ADVENTURE ON THE HORIZON: 2019

Rather than saying, good luck and good fortune to you this New Year, let me say work hard, laugh often, continue to learn, be kind, help others, pray for wisdom and then good fortune will see you this coming year. --  Robert Rivers

So what’s on your adventure horizon for 2019? As we stride into the new year, here are 5 trends we will see more of in the next year and beyond. Onward.
 
MORE BOATS IN MORE STORES

We don't have to tell you that over the past decade, that there has been an increased awareness in healthy lifestyles accompanied by a growing number of water sports enthusiasts across the US. According to the Outdoor Foundation's 2015 Special Report on Paddlesports, participation is on the rise, with almost 22 million Americans hitting the waterways in 2014—three million more than in 2010, the first year the study was completed.
"Paddlesports are gaining a lot of steam due in part to three factors: accessibility, affordability, and approachability," Joshua Silva, the Brand Marketing Manager at Jimmy Styks SUP Boards, told the website Very Well Fit.
Expect to see more inexpensive recreational kayaks and SUPs not just at the crowded boat launch but also in the big box stores like Costco and Sams Club along with other stores like Target, Walmart and TJ Maxx as the trend becomes more and more popular.

MORE PLACES TO ACCESS THE WATER

As the paddling community continues to grow to expect to see local municipality constructing long sought access areas to river and lakes. Paddling groups and community partners across the country are working to develop sites that will provide paddlers and boaters an improved put-in and take-out along popular stretches water.
"We've heard from the community that they would certainly like to see the river access improve at that historical boat launch, and I know that the folks that own dogs will appreciate an area," City of Eau Claire Forestry Director Todd Chwala, told WEAU-TV about a proposed project on the Chippewa River.

MORE SOLO TRIPS

“I wanted to follow a drop of water all the way from the Continental Divide (in Colorado) to the Gulf of Mexico,” Hannes Zacharias told the Kansas City Star about his 2,060-mile river trip from the Arkansas River’s headwaters near Leadville, Colo., to the Gulf of Mexico last summer.
It seems that those quiet me time paddling session are on almost every paddler's bucket list. Expect to see more tales of long journeys down river or around the circumference of a big lake alone. Who knows? Maybe they will inspire us to take even a trip of our own.

MORE WOMEN PADDLERS

Ladies were born to paddle. According to the Frontenac Outfitter's website, women represent about 45% of the kayaking enthusiast population and at that rate, their segment is growing, they will soon outnumber men. Kayak and SUP manufacturers, suppliers, and outfitters will continue to take note of this trend and eagerly adapt to meet their demands.
"I started paddling around and fell in love with it," wrote world-class kayaker Anna Levesque on her Mind Body Paddle website, "The challenge of having to balance combined with the body-alignment awareness and the great workout that it provides can’t be beat. Not to mention the fact that it allowed me to take my yoga practice to the water!"

Courtesy of Nick Troutman via Facebook

MORE HIGH TECH GEAR
Never before in paddling has there been so much high tech gadgetry. Pro paddlers now use everything from fitness trackers that can count paddling strokes to cameras to them keep their competitive edge. The kayakers use GoPro cameras while practicing tricks to get insight into their body mechanics after viewing it in slow-motion
“You can really figure out, ‘What am I doing?’” Pro-paddler Nick Troutman, told Digital Trends, “Either ‘What am I doing wrong’ or ‘What am I doing right? Why did this trick go bigger or better than the other trick?’ You can really slow it down and analyze exactly the difference between the moves.”

SHUTDOWN AND THE PARKS

The partial federal government shutdown, which began on Dec. 22 last month, has forced furloughs of hundreds of thousands of federal government employees and leaving many of our US National Parks without most of the rangers and others who staff campgrounds and otherwise keep parks running. Unlike shutdowns in some previous administrations, the Trump administration has left parks open to visitors despite the staff furloughs.

Courtesy of the Boulder Daily Camera News

At the Grand Canyon, the state of Arizona is paying for trash collection, custodial services for bathrooms and snow removal from sidewalks and trails. Stores and restaurants that aren’t run by the government are open. Campgrounds are open, but there is no reservation and check-in and check out process.
Meanwhile in California, at Yosemite National Park, trash collection, along with visitors’ centers and the park’s restrooms have been closed since the shutdown began. Joshua Tree has been operating with some staff, but beginning this past week, it's not allowing camping because of health concerns about near-capacity toilets. Earlier this week, Volunteers have been working to keep the beloved desert jewel as pristine as possible hauling out the trash and keeping toilets stocked with supplies hoping to keep the park accessible.

In Minnesota, officials at Voyageurs National Park issued a statement saying that "park roads ... may remain accessible to visitors, but will not be plowed.
Other affected parks in Minnesota include the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, Grand Portage and Pipestone national monuments, and the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area.
Services at Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River and Ozark National Scenic Riverways in southeast Missouri have also been disrupted due to the shutdown.
“We’re deeply concerned about the approach the administration has taken,” told the New York Times, "John Garder, the senior budget director at the nonprofit National Parks Conservation Association. “Keeping the parks open is clearly causing threats to health and safety of visitors as well as wildlife and natural and cultural resources. We are worried about parks themselves, about park rangers who are demoralized, and the many businesses that depend on visitors.”

PADDLE DAY #141

Had a great time over the Christmas break paddling with my son Cole Carlson as I paddled to a new personal record of 141 paddling days in the calendar year. Onward to 2019.

Follow us on Facebook and  Instagram

BUT FIRST, LETS GET A SELFIE: 15 KAYAKING INSTAGRAM YOU SHOULD FOLLOW

                  
At Outside Adventure to the Max, we just love our friends who thrill us with a daily post of their stories and visual media on Instagram. Whether they're running waterfalls, raging rapids or a long distance sea trek, they have brought us along and made us feel part of their adventure. Some are well known top notch kayaking athletes and photographers who have garnered thousands of followers and millions of likes while are others just might be off your radar till now.

Want to know who we follow? Here are some kayaking-feed-favorites that help us get fired up for new paddling destinations for our weekend and upcoming adventures along with inspiring us with their great images of our kayaking culture.

Cameron O'Connor

@cameron_kayak16
For chutes and paddles whitewater play boater young Cameron O'Connor puts us in this cockpit at renoriverfestival and gopromountaingames along with some other hard charging venues and play parks.  

@darinmcquoid
Darin McQuoid, a California based photographer and white water paddler, has kayaked most of the world on international expeditions.  An eye for action, his photographs have been published in National Geographic, Outside, Canoe and Kayak, Kayak Session, Paddler, Rapid Magazine

@peterholcombe
Makes, I live a van down by the river sound cool. Gypsy photographer Peter Holcombe leads his family around the country chasing a dream and his daughter's pink Jackson kayak.

@sagekayak 
At Outside Adventure to the Max we just love to keep up Freestyle Jr. World champion. USA Jr and Senior Slalom Team's sensation Sage Donnelly. A
a rising star in the world of whitewater kayaking, Sage shows us that girls still just want to have fun all while competing on a world class level.

Kate Hives

@kate_hives
Kate Hives is an adventurous sea kayaking guide and rough water coach with SKILS based out of Vancouver Island. A world explorer Keep up with Hives in her blog At home on the water.

@kalobgrady88 
It's his life, it's his passion. Kalob Grady grew up on the banks Ottawa River one of the world's greatest whitewater playgrounds so brace for waves. He just signed on to be the head coach of World Class Kayak Academy so pack your bags for trips to Canada, Uganda, Zambia, Chile, and West Coast.

@nicktroutmankayak
Nick Troutman is one of the most popular paddlers on the circuit. A World Freestyle Kayak Champion, film maker and most of all fun-time dad.

@pete_delosa
One of most popular guest at Outside Adventure to the Max bloggers, California based kayaker Pete Delosa takes us down some the biggest drops the Sierra can provide. Insightful and always fun you can also keep up with DeLosa on his blog at River-Bum.com.

Pete Delosa

@rafaortizkayak  
You will need a Red Bull to keep up with Rafa Ortiz, one of whitewater kayaking's super stars. The subject of “Chasing Niagara," a film chronicling Ortiz's pursuit of being the first person ever to go over Niagara Falls his shots are beautiful, daring and always amazing.

@martinbeebeephoto
Hey is time to relax yet? Martin Beebee mixes kayaking, golden retrievers and hot and cold places across the map in visions of peaceful tranquility. His aerial footage of the South Fork of the American River is pretty cool too. But, you'll have to go to YouTube for that.

@kayakerdude1435 
Gavin Rieser is the Where is Waldo of kayaking in California. He and his pickup truck and kayak were traveling everywhere this past summer looking for steep roads and big drops. This is the only way to keep up him unless you want to chip in for gas money.

@sleepygoat
Funny handle but beautiful photography as J Maxfield explores the levees and reservoirs around Lewiston, ID; far away from the daily routine.

@garethtate
Gareth Tate like to charge hard with an unquenchable thirst for travel and adventure. Tate takes us up snowy peaks, down raging rivers and for a dip into Lake Tahoe.

Dylan McKinney

@dylankmckinney
North Carolina whitewater globe trekker Dylan McKinney captures the feel and excitement of paddling in some of the world’s foremost whitewater. He puts you up front and takes you for a wild ride. Hold on tight!

@nickayak
The official feed of Outside Adventure to the Max. Follow us on river trips along the American River and moonlight paddles with Current Adventures as we count down to 100 paddling days and beyond.

For more adventure and inspiration along with connecting to other fellow paddlers and river lovers across the world follow some these post too. @dbpmagazineonline, @adventuretechnology, @aquabound, @adventurekayakmag, @nsrweb @rapidmagazine,@daggerkayaks

WATERFALL FALLOUT

CUMBERLAND FALLS

 When all the dangerous cliffs are fenced off, all the trees that might fall on people are cut down,all of the insects that bite are poisoned… and all of the grizzlies are dead because they are occasionally dangerous, the wilderness will not be made safe. Rather, the safety will have destroyed the wilderness.    R. Yorke Edwards

I listened to the reaction of the morning area television anchors watching the video that went viral last month of two professional kayakers plunging over 65-foot Cumberland Falls. As they broadcasted it to their viewers they used the words foolish, stupid and crazy to the describe the trip over the frigid falls in Kentucky. They ended the clip by telling their viewers that the two cited and fined a couple of hundred dollars for trespassing and that the two won't be attempting this stunt again anytime soon. Just the thought of going over any waterfall seemed inconceivable and little bit crazy to them. But, on social media, where we seem to look for amazing and wild exploits on a daily basis the video received more than a million views, and more than 22,000 shares.

"We did not expect it to get thousands of views or for people to be there watching," Nick Troutman, told WKYT-TV, "We were super intrigued by the falls. It was more just a personal goal we set. "
Brothers-in-laws and world champion freestyle kayakers, Dane Jackson and Troutman have years of experience on even rougher waters and have been down much bigger waterfalls. "We scouted the area and got our safety plan together," explained Troutman. Unfortunately, they missed that going over the falls was illegal.
"There are signs there saying no swimming, wading, or boating in that area," said Kentucky's State Parks Captain Dallas Luttrell to WKYT-TV, "It is extremely dangerous not only for those participating but also for the first responders who would have to go out there. For the main reason of safety, it is simply not allowed,."

The park ranger say those rules are in place for a reason and what is seen in the videos is strongly discouraged. "I would not encourage just anybody to go out and try it." agreed Troutman, "It does not work like that."

Extreme athlete and kayaker Tyler Bradt isn't just anybody. In 2010, his insane 189-foot free fall over Palouse Falls in Washington state shattered the world record for the tallest waterfall ever paddled. He told Men's Fitness how he survived his death-defying plunge. “When you hop in your boat at the top—that’s the scariest moment, up there on flat water getting ready to drop over a very big horizon." said Bradt, "Once you’re in the kayak and approaching the falls, keep one blade in the water to control the angle of your approach. When you’re paddling toward the lip of the waterfall, the key is to take a couple of strokes to get going just a little faster than the water around you before you drop.”

"You’re thinking, ‘Am I making the right decision? Is this a good idea? Bradt, continued, "The enormity of your situation is overwhelming, but it’s also the moment you need to react. That’s when I move into my tuck so I won’t land flat on my back or go upside down. When you land you want to be fully forward on the front of your deck with your paddle off to the side so it doesn’t come back and hit you.”
"It's a great adrenaline rush," blogged former member of the Canadian Freestyle Whitewater Kayak Team and Bronze medalist, Anna Levesque, she has paddled in some of the biggest water around the world and leads whitewater clinics in Central America. "The feeling of dropping off the edge can be thrilling and terrifying at the same time. Stay focused on your paddling not on your nerves."

The moment of glory comes when the kayaker sticks the landing. “The goal is to land with your boat vertical. You want to land feet down so that you’re penetrating the water surface with the least amount of impact." said Bradt, "My paddle snapped. It really dazed me. It’s an impact that I’ve never felt before—like a car crash."
Compare to that, Troutman's and Jackson's made their plunges look almost easy,  "I hit the line exactly how I had planned and couldn’t of been happier." Troutman later posted on Facebook.

 

After fulfilling their wild ride,  the two extreme athletes both agreed it's something they like to attempt again, only legally next time. "We did end up getting a fine from the park ranger, though he was good-mannered about the situation." posted Troutman,  "Hopefully we can apply for a permit or something because it truly is a really beautiful waterfall and we were honored to ride it." Dane Jackson agreed in his Facebook post, "Pretty stoked to have sent Cumberland Falls! Bummed that it ended in getting charged with trespassing, but it’s still an epic waterfall and one of my new favorites!”