2011 Paddlefest

Cousins Chris, Nick, and Jen, me, and Sam

Jen riding like a queen :)

Sam's mom Laura and brother Ben

paddling maniac :)

This weekend, Sam and I joined his mom and brother for an exciting trip down the Ohio River. It was Paddlefest time in Cincinnati! Over 2,000 people participate in Paddlefest every year by kayaking or canoeing 8.2 miles on the Ohio River. Laura and Ben both kayaked and Sam and I rented a canoe. It was a blast, especially because a few of my cousins who live in Cincinnati also decided at the last minute to rent a canoe and get in on the fun. We launched from Coney Island at 9:15am and paddled 8.2 miles to the public landing spot in downtown Cincinnati where we finished just before noon. That included a 15 minute snack/restroom stop at the half-way point, so we really made good time, especially because the river was only moving 1.2 mph....I was hoping for a little more than that! Ha! The weather was gorgeous and it was just an overall delightful day to spend on the water. As someone who doesn't really like baking in the sun, I couldn't have asked for better weather ~ temps in the low 70's and just enough sun to keep from getting chilled but not enough to cause a sweat :) I'm looking forward to Paddlefest next year and I now know to start training my arms in advance for it....quite sore today :)