Time is nearing for another road trip (end of September/October) towards Colorado. Great chance to stop and kayak the Current river in Missouri along the way. Looking forward to the visit with the Carr’s, then to Southern and Northern California for a wedding – then (weather dependent) maybe the Northern arch before returning to the Carolina’s, “running the fence lines” my Dad might say.
Since paddling Ocracoke in April I’ve been resigned to ‘hang close,’ saving for the trip while at the same time enjoying the cabin-life at Lake Cherokee.
It became an unexpected bonus to have the kayak so handy that it simply takes the urge, a fresh beverage, and in no time I’m gliding backwards from the dock onto the flatwater and paddling towards the shady side, all the while watching for wildlife, relaxing, and pondering simple observations – the kayak has become as comfortable as any lawn chair I’ve ever sat in.
With this time I have accomplished several things, 1- improving on my fly-rod casting from the kayak, its still coming along, but I was initially reminded about the the laws of inertia – you know that equal and opposite action thing. It seems as you cast that the kayak absorbs the motion and moves in the opposite direction making the cast less effective, then the kayak drifts into the line – its getting better, but I only see more time to improve. I’d also like to have or invent a rod-holder which lays the rod out the bow.
2- beverage holder, the trick is the container because there are few places that you can actually put a beverage ‘holder’ in a kayak that’s not in the way (or will be spilled) – and on occasion I want something other than a bottle of water.. I’ve got this one mastered.
3- a camera holder on the bow also, I’m working this one – it just may have to double as a rod-holder or vise versa, I would’ve loved to had one at Juniper Springs.
Simply-put there is alot of highway between here and there and I want to see it without being in a real hurry – the ‘Chuck-wagon’s’ been checked-out, wheels/bearings-packed and I’m ready to ride.
The Chuck-wagon
Besides all the interesting stuff along the highway, I would like to kayak below the Hoover Dam, and with the time remaining before departure I”ll continue to ‘googling’ all my options to make the most of such a trip. Certainly I will post as I go, Why-not?
Life at 60, (mph) 
Feb 15, 2012 @ 15:49:44
Re the rod holder: A piece of foam (to get the angle), a separate “paddlepark” just for the rod, with the right length and location so one can easily snag it when the time comes, and Bob’s your uncle. Maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t think there’s a decent rod-holder made that’s fully suitable for casting or trolling from a kayak
Not so hard to do on most 12-footers, but now I’m scaling into a 10ft. Pyranha Fusion where it might be a bit dicier what with the smaller real-estate. I want a boat I can roll when it gets too hot (as well as playinng in WW). The 12-footer doesn’t hack it. The fishing shirt trick is reliable, but not as much fun. Besides, hanging upside down with a mask on clues you to stuff you miss rightside up. (Wish those Water Mocassins were a bit more amenable, though. But it is their world more than ours, as it were.)
I think the camera-holder that doubles as a rodholder is a worthy goal…especially if you use a waterproof Go-Pro or something else you can control with a remote. (The fine art of blending high-tech with lo-tech yakking…) This’d be real handy to document the one that never got aboard and about which the nagging never stops.
LikeLike