Paddling Friends Pagee Page

This is a group who come together to paddle canoes or kayaks (usually flatwater) for an hour or more during the summer in the Lakewood/Mountain area. The PHOTOS page contains slideshows. 2009 will be our fifth season, and already we have friends who are anxious to join us. If you are a (future) paddling friend, we welcome you to come also. We are planning to meet Tuesdays and Thursdays at 4:00pm or 5:00pm; we will add outings on weekends, and mornings (when the weather gets really hot). We will also schedule "Sunset Paddles", where we paddle after supper and watch the sky change colors after the sun sets. Suggest when and where you would like to go.

In 2009, we again have a "Frequent Paddler" card; it has names of many of the lakes/rivers we have been paddling. Keep the card in your glove compartment, and get it punched for the lake we paddle. At the end of the season party, we will give a prize to the one who has the most points accumulated. We will accumulate points for activities involving either Paddling Friends or Hiking Friends, as we don't want to maintain separate groups; after all, we are "friends". Here is the list of points you may earn (per single or couple) during the year:

It would be a good idea to bring not only a dish to pass for our potluck suppers, but also beverages.

Please notice that we are listing Whitewater Paddling Activities for class 1, 2 and 3 rapids. These are listed for those who know how to paddle whitewater. To set them apart, I have highlighted them in light blue.

Google Calendar for Paddling Friends

Here are some hints for using this calendar:

• Notice which month is listed.  Use arrows to find correct month.
• The tabs to the right allow you to view by WEEK, MONTH, or an AGENDA format.
• Click on any item to view additional information.
• There is also an option to PRINT the calendar view currently on the screen.

Kayaking does not mean whitewater, going through rapids, getting wet! The kayaks we use for quietwater paddling are generally 10 feet to 14 feet. The sea kayaks (used on Lake Superior and Lake Michigan) are generally 17 feet long. Whitewater kayaks are much shorter, to allow the paddler to make quick turns. They often use a skirt to keep water out of the boat ("real men wearing skirts?").

As you may know, our yellow lab, Buddy, likes to go with us when we meet to go paddling. He does not like being shut up in the truck while we paddle. Buddy dog paddles alongside our kayaks. We are concerned that he will get overtired, so have purchased a "CFD" (canine flotation device) for Buddy.

National Forest Parking Fees Info

Below are maps for activities we did in 2005 through 2009. You may print them and paddle that lake/river at any time.

Return to Schedule:

Numerals indicate year map was written or revised:

Determine when is the next full moon.

Website design by Rita W. Shores