by

Perspective of an outdoor Dad

crossroadsIt is common to be at the crossroads of going on an intense athletic adventure or choosing to be at home with the family.  I have known many active fathers and mothers who frequently choose some alone time.  And often those parents receive scorn from others.  There is a trade off, opportunity cost, consequence, and loss of time with loved ones when an active adult takes a moment to be what their partner loved most about them; even though, in the eyes of others, adventure makes mother or father a bad / irresponsible / deadbeat parent who should be supporting their family and not dominating their spouse with childish midlife-crises desires.

I try to merge the crossroads by having my son take an active part in my adventures.  If it is an adult adventure my son  helps me prepare for the event.  He looks over the charts and maps with me.  He helps me pack and shop for food.  He is four and very capable in being an active helper.  The best thing about having him help me prepare for an adventure is that he feels apart of my event and it establishes a dialog in creating father and son adventures that he wants to go on.

rockMy son has been in the dirt, sand, and water since he could crawl.  Hiking, kayaking, and now rock climbing with my son are some of the most rewarding things I have done with him.  The activity of being together refreshes my love of nature as I see things fresh through his eyes.  It is the act of stopping to pick up Spanish moss and to teach him what it is and how it is important.  Sometimes it is collecting fancy sticks and uniquely shaped rocks and letting him use his imagination to re-purpose them.

Being outdoors helps both of us to “live deliberately”.  Many times I schedule a father son adventure before my personal adventure.  By doing this it strengths my paternal bond and eases my self-imposed guilt for leaving him behind; even though, I have a supportive spouse I still feel guilty for not bringing him along.  The other unique thing that happens is on my adult only adventure I truly can taste the following words by Henry David Thoreau because of my son’s influence in reshaping how I see the world.

Daddy you forgot my shovel, and my blue lunch box

Daddy you forgot my shovel, and my blue lunch box

I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.

As you have come to realize this is a post on the emotionally necessity for a parent to balance a social and athletic life with and away from their family.  I did not want to write on why it is important to get kids outside and the tricks on how to be an outdoor parent.  There are so many periodicals and blogs on…

  • Using unscented baby wipes…
  • Upgrading the first-aid kit with children’s acetaminophen or ibuprofen, aloe vera gel, tweezers, and stock up on twice as many adhesive bandages.
  • Be Safety minded knowing the area, having a flexible plan, and having a Plan B for the oops moment.

…and yet there are few about the duality of ethics and the emotionally necessary to have a social and athletic life outside of one’s family.  It is possible to have it all.  A couple just needs to cultivate the love of  each other.  It is the act of being supportive by using open dialog and to keep things, like time, balanced and fair.  It is healthy to wright down a plan to achieve a  balanced give and take understanding between partners with timed activities.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAIn my case, my wife does not want to go on a week long kayaking, backpacking, or rock climbing adventure by herself or with friends.  She would prefer to spend a weekend at the spa.  So to balance time between us, we divide the days into four categories.  I have my alone time (and this gives her focused mother and son time).  She has her alone time (and this gives me focused father and son time).  We have family time.  And we have husband and wife date time (and this gives my son focused time with his grandparents).  After I spent the month of July in Maine, I took my son to Disney World, the zoo, rock climbing, several model train events, Native American Indian festivals, and to Pittsburgh for twelve days.  In essence anytime she needed a break my son and I left to do an activity.

Some outsiders would read the phrase “anytime she needed a break my son and I left to do an activity” as an illustration on bad or neglectful parenting.  I look at it as how we work together to listen and support the emotional needs of the other.  I have shared with her how I would like the three of us to do more activities together in the future.  And in time when she is healthy we will.

Being an outdoor parent has instilled more patience, openness, communication, and empathy within me.  I have become a better man, husband, and role model by being an outdoor father. – Jeff

by

epic icy whitewater portage

On December 31, 2012 New Years Eve, an epic whitewater kayak adventure down the Youghiogheny River became real.  A few hours into the trip I broke my paddle.  The day would reach a high of 35′F from a morning low of 22′F. And we had a few choices to make.  I could use another paddle and continue down the river or we could portage.  It was a little after eleven and it gets dark quick.  Sunset was 4:54 but realistically it would get dark sooner; due to, the mountains and trees would obscure the sun and bring on darkness sooner.  Clouds were also starting to form and there was a possibility of snow.

YoughioghenyRiver

We discussed our options and then chose to portage; due to, I was shaken by my second capsize and swim.  I could not get back in the boat and the thrill of playing in an eddy was gone. It was easy for us to plot a course due to Darren having a GPS, compass, a basic contour map of river, and a hiking trail brochure.

In retrospect I could play the maybe game.  Maybe I wimped out.  Maybe I was under prepared for the water temperature.  Maybe if I had more time in the kayak I was borrowing I could have been confident in paddling it after the swim.  Maybe I was still thinking of how our friend Carl Schneider died October of 2010.  Maybe we made the wrong decision in paddling that day.  Maybe we made the wrong decision in portaging because of what happened to me.

Ohiopyle contour map

We pulled and slid the kayaks along the riverbank then up the hill.  Darren did a large amount of the work.  He scouted logical routs up the steep ledges and through deep snow drifts.  He was also an excellent positive motivator.

Being prepared is  the Boy Scout motto.  And Darren using those few items he had stored away for a possible portage made finding a hiking / cross-country ski trail easy.  We stayed on the trail and out of deep snow for some of the portage.  We had to diverge from the trail because it was a switchback and time was becoming important.  I was beginning to display the signs and symptoms of a cold injury to my feet.

I was wearing a dry suit with a medium thickness wool sock and Kokatat Scout water shoes.  I chose those light-weight shoes for the traction and support over rocky terrain.  The shoe of choice did make it easy to wedge my feet inside the low volume white water kayak.  And I had no problem exiting the cockpit during my unplanned capsize.

The problem was that the water shoe is not constructed with walking on snow and ice.  The Scout is a 3mm double-lined neoprene slip on bootie.  It is made of a medium thickness vulcanized rubber out-sole with vulcanized rubber toe cap and heel counter for traction.  Moreover, the Kokatat Drysuit uses a gore-tex sock that increases the volume of the foot.  Thereby, the drysuit requires a user to increase the size of their footwear to allow the use of a warm sock inside of a form fitting possibly tight neoprene bootie.  Consequently, my footwear combined with the drysuit had an inability to keep my feet warm due to material and diminished circulation.  I have found no water shoe made up to the task of keeping a foot warm in freezing temperatures while a person is wearing a drysuit.  With possibly one exception to the Quicklace Mukluk by Chota.  Nevertheless, I should have removed my drysuit and put on a pair of hiking pants and hiking boots.

The trail took us close to a set of train tracks.  We chose to leave the trail at that location to save a good thirty minutes of hiking.  It is not wise to leave marked trails in the event of injury or getting lost.  Darren checked in with his wife in what our plans were and then we began trail blazing again.  As we neared the tracks we heard a train.  The train seemed to take forever but it was probably the feeling of ongoing numbness stiffness and glass like pain I was experiencing with every step.  Finally we were able to continue and we quickly arrived at the helicopter landing site.  No sooner did we start walking on the road, to where the car was parked, it began to snow.

Getting into the car I striped off the drysuit and constrictive booties.  It was nice to put on some warm clothes.   The snow had been only falling for about 10 minutes and already they almost blended into where we had left them at the edge of the road.  Darren took to tying them onto the car and I started accessing my feet.

My chief complaint was that all toes, right ball of foot, and both heels were experiencing a burning numbness sensation.  In addition to the chief complaint, the skin in the effected areas was red, white and very pale in places.  The skin was slightly soft and slowly returned to its natural shape when pressed on it to make a dimple. My overall impression of my feet was they looked fake almost wax-like in appearance.

I began to warm the feet immediately and the skin transitioned to being mottled with small eraser size purple splotches.  Seeing the skin do that freaked me out.  The purple color change lasted maybe six to eight minutes.  The skin then took on a consistent slightly pale red and swollen appearance.

Did I mention that as I was warming them I experienced the most intense feeling.  I have had my feet fall asleep and waking them up has always been a tingly experience.  What I was feeling at that moment was like walking on thousands of sand-spurs.  First aid books inform a person that they will experience a burning sensation.  What they are feeling is the raw nerves being woken up after ice crystals have shredded parts of the epidermis.

The waiting game began the moment I began rapidly warming my feet.  Time is always important in cold injuries.  It is a combination of how cold did the skin become and how long was the skin at that temperature.  In other words tissue destruction is proportional to the time it remains frozen.

I drank fluids and continued to elevate and keep my feet in a warm moist towel at my aunt’s house.  At 6:15pm that night the skin still felt swollen, it easily dimple showing good signs of circulation.  The intense burning sensation did dull to a slight tingle.  And I could  wiggle my toes.  Two doctor friends agreed that taking some NSAID’s, ibuprofen, was a good idea.  But it still remained would I see any fluid-filled blisters.  Twenty-four to thirty-six hours after rewarming a cold injury the skin could develop blisters.

After removing myself from the cold and smartly warming my feet my doctor friends questioned why it seemed to be taking awhile for the feet to feel normal.  They questioned if I was a diabetic of if I have been diagnosed with high blood pressure or other cardiac issues.  The reality is I am physically normal.  And they agreed that my feet should return to normal.  When I woke up in the morning my feet looked normal, no blisters.  In a way they looked wind burned.

It took almost six weeks for the prickly feeling to fully go away.  Sometimes I would get phantom tingles.  And other times I felt like I stepped on a piece of glass.

After experiencing December 31, 2012, I can happily say I am done with the cold.

- Jeff

by

epic icy whitewater relived

Darren and I had been planning a kayak trip along a short stretch of the Ohiopyle.  We liked the looks of the Ferncliff Penisula section “The Loop” of the Youghiogheny River. Darren had paddled that section several times.  And we were flexible on the day of our paddle since my son and I were visiting Pittsburgh for twelve days.  With no sense of urgency Darren and I took our time deciding on when to paddle.  There were moments when we were close to scraping the paddle due to heavy snowfalls and freezing temperatures.

We did pick a day.  New Years Eve, is when epic became real.  Darren picked me up before sunrise and my son and I traded hugs and high fives.  I waved as we rode off not knowing that what I thought was going to occur was not going to be the reality.  Sunrise was 7:20am and we wanted to be on the water before 8am.

YoughioghenyRiver start

Ohiopyle YoughioghenyWe quickly zipped through the “entrance rapid”. Before we coasted over to the bank to discuss the next series of rapids we threw snowballs at each other in celebration. I even had the chance to do some quick bow rudder spins into eddies.

As we paused to scope out Cucumber Rapid and Camel and Walrus Rapids, a couple snowshoeing along the Yough’ remarked “yinz nuts, that’s cold water”.  They were even more shocked to learn that I was visiting from Florida.  We smiled after the encounter and paddled off.

ohiopyle rapids

I will admit that water was cold.  I rolled near the end of Cucumber.  It was a good recovery.  Then the real fun began going down Camel and Walrus.  The throat of my paddle broke during a brace as I exited Camel Rapid.  I was upside down as I entered the Walrus Rapid.  I could not recover from my starboard side and due to the water and a rock I could not recover on my port side.

Darren remarked about how cool it was watching me nearly recover and watching me calmly float out of the rapid holding on to the kayak and paddle and drift into a calm eddy.  I was in the water for less than a minute.  Darren did an excellent job doing a contact tow.  And I was out on the shore very quickly.  However, the time perceived by me was very different.

Youghiogheny River 12 31 2012

I recall doing a low brace on my post side. Doing a little hop then a hard low brace on my starboard side.  Then taking two strokes and capsizing when my right blade went in the water.  It was odd no bite when I attempted to roll on my on side.  And my off side was bouncing on rock.  All I could see was orange.  All I could hear was a jet engine and fire crackers going off.  After three attempts I reached for the grab loop.  I could see that neon green loop waving in front of my eyes taunting me as it wiggled around and away from my neoprene gloved hands.  Thankfully I was using a skirt that had a safety off strap across the deck.  I gave that blue webbed strap a tug and I was free from the boat.

In the water, I was, being slammed by a freight train in my back.  Feet up and dancing across the rocks.  In my mind I had only one thought.  If my foot gets caught the leg will break.  If leg breaks then it will be a compound fracture.  Compound fracture in this environment equals several hours of waiting in the back country before getting to the hospital.  End result would be amputation.  Happy thoughts, indeed.

Finally calm water sounded me.  An icy claw encircled my throat and a ice giant stood on my chest.  Coughing I started looking around.  I could hear nothing, see nothing, but I felt the bump and pull of Daren’s kayak moving me to shore.  Thankfully, I never let go of my boat or paddle.  This was probably in part to always practicing rescues to establish muscle memory and God’s helpful hand.

I remember not saying a word to my paddling buddy.  He remembers me saying “ok…ok…shore…shore”.

YoughioghenyRiver

The day would reach a high of 35′F from a morning low of 22′F. And we had a few choices to make.  I could use another paddle and continue down the river or we could portage.  It was a little after eleven and it gets dark quick.  Sunset was 4:54 but realistically it would get dark sooner; due to, the mountains and trees would obscure the sun and bring on darkness sooner.  Clouds were also starting to form and there was a possibility of snow.

Youghiogheny River sign

We discussed our options and then chose to…

- I will continue this post in five days, Jeff

by

epic icy whitewater

plane

Yum, Astronaut Strawberries

December 26, 2012 my son and I flew to Pittsburgh, PA. to enjoy a white Christmas.  Granted my four year-old son was disappointed when the plane landed and he saw no snow.  I assured him that the snow was coming.  After we collected out luggage a friend picked us up.  During the drive my son was still disappointed because I had promised snow.  Again I assured him that snow was to fall today.  Within fifteen minutes of the drive the snow began to fall, and fall, and fall.

tasting snowI am so happy I was not driving by the time we got to my aunts house a good eight inches had fallen.  It was not the light fluffy snow; a mix of wet heavy sleet, ice, and snow was falling.  And it kept falling.  This former Pittsburgh native now Florida transplant got his fill of shoveling snow, breaking ice off the sidewalk, and scraping ice off of the car.

My son and I were inseparable.  We had several adventures.  We made a snowman shortly after arriving at my Aunts home.  During sled riding he learned how to identify rabbit, squirrel, and raccoon tracks in the snow.  He drove a salt truck, a front loader, a snow plow, and road in the Duquesne Incline.

*

snowmansalt trucksnow plow

Tyler Youghiogheny River 2012My son even had bladder emergency after we left Ohiopyle.  Darren had picked us up to scope out a stretch of the Youghiogheny River in Ohiopyle.  There was no store along the country road we were traveling on.  So my son had his first pee outside in the snow.  Yes, this Daddy is proud to say his son learned to write in the snow.

*

All of this led up to Darren and my epic adventure December 31, 2012 on Youghiogheny River in Ohiopyle.  The morning reached a high of 35′F from a morning low of 22′F.  Midday during our portage snow did begin to fall.  The total amount of snow reached a reported inch.

I will post the rest of the story in five days…

YoughioghenyRiver start

- Jeff

by

Maine tastic problem at home

lostA support system is what makes every adventure possible.  It is the support of family, friends, locals, training, and commonsense that make expeditions possible.  A lot of my friends who have written about their adventures for magazines are always beholden to the desires of the editor.  And the thing lacking is what sometimes happens at home.

I was in Maine for four weeks.  During that time while I was paddling with the Boy Scouts my wife had emergency surgery to remove her gallbladder.  She was perfectly healthy when I left for my trip.

Thankfully, I have an excellent family and friends to assist her and my son while she recovered.  And I have excellent medical insurance from working at a college.

gcsu logoWhen I returned from Maine the plan was to relocate my family to Georgia.  The plan in August was to start the M.Ed. in Kinesiology: Outdoor Education Administration degree at Georgia College.  I had secured a Graduate Assistantship position, and Stacy was to start work at the college.  We put those plans on hold just in case she began to have other health issues.

Postponing grad school has turned out to be a good move.  Since the removal of her gallbladder Stacy has been in the hospital two additional times.  She is mending; unfortunately, she will now be unable to have more children.  This is a blow to both of us, for we wanted more kids.

Not only did my wife spend time in the hospital, my mother, father, and Stacy’s grandfather have all had emergency life saving surgeries.  I choose outdoor adventures to breath life into the mundane drudgery of work.  And sometimes adventure is needed to breathe value into the importance of family.

In a month you will be treated to another adventure of mine…

ohiopyle rapids

December 31 of 2012 I went white water kayaking on the Ohiopyle Ferncliff Penisula section “The Loop” of the Youghiogheny River…wow…

- Jeff

PS.  As I have alluded, Sean has also had some medical and family drama.  In a month Sean will share what has happened to him and his family.

*

The rest of the Maine tastic story:

by

Maine tastic the five day paddle

Muscongus BayThe best part of the time in Maine was when Mark, a local guide, and I paddled with a Boy Scout Troop for five days and four nights within Muscongus Bay. Mark asked me what we were getting ourselves into when he discovered that we were on the water with ten youths, 13 to 17 years old, and four adults.  Mark was accustomed to paddling with active adults in their mid 30′s to 50′s.  I assured him that it was going to be a relaxing ride in the country or it was going to be a roller coaster of torment.  All I had to do was ask two questions.  He was very puzzled with that statement.

We got to the boat launch unloaded the seven tandems, our single kayaks, and all of the kit.  Then waited as we ate Wicked Whoopie Pies.  Not to digress, but yum!

wicked-whoopies

Everyone arrived in two large vans.  We greeted them, I found out who the Scoutmaster was and asked my first question, “Could you introduce me to your Senior Patrol Leader?”  He smiled and and quickly introduced me to their SPL.  I introduced Mark and myself then asked the youth “what is your float plan for the next five days?”  He grinned from ear to ear and said he has been looking over the charts for two weeks, he has a few places in mind for camping, and then wanted to know if he could organize the scouts to get the gear dispersed among the kayaks.  After his answer I smiled to Mark and whispered “hold on you are in for a treat”.

I have been in the Boy Scouts since I was eleven.  I have seen it all, the good, the bad, the understood, and the misunderstood.  It is a volunteer organization that is created by volunteers and run by volunteers.  And the things that motivate volunteers is as numerous and diverse as the people themselves.  Luckily this was a troop organized around the philosophy that boys are to learn to be leaders.  And adults are spotters only to be used for advice.

The youths had a plan.  They quickly asked about the most efficient ways to pack their boats.  And they understood my analogies about backpacking balance and weight distribution.  In fifteen minutes,  everyone had boats assigned, packed, and were ready for the float talk.  Mark talked about safety, navigation, communication, and group management on the water.

maine

The first morning we paddled in protected waters watching and coaching everyone on paddling.  These youths comfortably paddled at a three mile an hour pace.  This was a faster pace than Mark had planed on.  We made it to Crow Island in no time.  After landing I smiled at Mark and said “you will fall over backwards if the SPL responds to my next question in the way I think he will”.

We had plenty of time in the day to play but a few things had to be done and I wanted to see if the SPL, SM, and I were all on the same page.  I commented to the youth that now we had gotten to the island ahead of schedule “what is the consensuses on how we should conduct ourselves this afternoon?”  He scratched his temple and said “I think we should get camp ready for the night, get dinner prepped, and then if you and Mark are willing can we paddle more?”  Wow, if only every troop was like this.

Maine

I have to say that as I reflect on this paddle it appears to be to good to be true.  And the reality gets better…

After camp was set we discussed a plan and went searching for seals and found them.  Unique mammals, seals are.  Then it was back to the island for dinner.  Some of the scouts had stayed at the island cooking.  We were treated to some tasty vittles made in a box reflector oven.  That’s right the guides did not cook.  In fact the scouts even served us and washed our dishes, utilizing the patrol method.  For every meal the youths were split into three groups: those who prepared the fire, those who cook, and those who clean up.  With all of the organization and attention to detail these boys were more organized than most adults.

Then as the sun set I heard the sounds of boys.  “Three, two, one…o’ no… too early…”  silence “three, two, one…o’ no… too early…, silence “three, two, one…o’ no… too early… yeah!”  Yes this was one of their nightly rituals.  That, and skipping stones.

We stayed on Crow Island for two nights.  We visited the waters around Thief and Cranberry island.  And on day three we relocated camp to Black Island.   That is where I finally decided after skipping rocks with the other leaders to go for a swim.  So cold, the water was.  I never felt water that cold.  Well so I thought.  December 31, 2012 Darren and I went whitewater kayaking down the Youghiogheny River in Pennsylvania.  That is a story for the future.

On the last night I shared a treat with the scouts.  Traditionally, the last night of every camp out I eat Jiffy-pop.  I had a great time with these young men that I gave the SPL the Jiffy-pop to make.  First words he uttered was “cool, we’ve never made popcorn on a camp out”.  He walked away knowing that I just wanted a little popcorn.  From the beach the other leaders and I could hear them discuss the directions.  And then their excitement as it began to pop “it’s going to explode…quick take it off the stove!”  Then to hear their dismay when they opened it only to realize that the steam had made the dome.  Quickly they mashed down the foil and put it back on the stove.  This resulted in an aromatic presence of scorched popcorn.  I did get a sorry form the guys.  I smiled and then told them the story of a few of my old scout friends melting an aluminum dutch oven, as I munched on scorched popcorn.

Two months later I got a package in the mail.  It was from the Scoutmaster of that troop.  In the package was a thoughtful letter and two Jiffy-pops.  It was a very fun and rich time.

jiffy pop

The package from the Boy Scout troop reminded me that it is the thoughtfulness and support of others that make every adventure possible.  It is the support of family, friends, locals, training, and commonsense that make expeditions possible.  A lot of my friends who have written about their adventures for magazines are always beholden to the desires of the editor.  And the thing lacking is what sometimes happens at home while they are paddling.

- Jeff

I will post the rest of the story in five days:

by

Maine tastic the beginning

lobsterIn July of 2012 I enjoyed the opportunity to work for H2Outfitters.  I was on the water everyday for my four week vacation.  As many would think it was a working vacation.  And the time away from home helped me focus on a few things.

As a paddler we tend to focus just on the water; the reality is water is the tie that binds us and the kayak is a vehicle to find something.  What I found in Maine was food.  I ate lobster, lots of lobster.  How could I say no when it was only five dollars a pound.  The lobster was so plentiful I could buy it directly from the fisherman that caught it, only minutes ago.

My day began at 5 am.  Now this is surprising to Sean and everyone who knows me, for  I do not rise early, nor am I lively before 7am.  Upon waking I ate a lobster salad, took the dried PFDs and skirts of the clothes lines, packed up the truck, drove to the shop, unpacked, unlocked the kayaks, unlocked the shop, and prepared for the 8am morning rentals.  From 8am to 8pm I ran the shop, taught classes, managed rentals, and led two four person tours.  One tour was mid day and the other was a sunset paddle.

Elis Oragne PopWith a tight schedule I did squeeze in a lunch.  I ate some great chowder from the Salt Cod Cafe.  The chowder sometimes had pieces of lobster in it.  I consumed gallons of Eli’s Orange Pop.  And yes I occasional had a Whoopie Pie, yum.

After 8pm I closed the shop, loaded the truck with wet PFDs and skirts, and drove to the house I was staying at.  Then I washed the PFDs and skirts and placed everything on the clothes lines.  After all of the work was done I grabbed a bite to eat, did the hygiene stuff, watched a movie with Jeff and Cathy, called my wife, and went to bed around 11pm.

Bailey Island General StoreThat was my normal routine.  Occasionally a guest would tip me with dinner or drinks at one of the local hangouts.  And some mornings I would have breakfast at BIGS.

I knew it was going to be work because their window of tourist sales is short.  Granted I was not prepared for perfect weather everyday.  Typically they have fog some mornings, with a little light rain midday.  Everyday I was there was sunny, warm, no rain, and no fog.  It was also funny when the locals remarked about how humid it was.  For this Florida boy, there was no humidity.

Between doing all of that aforementioned stuff around the shop I made time to dress up the shop.  With more than ten years of retail management experience, I have a critical eye when it comes to sales, for I was a jewelry manager.  I dusted, scrubbed, and merchandised products to maximize desirability.  I even suggested a new chart/advertisement that guests could use.  On one side was a chart of the local waters that they were enjoying.  On the flip side was a class menu of what we offered.  And the best thing was they could mass produce it in-house on waterproof paper.

Maine Jeff Fabiszewski H2Outfitters

A group of enthusiastic paddlers

The best part in Maine was when Mark, a local guide, and I paddled with a Boy Scout Troop for five days and four nights.  Mark asked me what we were getting ourselves into when he discovered that we were on the water with ten youths, 13 to 17 years old, and four adults.  Mark was accustomed to paddling with active adults in their mid 30′s to 50′s.  I assured him that it was going to be a relaxing ride in the country or it was going to be a roller coaster of torment.  All I had to do was ask two questions.  He was very puzzled with that statement.

We got to the boat launch unloaded the seven tandems, our single kayaks, and all of the kit.  Then waited as we ate Wicked Whoopie Pies.  Not to digress, but yum!  Everyone arrived in two large vans.  We greeted them, I found out who the Scout Master was and asked my first question, “Could you introduce me to your Senior Patrol Leader?”  He smiled and and quickly introduced me to their SPL.  I introduced Mark and myself than asked the youth “what is your float plan for the next five days?”  He grinned from ear to ear and said he has been looking over the charts for two weeks, he has a few places in mind for camping, and then wanted to know if he could organize the scouts to get the gear dispersed among the kayaks.  After his answer I smiled to Mark and whispered “hold on you are in for a treat”.

- Jeff

I will post the rest of the story in five days: