With Bellingham and our Canadian friends across the border having some of the most AWESOME surfski race scenes in the world, someone decided a little friendly competition was in order. Thus, the THINK Kayak International Challenge was created. Two races: one in Bellingham, one in BC. We each bring as many racers as we can [...]

“This is our FRONT YARD!!!” That’s what went through my head – and rang out of my mouth more than a few times – as the troops gathered at Boulevard Park this morning for the 6th Annual Dan Harris Challenge. A big gathering of friends in our own front yard. What a life!!! Of course, [...]

Our spring and summer race season begins with the Dan Harris Challenge this weekend. How do we train for race season? What races do we train through, and which ones do we rest for? When do we taper? Being our own coaches in a somewhat obscure sport, it is fun trying to find the perfect [...]

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 [...]

It was me and Larry B. Larry B and me. Gusty 30 MPH winds combined with sub 40 degree temps seemed to have scared away all but the hard core this mid-April Wednesday Nighter. Reivers? Paul? Where is our posse? Jeff H, Eric W and Joost represented the ‘A Team’ surfski posse. And Larry G [...]

“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 [...]

Sleek surfski’s and light weight paddle blades slice through the water silently as the sounds labored breathing and the occasional bumping of paddle-on-paddle, boat-on-boat or paddle-on-boat fill the air. It is  Wednesday Night… and I am surrounded by my race posse having an awesome time! There are 7 of us, and we are in our [...]

Today, under a big blue sky, warm sun and cool breeze we celebrated the coming of the first day of spring with a family paddle and picnic on Lake Padden in Bellingham. Hayden did most of the paddling, while I coached him on his wing paddle technique. A picture of Brandon, our motor in the [...]

Last night marked the return of the much-loved, heavily relied-upon, painful-for-most (this time of year, anyway), but truly THE staple of all Bellingham racers’ training diet: The Weekly Wednesday Night 3.5-mile Race on Lake Whatcom, out of Bloedel Donovan Park. The weather was invitingly warm, calm and clear for this time of year in the [...]

In Bellingham, if you find yourself wearing a goofy, green costume while running elbow-to-elbow in a half-mile-long river of cheering runners, or jumping into arctic-cold Lake Padden in nothing but your swimsuit in mid-winter while surrounded by 100′s of other ridiculously enthusiastic people doing the exact same thing — chances are, City of Bellingham Parks [...]

A year and a half ago, when we were shopping for our current Sudden Valley home, we visited house after house. Then, we found ‘THE ONE’. The first time I sat on the perfectly staged couch in the living and looked out into the 100′s of acres of protected forest across the street that backs [...]