Since we met, Brandon and I have spent our time together jumping back and forth between ultra-marathon paddling, adventure racing and 3 – 6 month self-support expeditions. We learned the “Race to Trip, Trip to Race!” philosophy from legendary ultra-marathon and expedition paddler Verlen Kruger when we joined his 80th birthday celebration. The “party” included his 78-year old wife Jenny, and a couple dozen friends on a 2000-mile paddle down the Yukon River, from source to sea. After paddling for about 500 miles with Verlen and seeing the 80-year old legend effortlessly pull he and Jenny’s fully-loaded, catarafted canoes down the river, I was a believer. The fitness you gain from racing, and the skills you learn as an expedition paddler complement each other completely. And each, in turn, helps you raise the bar in the other.

These past few years, as Brandon and I have settled into our home-base of Bellingham and started a family, we have focused almost exclusively on racing and training. Even our two-month road trip in Baja last winter was race-training focused.

But yesterday, as Brandon, Hayden and I hiked along the trails near our house in the darkness of early evening, we each admitted to feeling the ‘adventure-void’. Realizing we were 100% in the same space, we started scheming and giggling like school children. Even Hayden seemed giddy with the energy, piping in the occasional “Papa paddle!” or “Mama row!” We took that as a sign that Hayden is ready. It is time to start planning the next self-support journey for the Nelson trio!

Where to? For how long? What should the mode of transportation be? Mountain biking? Paddling? Back packing? Brandon’s desire to row the Trans Atlantic Rowing Race http://www.woodvale-challenge.com seemed like a good one to put off for a few years. But hiking the West Coast Trail of Vancouver Island, or the Lost Coast Trail in Northern California sounded like a little more fun for Hayden. And maybe a multi-day paddle somewhere like Ross Lake or a canoe trip on the Boundary Waters? Biking one of our favorite sections of the Great Divide Mountain Bike Trail, a trip we originally did back in 2001, would be fun. There are so many hidden gems in our own backyard. Ahhhh, just the energy of planning an adventure makes me smile!

Til then, back to the racing grind: Brandon is competing in the ‘NW Ergomania’ indoor rowing race in Seattle Jan 30th www.nwergomania.com and our first surfski race of the year is only 3 weeks away! www.soundrowers.org