Local rivers and lakes. The water doesn't freeze here, so we get year round paddling. Though it is a bit chilly in Jan/Feb. Try to get to Florida once a year (picking up a Fenn Elite Double soon from Bruce at Venturesport.. good excuse to go to S. Florida) and back to Hawaii as much as I can afford.

Outdoors Inc Canoe and Kayak Race in Memphis. It's great because there are so many paddlers and the Mississippi is so huge and squirrely at Memphis. World class competitors every year.

A buddy I introduced to surfskis. He came from sea kayak background and picked up paddling surfski quick on a second hand Icon. Well... quick for learning on an Icon!

- Bimini Hoe, 50 mile OC6 race from the Bahamas to Miami.
- Watertribe Ultra Marathon, 67 mile unassisted race from Tampa Bay to Port Charlotte, Florida in the Gulf of Mexico.
- Outdoors Inc Memphis Canoe and Kayak race, many times. 2 years ago finished 3rd behind Barton and another great SC paddler, Pete Greene. Finished 1st canoe one year.
- Tennessee River Blueway Race, won the past two years. Great new race.
- Got an award for most hulis at Weeki Wachee race in Florida one year due to rudder problems on that swift, twisty river.
- Made 500m/1000m finals at K1 sprint national champs.
- Hope to do Phatwater, Chicago, or other big race in '09.

More fun than K1 (unless it's super glassy with no boats in the morning, then nothing beats a K1) because I can go out in any conditions and not worry about a thing. Grab the boat and paddle and I'm paddling within 5 minutes. Pure paddling, stripped down to the basics, without all the extraneous gear and maintenance.