ends at the length I’ve been getting use to and a better T-grip.. It just sucks that carbon fiber paddles are anywhere from $200-300 bucks and its money that I just don’t have lying around to spend at the moment.

Gary Jones :: BlueFur.com | Michelle | VancityAllie |