We have been warned time and time again… “Don’t blink! Before you know it, Hayden will be all grown up!” It does go fast, no doubt. But, more than that, the past three years of our lives have been the funnest, most adventure-filled, action-packed, heart-warming and fullfilling years of our lives. On the morning of Hayden’s third birthday, he jumped out [...]

Hayden was bouncing off the walls ALL DAY on Wednesday in anticipation of his first kayak race on Lake Whatcom! We pulled our trusty tandem Double Joy off the rack and made a race plan: Hayden would ride shotgun with Mama, and Papa would steer and power-stroke in the back. The three of us, we [...]

This coming Monday marks the final weekly All-Comers Track and Field Meet for the summer. The All-Comers Races, hosted by Bellingham Parks and Rec, draws hundreds of racers every week from toddlers to veteran track stars. Little tykes like Hayden start their meet with the 50-yard hurdles, with the hurdles set 6” off the ground. Then, they [...]

At 2 1/2 years old, Hayden decided he was ready for some solo paddling on Lake Whatcom. With Mama running the camera, Hayden worked on his forward stroke — then ditched the paddle altogether for some hand paddling. By this fall he’ll have outgrown his 1st boat, so it was awesome to see him get [...]

I didn’t know it at the time, but, back in the early 70′s my destiny as a paddler was sealed with summers on Lake Tahoe paddling the Wee - 4. Today, Hayden was all smiles as he took his maiden voyage in the historic Christensen family canoe. Although, I am pretty sure his fate as a paddler [...]

Heather and I train on Lake Whatcom about 80% of the time. It’s five minutes from our house and honestly: we just love paddling there. If Bellingham Bay is our front yard then Lake Whatcom is our living room. It’s sooo comfy and familiar. So when the 13-mile Lake Whatcom Classic rolls around each spring, [...]

It is never too early to start training for the Yukon River Quest 2024!!! Keep Charging! Heather, Brandon and Hayden

Before I have even opened my eyes most mornings, Hayden climbs on top of me bright-eyed and bushy-tailed demanding adventure. “I hike in the woods!” “Woodpecker – peck peck!” “Deer poop!” (that’s my little tracker – loves searching for deer poop!) And, the ones that warm my heart, “I paddle Double Joy?” or “I paddle [...]

“Outside.” This one-word request came from Hayden yesterday, as winds gusted to 63 MPH. We did name him Hayden Storm, I thought, as I grabbed rain jackets, boots and snacks and headed out into the storm. Trees danced and the winds howled around us as Hayden, Chili and I hiked up the Galbraith Mountain logging [...]

After our last post, everyone is asking… where we will take Hayden adventuring this summer? Heather collecting firewood He is definitely not a rookie at adventure. How many toddlers have had their own kayak from the day they were born, or spent their first winter living out of a tent in Baja? He has gone [...]

On our previous post, Hooked On Rowing, we got so many comments on Hayden scaling his climbing wall in the background of the first picture that we thought we would celebrate his favorite hobby with a video. Here is the direct link to the You Tube Video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cK3w_3s3QrwHeather, Brandon and Hayden Storm

Hayden is not one to be left out of the fun! In the past few weeks he has watched Mama bring home a big, gold trophy from ‘Round the Rock, a quiver of shiny new Kialoa paddles, and most mornings he watches Mama rush out to the lake long before the sun has even begun [...]