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Tag Archives: Portaging

Soulmates

12 Comments Posted by on March 4, 2011

This afternoon, when Brent and I took our canoe out for its weekly walk, a woman remarked, “I read about you two in the paper.”

“Pardon?” I asked, not sure I had heard her correctly.

She went on to recount an article that had appeared in the local newspaper recently, about a couple of area teachers who train by carrying a canoe around their neighborhood.  The school she named is one that people often confuse with the school where Brent teaches.

Baffled, we continued on our way, trying to figure out whether it was possible that someone had seen us out the week before.

“Seriously, that must be it,” Brent said. “It’s not like there are two couples running around the neighborhood with a boat overhead.”

As it turns out, there are.

In January of this year, the Philadelphia Inquirer ran a story about two local teachers who take nightly walks around the neighborhood with their red canoe.

“It’s a terrific whole-body workout,” the guy is quoted as saying.

Looks like our Old Town may have found its soulmate.

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You Know You’re an Adventure Racer When…

6 Comments Posted by on February 21, 2011

…You purchase a canoe to carry around your neighborhood.

Last year’s Untamed New England Adventure Race included a six-mile portage section, which had teams lugging their canoes and kayaks down broken roads and rugged trails for several hours at a stretch.

Portage wheels helped during some stretches... (Team GOALS)

I carried all the gear while my teammates hoisted boats over their shoulders. (Me racing with Team ARMD)

Reactions ranged from demoralized to pained, and we all left the race determined to be better prepared next time.

For some, that meant constructing crazy contraptions to guide the boats over the technical trails.

For Brent, it means new modes of training.

Last weekend, en route home from Baltimore, we made a pitstop at a canoe outfitter in Wilmington, Delaware.

Wilderness was having a special on used boats, and by the time we left, we’d put down a deposit on a big ol’ Old Town canoe.

The roof box on the car prevented transport last weekend, so we drove back to Wilmington this past Saturday morning to pick up our new toy.  We somehow made it home without the gale-force winds throwing our boat-topped car off the road, and Brent promptly ran into the house to plot out a route

The goal?  A half-mile loop around our neighborhood.

The load? One 80-pound Old Town.

Towels make great shoulder pads

Lift with your legs!

Steady as he goes!

Making faces for the paparazzi

We may have gotten some funny looks...

A quick breather at the turnaround

Riding off into the sunset

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