My Crew

This was my crew in 2007 at the Santa Barbara State Championship Sprint Races.

That's me in seat 2. Nadean in 1, Sheryl in 3, Mary Claire in 4, Lyz in 5 and Alex in 6 - I remember this race like it was yesterday. We were in the B-Finals (vs. the A-Finals where all the fastest crews were), but we were in the top of the B-Finals. We got Second Place by a nose - It was the first award I won in this sport. This was also the day that Brian bought me a necklace and hid it in my back pack for me to find while he was out racing - I still wear this necklace almost daily - in fact, I have it on as I type this. I went on to win other medals and just plain have fantastic races with most of these women.

There is something about being in a canoe, it's a meditation. Add to that the competition and the way it draws 6 people in one boat even closer.

I stopped paddling in 2009 when I was planning my wedding, but I was still close to the padding community. In 2010, I was pregnant. In 2011, I had Mary and we were moving...It's been 3 years since I have been in a canoe and I really miss it somedays.

Brian is paddling with a new crew in Chicago and it sounds like a fantastic group. He came back from one of the first meetings to say "There are women that want to go out and they need a steersperson...." Oh really...and I just happen to know how to steer. Tempting.

But...no....this is my crew today.

Mary is Seat 1 leading the pace. Brian and I take turns steering in seat 6. Together we keep on track. To me, there is no canoe that is worth the hours it would take me away from Mary. The exhiliaration of a race day is no comparison to the daily excitement seeing the development of this little girl.

I will come back to it someday. But not now.