Weekend of Freckle-Making (aka: weekend of outdoorsy-ness)
March 31, 2009
This past weekend was chock-full of outdoorsy adventures! (too bad I somehow managed to gain back 2.5 pounds of the precious weight I’ve lost since January during this past week in spite of all my exercise, but I’m not going to dwell in a sea of self-hating and pity…… [why meeeeeee?!])
Moving on — this weekend!
On Saturday Chris and I went to Half Moon Bay and took a beginner sea kayaking class! And on Sunday we, along with his friend Christina, went on an almost 70 mile bike ride to Pescadero and back (back via Tunitas… *cue scary music of doom and despair!!*)
So how’d it all go down
Sea Kayaking
I’ve wanted to try sea kayaking again ever since I tried sit-on-top sea kayaking in Maui back in high school. And, since I wanted to treat Chris to a really cool activity in honor of our two month anniversary (…don’t laugh. Why shouldn’t we think of every possible reason to celebrate and do fun stuff?!), I thought this would be an awesome time to give it a whirl.
So we arrived at 8:45 and found out that there were only going to be three students! Us and one other girl. I started thinking that the low teacher student ratio was really really awesome right when I sat down in my sea kayak for the first time and had a little panic attack when I realized that I was like really really stuck in a contraption that could capsize with me still wedged in it.
The morning was spent practicing basic maneuvering skills (i.e. turning left, right, front and backwards paddling, etc.) in very calm waters. I had a case of déjà vu when I watched my paddle go into the water, which was kinda neat. [déjà vu because I rowed for UCLA my freshman year, which means I’ve seen an oar go in water a lot more often than pretty much 99.99% of the population]
We then had a nice lunch break over on a dog-friendly beach. This was cool with me but I’m telling you right now it was not so cool with the instructor. I didn’t think it possible for someone to hate dogs but if he doesn’t than he comes damn close. My guess – he’s had one too many unleashed and unmonitored dogs interrupt his teaching so he’s just sick of it.
After lunch it was time for our self-rescue practice, which means it’s time for us to purposely capsize our boats and learn how to get out (and then back in) safely.
Apparently it showed that I was less than enthusiastic about this business and, accordingly, he said I would go first. Eeekk!! When he first showed us the steps of how to get back in the boat I started laughing. Not “this is so funny” laughing but “holy shit this is ridiculous, I’m going to die” nervous laughing. I tried to explain that sometimes I can’t help but laugh when I’m nervous but I always worry people just think I’m an ass. Oh well. The laughing continued (though I did try and turn away while I did it).
After we all practiced it on the shore (which looks hilarious) it was time. I got in my kayak, Chris wished me luck and pushed my boat in (since I’m not so good at the getting-the-boat-to-go-from-shore-to-water bit) and I was on my way. The instructor was out standing in the water waiting for me to come up to him. The idea was that he’d walk me through the first time and, of course, be right there in case I totally flipped out (and, as a side note, I asked and in fact some people do need to basically be saved because they freak!)
After some protracted laughing and asking him if he was ready, I counted to three (“one” …. “two” …. gigglegiggle….. “twwwwoooooo”…… “two and a half” …… giggglee……. giggle….. “twoooooooooo ok”Capsize!) and did it!
Holy shit Half Moon Bay is cold.
Turns out I don’t have the arm strength to get myself and my giant life vest back on my boat so he taught me another method on the fly. It was a lot easier! I finally got back in, yelled “I’m alive!!” and paddled back to shore to trade spots with my two big-eyed comrades.
And, I found out, Chris recorded the whole thing!
Chris was next and he, unsurprisingly, did in fact have the strength to get himself up on his kayak. Blah blah who really needs upper body strength anyway?
The best part of the experience was definitely what happened next – partner rescue. So basically instead of rescuing yourself you enlist the help of your partner. I volunteered to go first and Chris was supposed to come rescue me. (romantic, I know). Well turns out prince charming can’t hack it! As he got his boat next to mine I guess my boat (and I’m already in the water holding onto my capsized boat at this point) started floating away from him. So, instead of paddling to it, he just reached out to grab it. Well, he lost his center of balance in the process and capsized himself!!
So there we were… both in the water.
I was laughing. Freezing but laughing.
I then waited until the other girl came over to rescue me while the instructor got Chris. By the time it was all over I was in that friggin ice water for way too long because I swear I couldn’t reattach my spray skirt thing to the lip of my kayak because I couldn’t feel my fingers well enough!
But let’s face it… I’d do it all over again… if only for the joy of telling Chris he couldn’t save me. 
So that was sea kayaking! It was fun and I think we’re going to try and rent some and practice a big before taking the next class.
Biking
Route: Chris’ – Stanford (to pick up Christina) – Alpine – Old la Honda – then I think we descend the other side of it (?) – ????? – Pescadero and DELICIOUS food!!! – Stage Rd. – ?? – Tunitas climb of doom – Kings – Woodside – home!
Distance: 67 miles
Time: all day (left at about 10:30 and got back at, I believe, 6!)
What can I say? It was my first time riding with Chris and Christina together and I was a bit nervous I’d totally suck compared to them. But, it turns out, I did alright. I was the slowest going up Tunitas but other than that we were all together the entire time. (Well… Chris stayed with me on Tunitas because he’s sweet and values his life but you know what I mean!)
I love cycling and all that but what really makes long all day rides like that worth it is the food. Seriously. The Pescadero bakery place is so delicious I could shed a baby tear. I got an awesome turkey sandwich made with the freshest sourdough roll and a carrot cupcake-muffin thing that puts even Sprinkles to shame! Oh and we got a blueberry scone, too. God food tastes so good after biking.
So I made it back alive (though that descent down Kings scared me a fair bit) and was super proud of myself!
That’s, for better or worse, the longest ride I’ve probably done since Eric and I last rode to Pescadero! And I’ve got to pick it up if I’m going to survive the AIDS ride come the end of May!
El fin!
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5 Responses to “Weekend of Freckle-Making (aka: weekend of outdoorsy-ness)”
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You rocked it this weekend!
The route was RWC–Stanford–up Alpine–Portola–up OLH–down West OLH–down CA-84–up and over Pescadero–Stage Rd (WINDY!!!)–CA-1–up Tunitas–down Kings–Woodside. 6200 ft of climbing.
I think your kayak story is one of the funniest things I’ve read in a long time!!!
XO, Melissa
Great story, Kiddo. . .though I still don’t get the bike riding. . .dontcha kids have cars? They’re pretty neat. Go long distances. . .keeps the weather off you. . .kinda fast. . .I think they’ll catch on.
Kayaking sounds like so much fun! I want to go with you. Love the pictures. Maybe I will paint you in the kayak for the picture you want. Love you, cupcake
What is the google ethics and compliance team?