Monday, July 27, 2009

Odell Lake Pioneer Cup Paddle Race 2009 Winners


This years' 29th Annual Pioneer Cup Paddle Race 2009 on Odell Lake, Oregon was a success! Originally a 5 mile downwind canoe race, this year there were only two canoes out of the 32 vessels entered. This paddle race at Odell Lake, Oregon is fun for kayak surf skis, traditional kayaks, canoes, stand up paddle boards and outriggers. This year there were two of the new type of craft by Hobie with the Hobie Mirage Drive.

Despite the U.S. Forest Service warning about the lake algae, the paddle race went off without a hitch. John Milandin (the race organizer) offered himself as a guinea pig telling the racers that the prior evening he'd bathed his arms and face in the lake water and survived unscathed. One guy observed that John even looks younger after his lake water treatment!

Special thanks to John and Janet Milandin and their grand daughter Darby Sullivan for organizing the event. Thanks to the two Odell Lake lodges that offer support: Odell Lake Lodge on the East end (rustic log lodge hotel with restaurant) on the downwind side of the lake and Shelter Cove at the West end (RV and tent camping with a little store).

Odell Lake Lodge hosted the post-race BBQ on their deck. A yummy fresh potato salad helped the racers pile back on any lost carbs from the exertion. Thanks also to Ryan Lewis the chef and Bill Meyers the race timer.

Here's a list of winners: There were no gender or age groups -- just classes based on the vessel.

1st OVERALL: Tinh Vu 36:55 (all of the top three winners were on surf-ski style kayaks)
2nd OVERALL: Pam Stevenson 41:10
3rd OVERALL: Patrick Erwert 41:10 (apparently, Ladies are "first"in the Pioneer Cup!)

Erick Scharffenberg and Del Scharffenberg 41:55 canoe
Doug Gomez and Martin Gyorgufalyf 41:60 kayak tandem
Jason Tedrow 44:00 outrigger
David Smullin 44:30 kayak
Ron Taylor 44:44 kayak
John Kelly 45:30 kayak
Bard Kraler and Joe Quang 45:33 canoe
Peter Miller 46:36 outrigger
Lisa Jakubowski 47:14 kayak
Michael Heare 47:40 kayak
Chuck Tucker 49:51 kayak
Paul Reznick 49:53 kayak
Ken Briegleb 52:37 kayak
Mary Parker and Bino Fowler 53:04 Kayak tandem
Rachel Mavis 53:42 Kayak
Celine Godin and RObert Oborne 54:39 Kayak tandem
Kerie Raymond 55:36 outrigger
Todd Whitby 55:44 kayak
Regan Ertle 56:24 kayak
Thomas Dean 56:51 SUP
Randall Barna 57:25 SUP
Tim Kerns 1:03:52 Kayak
Suzie Miller 1:4:14 SUP
Isabella Acosta Barna 1:04:28 SUP
Dennis Oliphant 1:04:28 SUP
Debbie Delateur 1:05:52 Kayak
Nancy Jumper 1:07:39 kayak
Bob "Captain Sawdust" Jumper 1:08:13 SUP
Hannah Olson 1:08:15 SUP
Cristina Acosta 1:08:57 SUP (Winner of the overall memorable (but not coveted) Sightseer Award!)

The Pioneer Cup Paddle Race at Odell Lake is so much fun. It's always on the fourth Saturday of July, so mark your calendars accordingly. Read more about past Odell Lake Pioneer Cup Paddle Races with information about where to camp and stay.

Do you want good stand up paddle gear for the race? Remember life jackets are now required for stand up paddle boards that are not in surf zones. Get your comfy life jacket at our on-line store.

www.StandUpPaddleFlatwater.com

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Planning a Group Beach Trip to Pacific City

Places to Paddle Circa Bend, Oregon:
WHERE: Pacific City aka Cape Kiwanda, Oregon
DISTANCE: About 4 hour drive from Bend, Oregon.
SEASON: All year. Fall is best for weather

Stand up paddling or surfing on the Oregon Coast can be a family trip if you go to Pacific City, Oregon. Pacific City (or PC) is a favorite place for paddler boarders and surfers from Central Oregon.

I put together a list of accommodations within short (100 yards) walking distance of each other that would suit all levels of amenities and prices at Cape Kiwanda so that you'd know what to book if you want to travel with a group of people. From tent camping to luxury cottages, Pacific City / Cape Kiwanda has something for everyone.
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The Cottages -- Gorgeous new buildings that have level access (easy for walking). These cottages have a direct view of the area of surf.
  • The cottages have 2 and 3 bedroom options.
  • The Dory Fleet ships out and in on that section of beach -- always entertaining.
  • Also the tide pools and the big dune that many people hike up are also right there. If you want to watch the activity from the comfort of the living room or deck, you don't have to go anywhere.
  • Also -- if want to go to the beach without walking the 100 feet, there is a driveway for the dory boats (and anyone else) to drive onto the beach (another source of endless entertainment).
Here's the link to photos of The Cottages
Here's a link to the rental page for the Cottages
Here's the phone from the website: 888-965-7001 rentals@kiwandacottages.com

The Inn at Cape Kiwanda
(owned by the same company that owns The Cottages) - This is a decent hotel with renovated rooms that all have a view of the ocean and a little deck, gas fireplaces, etc. You can see from the website that it is a very short walk to The Cottages and is half-way between the beach and the RV park.
The contact number is the same as above: 888-965-7001

Cape Kiwanda RV Park - This has many low priced options (we'll camp here) that includes camping (tents & trailers), camping cottages and deluxe cottages (very nice and new). None of the park has ocean views, but the store/office is next to The Inn at Cape Kiwanda, so it is a short walk to the other locations. The RV park includes an indoor pool and hot tub,
Children's play structures, market / ice cream / souvenir store, pizza place, laundry machines and bunnies hopping around the park.
Contact number is: 503-965-6230

Here's a link to our Stand Up Paddle blog that has a couple entries we made about our visits to Pacific City.

Check out our website for SUP stand up paddle boards that are good in the surf and flatwater.
www.StandUpPaddleFlatwater.com

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Nose Ride on Crescent Lake



Ready to try a nose ride? Stand up paddleboarding got you down? Al Paterson has the answer. And it looks like fun. Al is on a SUP stand up paddle board behind a boat on Crescent Lake, Oregon. You can read about Crescent Lake paddling or other places to paddle near Bend, Oregon. I asked Al a few questions that might interest anyone else ready to cross nose-ride off of their bucket list.

How fast is the boat going?
15 - 20 mph.

What's your board length?
This SUP board is an 11'6. A shorter board will let you work the wake better with a bigger bow wave. The longer board was great for his little wave.This boat didn't have a big wake so that I couldn't really let go of the rope as I wasn't carrying a paddle.

What speed did the boat start at to get you going?
One mph is all you need.

Any other tips?
Ride with a short rope and start right behind the boat.

Thanks Al for your info -- Note from Cristina: Be careful not to do this behind a exposed boat prop.
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Buy your paddleboards and stand up paddle gear from us at www.StandUpPaddleFlatwater.com



Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Amundson Stand Up Paddle Board Rocks Surf and Flatwater


Judy Shasek loves her new Amundson Aquaglide 11'3" SUP paddle board. Here's a photo of her rippin' down a wave at Pacific City, Cape Kiwanda, Oregon.

The Amundson is a sweet paddleboard. Thin rails carve in waves and make this SUP board easier to handle from your car to the beach. Fast in flatwater, great in ocean waves, picks up wind-driven lake waves. Fiberglass construction is tough. The Amundson is a great all around paddleboard for anyone weighing under 170 pounds.

The soft deck of the Amundson paddleboard saves you the cost of deck pads. If windsurfing is your thing, you can attach a rig in the center slot of the Amundson paddle board and have another way to play! The Amundson Aquaglide is a favorite SUP paddleboard because it's easy to handle both off and on the water. Thank you John Amundson for shaping such a great stand up paddle board.

FREE SHIPPING AND NO TAX IN OREGON Aquaglide Amundson length: 11'3" width: 29.5" weight 27" volume 180L. Compare this board with the Laird Gloss 11' 6" and the Soft top Laird 11' 6". Windsurfable (has a center slot for the mast).

Check out our Stand Up Paddle Boards.

www.StandUpPaddleFlatwater.com.

Monday, July 20, 2009

Yellowstone and other Places to Paddle from Al & Kay


Click here for Al and Kay's Yellowstone Road Trip album


Bring your stand up paddle board on a vacation and add more adventure and fun to your trip!
Al Paterson and his partner Kay sent us photos of their trip road trip from Bend, Oregon to Yellowstone. In Yellowstone and along the way, Al got some time on his SUP paddle board, even finding a section of river rapids to experience.

Al said that this photo of his first time on river rapids should be depicting how challenging it is. But -- the light was flat so the water looks flatter than it was. Any of us that have tried even a few riffles on rivers know that current, rocks and water speed can make the experience scary.

Read more about other adventures Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons.

www.StandUpPaddleFlatwater.com
Thank you for buying your SUP gear from us, we appreciate your support.

Friday, July 17, 2009

Sarong Sailing SUPs




Flatwater stand up paddling on lakes usually involves wind of some sort if you're out past noon. My friend, Judy Shasek and I were playing around on Hosmer Lake last week and came up with a lot of things to laugh about while we experimented with our SUP boards.

Memories of catching the wind on windsurfers inspired Judy and I to take advantage of a tail wind and try some sailing. Since I often travel with sarongs (as SPF, clothing, mosquito distractor, etc.) I was ready.

I whipped my sarong into the air with a gust and Judy and I made a jib sail between us. It worked so well that we returned the next day with two sarongs and caught downwind puffs singly wherever we could. We even convinced Judy's husband, Ed to give it a try.

I painted these sarongs on silk and cotton and was totally grooving on how they looked filled with air and lit through with sunlight. Silk was definitely the material that won the day as a sarong sail. Silk is strong, lightweight and catches the wind easily. It also looks good on.

Judy and I got so caught up in sarong sailing that we almost re-invented the windsurfer!

Judy's husband, Ed Shasek took the photos (unless he was in them).
www.StandUpPaddleFlatwater.com

www.StandUpPaddleFlatwater.com
Thank you for buying your SUP gear from us, we appreciate your support.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Jon Weishaupt Needs a Hello

An active paddler in our group and a good friend to all, Jon Weishaupt, was in the hospital ICU following brain surgery for a brain tumor. You can follow his progress on a website www.caringbridge.org and enter jonweishaupt. We were wondering where Jon was for our 35 mile paddle last month and now we know.

Jon usually is up for any adventure and we're sure that he will approach what he's going through with the same vigor, determination and success.

Jon, we'll be thinking of you and sending get well wishes. If you're able to contribute meals or any other support to John and his family, details are on John's website.
Photos: Jon at Halloween. In the group shot, Jon is the second from the left.

www.StandUpPaddleFlatwater.com

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Yoga on Board

Yogini, Judy Shasek was inspired to take her yoga practice out of the studio and onto her stand up paddle board on to the High Cascade Lakes near her home in Bend, Oregon. Judy didn't seem fazed that two months ago Hosmer Lake was covered in ice and snow. She took the lunge position and tipped herself over.

Judy made it look so easy. "How hard could it be?" I asked myself. As you can see, it wasn't so easy. I tipped over and kept on tipping, right into the VERY cold Hosmer Lake snow-melt fed water.

Someday, in warm waters I may perfect my SUP yoga. Till then, I'll keep my practice on land.


Click here to read about other Places to Paddle circa Bend, Oregon.

www.StandUpPaddleFlatwater.com
Thank you for buying your SUP gear from us, we appreciate your support.

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Bend, Oregon Standup Paddling Subject of Register-Guard Article in Eugene Register Guard

Euegene, Oregon, Register-Guard reporter Mike Stahlberg interviewed Randall for his article, Stand up and Paddle!, on stand up paddle boarding in Oregon. The Pacific Northwest is renowned for water - lakes, rivers and the coastal waters give paddleboarders a choice of adventures every weekend. Thanks to the Register-Guard in Eugene, Oregon for spreading the word about stand up paddle boarding. Here's an excerpt of his article:

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Stand up and paddle!Some Oregonians are getting their feet wet in ‘new’ board sport

Appeared in print: TuesdayJul 7, 2009

Sports: Outdoors: Story

BEND — A spinoff of the world’s oldest board sport is the newest wave to hit the Oregon outdoor recreation scene.

It’s called Stand Up Paddling (SUP), although the Polynesians who invented it thousands of years ago no doubt had a different term for it.

The sport is exactly what the name implies — you stand on an oversized surf board and propel yourself with a long paddle.

Surfers — led by big wave icon Laird Hamilton — began returning to their roots several years ago, using paddles to propel themselves to catch waves rather than lying on their board and “swimming.”

It turns out stand-up paddling is a surf sport that doesn’t require an ocean. Hence, the emergence of flatwater SUP on inland lakes and rivers.

The most visible venue for flatwater SUP in Oregon is in Bend. Here, in view of patrons of riverside eateries in the tony Old Mill District, a dozen stand-up paddlers can be seen plying the Deschutes River between the Bill Healy and Colorado Avenue bridges on a Friday afternoon.

“It was phenomenal! Super fun!” said Kip Roseman of Bend shortly after completing his maiden SUP voyage — with his 3-year-old daughter, Pema, sitting on the board in front of him.

“She’s already asking when we can go again,” said Roseman, who grew up surfing. “It’s a great core workout, but also really mellow.”

Learning to stand up and paddle is simple, said Tom Dean, a Bend yoga instructor who also loves whitewater kayaking.

“If you can stand on one foot, you can do it,” Dean said. “You’re just balancing on your feet. … If you want an easy paddle, it’s easy. If you want a challenge, you can make it challenging. It’s good for everybody.”

Stand-up paddling and kayaking “are complete opposites,” Dean said. “One is full of adrenalin and a rush of excitement and fear. Then the paddle boarding is calming and peaceful and meditative. Both are full of fun.”

Stand-up paddlers make surprisingly good time going upriver, some moving faster than people walking on the riverside paths.

Paddling upriver — or even across a lake — can be quite a workout. Some call it “the best workout on water,” which is part of the appeal. Stand-up paddling is used as a cross-training exercise by some professional athletes, including Lance Armstrong.

Bend’s emergence as a stand-up paddling hot spot can be traced to a trio of former surfers, including Gerry Lopez, who moved his board-manufacturing business from Hawaii to Central Oregon a few years ago to pursue snowboarding. Dave Chun also moved his Kiola Paddles here. Both were among the first stand-up paddlers on the Deschutes.

Most active in promoting stand-up paddling locally, however, has been Randall Barna, an Orthotics maker with a long history in board sports.

Barna was among the pioneer Oregon surfers who braved the cold coastal waters without wetsuits in the 1960s.

He eventually took up the then-new sport of windsurfing and opened the first windsurfing school in Oregon in the 1980s.

He now operates an online SUP business (www.standuppaddleflatwater.com) and spearheads outings, including a weekly 4:30 p.m. Friday paddle that begins at the grassy area near Alder Creek Canoe and Kayak, where rental SUPs are available. . . . 

. . . The sport’s popularity isn’t hurt by the fact that Jennifer Aniston, Tom Hanks and Pierce Brosnan are among those who have been photographed being stand-up celebrities.

Meanwhile, lake marinas are also getting into the SUP act. Resorts at Elk Lake and Floras Lake are among those renting stand-up boards.

Other waters where one can see stand-up paddlers in action include Odell Lake (where a stand-up paddle division is included in the 29th annual Odell Lake Pioneer Cup canoe and kayak races, set for 11 a.m. July 25.)

The boards themselves are thicker, wider and longer than most standard surfboards.

SUPs range from 9 1/2 feet to more than 12 feet in length, and retail for $700 to $2,500. Adjustable-length paddles go for $90 to $500.

The expense is related to the amount of ultralightweight epoxy used, said Tom Werner, another Bend boarder.

“The sport just evolved because of the technology,” Werner said. “They’re able to make them wider and thicker and longer and still keep the weight down.”

Some SUP boards come with a mast-mounting slot that allows them to be used for windsurfing as well.

One controversy involving SUPs is whether they are legally a vessel — and thus subject to life jacket requirements — or a surfboard, for which life preservers are not required.

An article in The Bulletin newspaper of Bend earlier this year quoted a U.S. Coast Guard memorandum that stated SUPs are considered a vessel when “used for transportation” but not when being used inside “the narrow limits of swimming, surfing or bathing area.” . . . READ MORE at the Register Guard

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Buy your stand up paddle boarding paddles, boards and accessories from us at Stand Up Paddle Flatwater. We'll guide you to get the gear that's best for you and the conditions you paddle in.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Sunriver Marina Closed to Public Launch

The Sunriver Marina launch on the Deschutes River, Oregon (next to the Trout House Restaurant in Sunriver) is now closed to the public. If you had the idea that you'd check out Sunriver Resort, going to the Marina and launching your stand up paddle board, now you can't.

We recommend that you launch at Harper Bridge and paddle to Benham Falls for an easy and beautiful Deschutes downriver ten mile paddle through the Sunriver Resort area. It's an easier shuttle. You don't have to wind through the traffic and circles of Sunriver Resort (it can be a zoo in the summer) and the Harper Bridge put in adds 3 miles more to the river trip.

The Harper Bridge launch does not require a U.S. Forest Service permit as it's Highway property. The Benham Falls launch area requires a parking pass. You can get a NW Forest pass for $25.00 at most any sporting goods store or National Forest office. Sometimes the parking area has a paid parking box where you can buy a $5.00 per day parking pass.

Read about how to get to the Harper Bridge - Benham Falls stretch of the Deschutes River and what to expect on our post Deschutes River, Oregon: Harper Bridge to Benham Falls.
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Here's the copy of the text from the Sunriver Resort paid advertisement/notice in the July 1, 2009, Bend Bulletin, Bend, Oregon:

Due to the severe environmental impact and the current conditions of the surrounding riparian areas, the private boat ramp at the Sunriver Resort Marina will be closed to the public as of 5 pm Friday, July 3 (2009). This includes motorized boats and all other flat watercrafts (canoes, kayaks, rafts and other inflatables). All interested boaters may either rent a watercraft through Sunriver Resort Marina and launch from the private doc or access the river via designated public launch sites. Information about access to lakes and rivers in national forests in Central Oregon is available at www.fs.fed.us/r6/centraloregon.
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www.StandUpPaddleFlatwater.com
Thank you for buying your SUP gear from us, we appreciate your support.