Trial & Error
Okay... So... Kayaking to work is not an option.
For the first time in at least 5 years, I got my kayak[1] wet (no, that isn't a euphemism!).
Spring Creek runs through Lodi. When I started working at my present job in town, I was rather excited about being able to bike to work. During a conversation with friends, the idea came up that I could kayak to work. The creek is about 100 yards from my house, and about 200 yards from work. The potential is definitely there.
Well, I saw the reality today.
I set in at the Veterans' Memorial Park (a few hundred yards upstream from my house). From there to downtown is just too shallow. The average depth is less than 6 inches, and there's all sorts of large rocks strewn throughout the creek. I was bottomed out more than I was floating, I think.
From downtown to Habermann Park, the water depths were (mostly) okay, but there were a number of fallen trees that obstructed the path enough to make getting by them really difficult. Add in the several shallow areas, and it became rather annoying.
Through Habermann and Goeres parks (they're right across the street from one another) the issue was mostly just water depth. Through Goeres Park, the water was (barely) deep enough, but the thick "seaweed" growth acted like a brake and made it difficult to move forward.
Past Goeres Park, the water was almost always deep enough, but there were several rather significant obstructions. From Goeres Park to Highway J, Spring Creek runs through "wilderness". It's basically an area of pseudo-marsh and woods; incredibly beautiful, but utterly unmaintained. Storms are continually inflicting damage on the trees through that area, and the several storms we've had recently have really done some damage. I passed two blockages where I had to get out of the kayak and either go over or around the obstruction--and several others that made it very difficult to get past. I actually ran into a trio of guys (two with a canoe, one with a kayak) who were out trying to clear the obstructions enough to let boaters (canoe & kayak) pass by. I need to find out who they were so I can offer to help next time.
If it weren't for the obstructions (and they were very large and troublesome) that stretch of the creek would be rather nice to travel.
Once I got past the Highway J bridge (where I would stop if I were going to work) the going got much easier. The guys I met earlier said that the best section is from Highway J to Okee Bay (where Spring Creek empties into Lake Wisconsin). From the little bit I saw, I have to agree. I didn't go very far past the Hwy J bridge (I'd been on the water for at least an hour and a half by that point), but what I saw was rather nice. Once I passed J, I decided that the 3rd obstruction (however minor) would be my signal to turn around and head back. There were 2 instances where a farmer had stretched half-inch aircraft cable across the creek (to keep their cows in, I guess). I had to duck to get under those. Then I came to the tree laid across the creek. It didn't fall there on it's own like all the previous arboreal obstructions (this area is all open meadow--no trees), so it was obviously placed there intentionally by the farmer. At that point, I turned around and headed back to Hwy J.
Oh... Did I mention that I was traveling downstream this whole time? Yeah. Turning around meant going against the current. At its fiercest, Spring Creek is not exactly a powerful body of water. However, after about 2 hours on the water (and taking into consideration my extreme "lack of being in shape"), that last couple hundred yards against the current was somewhat of a challenge. :)
I pulled out at the Hwy J bridge, and just left my kayak, paddle, and life jacket on the shore there. Then I walked home, got in my car, and drove out to pick them up. I could have carried them the few hundred yards to work, and just walked home, but that would have meant driving into work on Monday (rather than riding my bike) so I decided against it.
So.... The whole glamorous concept of kayaking to work is completelyblown out of the water (pardon the pun). However I've rekindled my interest in kayaking. I figure that the smart plan is to put the kayak in my car, drive to Okee, head upstream as far as I can, then turn around and take it easier going back downstream to where I parked the car. That puts the hard part at the beginning (when I have more strength and energy) and the easy part at the end--a much smarter plan than going downstream for the first part, then having to fight the current after I'm already tired.
To be honest, the hardest part of the whole adventure was the walk from Hwy J to home. That was about 1.5 miles, and at the end, I was operating purely on rhythm; if I had been required to stop at any point, I don't know if I could have started walking again. It really hurts to admit this. I used to walk for miles just for the sake of walking. 4 or 5 miles at a strong stride (4-5 mph) was nothing. If I managed 2 mph on the walk home, I'd be surprised. And I hurt when I got home.
I'll probably feel the repercussions of this little excursion tomorrow or Monday--sore muscles in my arms and/or chest--but I don't care. Even with all the obstructions and "beachings" and other problems, I had a great time today. I think I'm going to make an effort to get out in the kayak every weekend (maybe if I do enough paddling, I can get rid of my moobs!).
So, while the "kayak to work" idea is a failure, the adventure was, in total, a success. I'll just keep biking to work, and save my kayaking for the weekends. I can live with that. :)
[1] I have a Cricket "sit on top" kayak. It's a very low-end kayak, and doesn't require the skill level that a traditional kayak does. If I tip over, I just fall out into the water. I don't have to be able to flip the kayak back over to keep from drowning like you have to do with a "real" kayak.
For the first time in at least 5 years, I got my kayak[1] wet (no, that isn't a euphemism!).
Spring Creek runs through Lodi. When I started working at my present job in town, I was rather excited about being able to bike to work. During a conversation with friends, the idea came up that I could kayak to work. The creek is about 100 yards from my house, and about 200 yards from work. The potential is definitely there.
Well, I saw the reality today.
I set in at the Veterans' Memorial Park (a few hundred yards upstream from my house). From there to downtown is just too shallow. The average depth is less than 6 inches, and there's all sorts of large rocks strewn throughout the creek. I was bottomed out more than I was floating, I think.
From downtown to Habermann Park, the water depths were (mostly) okay, but there were a number of fallen trees that obstructed the path enough to make getting by them really difficult. Add in the several shallow areas, and it became rather annoying.
Through Habermann and Goeres parks (they're right across the street from one another) the issue was mostly just water depth. Through Goeres Park, the water was (barely) deep enough, but the thick "seaweed" growth acted like a brake and made it difficult to move forward.
Past Goeres Park, the water was almost always deep enough, but there were several rather significant obstructions. From Goeres Park to Highway J, Spring Creek runs through "wilderness". It's basically an area of pseudo-marsh and woods; incredibly beautiful, but utterly unmaintained. Storms are continually inflicting damage on the trees through that area, and the several storms we've had recently have really done some damage. I passed two blockages where I had to get out of the kayak and either go over or around the obstruction--and several others that made it very difficult to get past. I actually ran into a trio of guys (two with a canoe, one with a kayak) who were out trying to clear the obstructions enough to let boaters (canoe & kayak) pass by. I need to find out who they were so I can offer to help next time.
If it weren't for the obstructions (and they were very large and troublesome) that stretch of the creek would be rather nice to travel.
Once I got past the Highway J bridge (where I would stop if I were going to work) the going got much easier. The guys I met earlier said that the best section is from Highway J to Okee Bay (where Spring Creek empties into Lake Wisconsin). From the little bit I saw, I have to agree. I didn't go very far past the Hwy J bridge (I'd been on the water for at least an hour and a half by that point), but what I saw was rather nice. Once I passed J, I decided that the 3rd obstruction (however minor) would be my signal to turn around and head back. There were 2 instances where a farmer had stretched half-inch aircraft cable across the creek (to keep their cows in, I guess). I had to duck to get under those. Then I came to the tree laid across the creek. It didn't fall there on it's own like all the previous arboreal obstructions (this area is all open meadow--no trees), so it was obviously placed there intentionally by the farmer. At that point, I turned around and headed back to Hwy J.
Oh... Did I mention that I was traveling downstream this whole time? Yeah. Turning around meant going against the current. At its fiercest, Spring Creek is not exactly a powerful body of water. However, after about 2 hours on the water (and taking into consideration my extreme "lack of being in shape"), that last couple hundred yards against the current was somewhat of a challenge. :)
I pulled out at the Hwy J bridge, and just left my kayak, paddle, and life jacket on the shore there. Then I walked home, got in my car, and drove out to pick them up. I could have carried them the few hundred yards to work, and just walked home, but that would have meant driving into work on Monday (rather than riding my bike) so I decided against it.
So.... The whole glamorous concept of kayaking to work is completelyblown out of the water (pardon the pun). However I've rekindled my interest in kayaking. I figure that the smart plan is to put the kayak in my car, drive to Okee, head upstream as far as I can, then turn around and take it easier going back downstream to where I parked the car. That puts the hard part at the beginning (when I have more strength and energy) and the easy part at the end--a much smarter plan than going downstream for the first part, then having to fight the current after I'm already tired.
To be honest, the hardest part of the whole adventure was the walk from Hwy J to home. That was about 1.5 miles, and at the end, I was operating purely on rhythm; if I had been required to stop at any point, I don't know if I could have started walking again. It really hurts to admit this. I used to walk for miles just for the sake of walking. 4 or 5 miles at a strong stride (4-5 mph) was nothing. If I managed 2 mph on the walk home, I'd be surprised. And I hurt when I got home.
I'll probably feel the repercussions of this little excursion tomorrow or Monday--sore muscles in my arms and/or chest--but I don't care. Even with all the obstructions and "beachings" and other problems, I had a great time today. I think I'm going to make an effort to get out in the kayak every weekend (maybe if I do enough paddling, I can get rid of my moobs!).
So, while the "kayak to work" idea is a failure, the adventure was, in total, a success. I'll just keep biking to work, and save my kayaking for the weekends. I can live with that. :)
[1] I have a Cricket "sit on top" kayak. It's a very low-end kayak, and doesn't require the skill level that a traditional kayak does. If I tip over, I just fall out into the water. I don't have to be able to flip the kayak back over to keep from drowning like you have to do with a "real" kayak.