Biography
While a Boy Scout in the '60s, my troop built 5 fiberglass canoes which we paddled on the Colorado River and surfed in the beaches of Southern California. That's where my on-again, off-again relationship with paddle power has its roots. Now I just enjoy getting on the water with other folks who enjoy the same thing.
In other chapters of my life, I have been a scoutmaster, rock climber, backpacker, mountain climber, water-skier, surfer, front man in a rock band, instructor, missionary, engineer, paraglider, father of 4, grandfather to 14, and husband to 1. I lived on a boat in the San Francisco Bay for a year, in Spain for 2 years, and have visited many countries in Asia and Western/Central Europe with my jobs, along with Russia, Mexico and Egypt for pleasure. It's been a pretty full life, and it's not slowing down. I am currently a Toshiba HDD engineer supporting HPE in Houston.
Back to the paddling topic, I enjoy the peace and scenery of the bayous, and I love the flow and interesting features of rivers. I found that I am not a big fan of distance racing - paddling in the dark and in icy conditions in the Texas Winter 100 helped me form this opinion. I have enjoyed the limited sea kayaking I have done, but I prefer the more intimate connection with land and scenery. I enjoy riffles and Class 1-3 rapids quite a bit, and I especially enjoy the "mini expedition" paddles in West Texas (Big Bend and Pecos River) and the Buffalo River in northern Arkansas.
My “card-carrying” relevant memberships include ACA, Houston Canoe Club, Arkansas Canoe Club, American Whitewater, and the Rocky Mountain Sea Kayaking Club.
I have owned and paddled a large variety of kayaks and canoes, but today you will find me in one of the following:
- a 10' polyethylene Piranha Fusion crossover kayak in green/yellow for longer (mini expedition) whitewater
- a 9'4" polyethylene Dagger Katana crossover kayak in red for bony and whitewater
- a 16' fiberglass Necky Eliza touring kayak with a red deck and a white hull for lakes
- a 14' Old Town Osprey canoe in green Royalex for when my wife wants to join me