I've been saving small amounts here and there for kayaks ever since we rented some and paddled around the Colorado River and, thanks to plummeting fall prices on water sports gear, I had enough to buy them and the perfect weather in which to try them out yesterday so we headed to Dick's sporting goods. I also had coupons, three of them, for $10, $15, and $20 off purchases over a certain amount. We got two matching yaks, oars, seats, and rowing gloves and the cashier let me split the purchases up so that I could use each of the coupons. She even rang the two kayaks up separately and applied the $20 coupon to each one so I ended up getting $65 off the entire purchase.
First we loaded the yaks onto the car (I got a smokin' deal on roof racks and yak cradles on eBay a month or so ago) and tied them down. We ran home to grab the dogs (got smoking deals on doggy life jackets a month or so ago as well) and then we headed for Lake Mead. I had packed up a cooler with drinks and ice as well as a bag with towels, blankets, and chairs so we were ready to roll. When we got there we spread out a blanket, unloaded the yaks, put the seats in them, suited the dogs up in their life vests and then I decided to help them get comfortable in their jackets before trying them out on the yaks. Piper did well but hated the water because it was so cold to her little tiny doggy senses but it took a long time to muscle Vladdy into just relaxing enough to realize that he could float.
Once that mission was accomplished we took one yak out on the water and Snackers got in, then Vladdy. I towed the two of them around the shallow areas for awhile so that Snackers could learn how to control Vladdy in the yak and so that Vladdy could learn how to balance his weight to keep from tipping (they did tip over once and we spent 10 minutes chasing Vladdy around the beach trying to get hold of his leash). After that we went out to slightly deeper water so Snackers could practice getting Vladdy into the yak in deep water, in case he fell out.
At first Piper thought jumping off the front of the yak was better than sitting in it but, thankfully, the vests have handles on them so I plucked her out of the water and put her right back in the yak and that was when she realized that in-the-boat was dryer and warmer than out of it so she took to it quite well.
Next I practiced climbing into the yak in deep water where I couldn't touch the ground - I was really surprised that I was able to do it on the second try but it's not fun. Finally we were ready for some yaking but, by this time, we were losing daylight so we put the dogs in the yaks - Snackers with Vladdy and me with Piper - and paddled around in circles between the shore and the buoy just in case. Then Snackers and I took turns timing each other with a stop watch while we paddled out, around a buoy and back as fast as we could, and I won by 10 seconds!
After that we packed up the camp, dried off and loaded the dogs, and then loaded the yaks back on the car just as the sun was going down. When we got home we fed the dogs, unloaded the car, washed the yaks (Lake Mead has a serious mussel problem) and found a way to store them in the garage until I can get some wall racks for them. It was a blast!!! I love having my own kayaks! Now we can take them to So. Cal when we go to visit Snackers' brother and to Utah when we visit my family. Weeeee!
Food:
140 oz of water
1 cup of coffee w/creamer
1 Healthy Choice Lunch
1 serving homemade goulash
>>1 slice garlic bread
1/2 serving sunflower seeds
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Daily Caloric Intake: 944
Activity:
Walking: 1 mile
Funny story about this in today's post.
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