Kayaking

This post is far over due, but I am sitting here wasting time on the computer so I thought I would do a quick post since I've got a minute (OK...I really don't have a minute...need to shower and get to bed, but whatever...)  SO...we ended up getting our friends Megan and Scudder to take Ben and Andy's spots in the kayak tour on the Chicago River. It was supposed to happen when Ben and Andy were here but was cancelled due to weather. This time it was hot and humid, so the tour was a go. Megan and I were a little nervous before we started, mainly about it being too hard, or falling in, or getting infected with disease from the sewage in the Chicago River. yikes...

However, once we got in, I felt a lot better. I figured, at that point I had gotten into the kayak, in the water without getting so much as a drop of water on me. Then, when I started to paddle I realized it wasn't as hard as I thought...And...the water didn't look so dirty or smell bad where we got in, so I was golden at that point, I was ready to go...

It took a few minutes to get situated and off we went. Joe and I were trying to keep up with the group (of EIGHTY people!) so we took off and unknowingly left Megan and Scudder behind. We ended up catching up with them when we got to Navy Pier before the fireworks started. Needless to say, the entire way down the river was bumper boats with the other kayakers, and other random things. I ran into some tree branches, the wall, and lots and lots of people. Hey, we were all learning as we went and most people had good attitudes about it. It was pretty easy to paddle, but when a boat would go by or when a rogue kayaker would swerve in front of me, it was hard to control the kayak and keep it on track or going straight. Also, maybe it was just me, but the whole time I felt like I was in a race and that was annoying. It was my own fault, I think it's just my competitive nature...I wanted to WIN! hahaha! I was also worried we wouldn't get to Navy Pier in time for the little fireworks show, but we did. whew!

By the time we got there, tired and ready to be done with the tour...that's when I started thinking about the fact that we had to go ALL THE WAY BACK. We had already paddled 3 miles (probably actually 6 with all of the back and forth swerving!) and we had to paddle all that way back, in the dark, with sore shoulders and hands setting in??? Ugh!  At least we all got a break while we watched the fireworks. 

Once we were given the go ahead to head back I was just trying to get back as fast as I could. Yeah, yeah...neat Chicago skyline..whatever. I was just ready to get done! Burning shoulders and two blisters on my hands, one ripped open (which I was also worrying about getting sewer water in) were not making it easier. But I kept going.... I plowed past most of the pack and got back to the dock as fast as I could. I like to think I was the woman version of Lance Armstrong...if he was a kayaker. ;-)  I was going to get done and get done, fast!  So, I was one of the first few people to get in and it felt great! Thank God I was done! The last leg of the river I was all by myself, I could see people a little bit ahead of me and I am sure people were a ways behind me, but for a minute there I was a little freaked out. It was dark and scary and I was alone...and apparently 10:30 pm is when the trash and debris likes to make it's way to the surface so that the unsuspecting late night kayakers can get grossed out on their way back. Ewww.

But we all eventually made it. Joe wasn't far behind me (I beat him in our personal race...hee hee) and we were all wet and smelly....and GLAD it was over.

All in all, it was a cool experience but it was way too rushed and way too long of a paddle for a first timer. I would do it again on my own terms with my own time frame. It would be fun to paddle around the lake (when it is still) or go on the river after they clean it up more (if that day ever comes) or if I could wear a hazmat suit.

At least none of us fell in, or got gangrene in our ripped open blisters, or pinkeye in our eye. We survived the kayak adventure on the Chicago River...and we weren't even that sore the next day....

Photos: Watch the slideshow or click to watch the slideshow in a seperate window or look at the pics individually. :-)