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Tuesday, May 8th, 2007

Sailing Tahoe on the Woodwind II

Nothing is quite like sailing on Lake Tahoe. While the lake’s beauty is obvious from nearly any angle, the experience of gliding across its blue waters in a sailboat is something special.

Fortunately, there are alternatives for those of us who don’t happen to own a sailboat. A handful of commercial sailing businesses can be found at the lake including the Woodwind II, a 50-passenger catamaran (twin-hulled) sailboat that offers daily public sailing excursions from April to October.

The Woodwind II, and its sister ship, Woodwind I, which is a smaller, trimaran (three hulled) boat, offer all the pleasures of sailing without doing much of the work. You don’t have to mess with the sails or do anything with a jib. You just sit back and enjoy the ride.

And what a ride.

On one of those warm, sleepy summer days at Tahoe, a cruise on a sail-powered boat, such as either Woodwind, is perfect way to experience the lake the way it was once described by writer Mark Twain.

In his classic book, “Roughing It,” Twain noted that “so singularly clear was the water (at Lake Tahoe) that when it was only twenty or thirty feet deep the bottom was so perfectly distinct that the boat seemed floating in the air . . . we called these boat excursions ‘balloon voyages.”

Indeed, boating on Tahoe offers the sensation of weightlessness; of hovering atop the water rather than sitting in it. On a still day, the water looks so much like glass that there is the temptation to step from the boat and attempt to walk on the lake’s surface, which appears to be made of acrylic rather than liquid. And yet you don’t because you know you will sink.

There is something exhilarating about standing on the deck of a sailboat as it lurches with each gust of wind. A stiff breeze musses your hair and the boat kicks up a misty spray that makes you blink back a tear or two. It might not be as exciting as hunting for Moby Dick but it’s certainly fun.

The Woodwind II, which shares the same dock at Zephyr Cove Resort as the M.S. Dixie II paddle wheeler, heads out into the lake’s blue waters five times daily. Regular cruises, which last about 90-minutes, are scheduled daily at 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.

The Happy Hour cruise, which departs at 5:30 p.m., includes half-price drink specials. At 7 p.m., the catamaran takes a Sunset Champagne cruise, which includes complimentary beer, wine and champagne.

Woodwind II cruise prices (regular) are $28 for adults and $12 for children 3-12. Happy Hour prices are $26 for adults and the Sunset cruise is $36. There is $4 discount on any cruise for seniors over 60.

For more information or to make reservations call 888-867-6394, #2—submitted by Rich Moreno, http://backyardtraveler.blogspot.com.

Monday, May 7th, 2007

Look out Reno, here comes the River Festival

Well I am back in Reno after the World Championships. It turned out to be an awesome event with Bus Eater Wave at a prime flow. I was paddling well and had good rides in the first round. For whatever reason in the second round I kept flushing off the wave and even after watching video I still am not sure why. The bottom line though is that I didn’t put it all together like I needed to and finished 17th. I have been competing for over 15 years now and I am very aware that sometimes things like that just happen, and even though I am disappointed I am certainly not discouraged.

EJ won another World titile which is unbelievable. I know how hard it is to win one Worlds, and am very aware of the commitment that it takes, so the fact that he has now won 4 is mind blowing to me. The guy is straight up a freak of nature and I am glad that I have been around to see this accomplishment. He is without a doubt the best ever, and probably the most dominant that there will ever be.

This coming weekend is the Reno River Festival. I am really looking forward to this event and will be preparing all week long to try to get back to the top of the podium.

Friday, May 4th, 2007

Reno River Festival Next Weekend

It’s almost here! Already many of the pros are arriving in town to begin training for the annual Reno River Festival. You can walk down along the Truckee River and watch them throwing loops, cartwheels, and many other tricks.

RGJ.com has a lot of good articles, photos,  and video regarding the pros and the festival as a whole. Check it out at http://riverfest.rgj.com/

Next weekend there will be a lot going on with thousands of spectators, sponsors, food tents, music, video premiers and much more. Of course, we will be cheering on Reno’s very own Jay Kincaid.  He certainly has more than a couple of fans. It is a beautiful and exciting time to be in Downtown Reno, so come check it out!

Here is a copy of the official press release that went out today:

RENO, Nev. (Friday, May 4, 2007) – The $1.5 million Truckee River Whitewater Park and downtown Reno will soon host thousands of spectators and the world’s top kayakers at the 4th annual Reno River Festival. Top kayakers from America, Australia, Canada, England, Ireland, New Zealand and Norway are set to compete next week in the men’s, women’s and junior’s open freestyle competition. The festival will also include a downriver race and a boater cross competition. The paddling contests will be highlighted by play-by-play announcements, and admission to the events is free.

The Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority (RSCVA) produces the Reno River Festival and expects increased international participation this year because the Freestyle World Championships in Canada conclude on May 5, shortly before the festival.

Among the top competitors are Tennessee resident Eric Jackson, the 2005 and 2006 Reno River Festival men’s freestyle champion and three-time world freestyle kayak champion, and Jay Kincaid, the 2004 Reno River Festival champion who hails from Reno. Training at the Truckee River Whitewater Park has helped Kincaid win pro events in six countries. Challenging Jackson and Kincaid will be another freestyle winner Stephen Wright of Washington D.C., along with Bryan Kirk of Charlottesville, Va., Ben Guska of Palm Bay, Fla., and Maurice (Mo) Kelleher of Ireland.

The returning 2005 and 2006 women’s freestyle champion is Australia’s Tanya Faux. The 32-year-old will compete with 17-year-old Emily Jackson, another member of the Jackson ‘first family’ of kayaking, and the youngest female to navigate the Zambezi and Nile Rivers. Challenging Faux and Jackson will be Ruth Gordon of Canada and New Zealand native Nikki Kelley.

The junior’s competition will see a battle of best friends, as Reno native Jason Craig and Dane Jackson, son of Eric Jackson, go head to head. Now 13-years-old, Dane is the youngest member ever of the U.S. Freestyle Kayak Team, named to the team in 2004.

“It’s always a tight field, and podium placement usually comes down to performance on one or two tricks,” said Jim Litchfield, principal of Fluid Concepts and competition producer for the Reno River Festival.

A true festival, the Reno River Festival celebrations include a whitewater/kayak expo, a charity raft race, demonstrations, clinics, a food and beer garden, live music, and promotions and activities sponsored by the restaurants, lounges, shops and galleries along the River Walk in the heart of downtown Reno. The festival begins with an opening ceremony on Thursday, May 10 and competitions begin on Friday, May 11 running through Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 13.

More information, including directions and a printable parking map, are included at www.RenoRiverFestival.com. For more information on activities in America’s Adventure Place, go to www.VisitRenoTahoe.com, or call 800-FOR-RENO (800-367-7366).

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Wednesday, May 2nd, 2007

Rafting down the Truckee River

My rafting trip, down the Truckee River was one of my best experiences ever.

Gus Moreno

Friday, April 13th, 2007

Staying busy with Collegiate Nationals, Worlds, Reno River Festival…..

The last week was busy with media, promoting the upcoming Collegiate Nationals and Reno River Festival. I shot for a TV show one day and then spent the next day with the News Paper. I think that both projects should come out really well.

Jason Craig and I have been boating a lot together. I have been working with a clock doing timed rides, and generally trying to practice under some kind of pressure. All of my moves here feel really fast, snappy, and good to go.

This weekend I am helping to judge the Collegiate Nationals here in Reno. I am really looking forward to paddling with everyone and watching everyone compete.

The World Championships are only a few weeks away now. I leave next week to head up to the Ottawa River and it will be full on, full time training for me until the event starts. I have myself in great shape, so I should really be able to prepare well with out dealing with fatigue. I have gone back a bit to some of my old ways in terms of how I want to be physically. I used to be big, strong, and very explosive. The last couple of years I have tried to make myself skinny, and weaker, for the sake of staying a lot lighter in my boat. Forget that, right or wrong, I am going back to the old me. Big, strong, explosive and ready to throw down!

I am hopeful, but still a bit skeptical that the Worlds feature will be in and at a prime flow. To the best of my knowledge certain people in the past have made claims to the idea that they can control the water. I have heard such claims before, and never before has the water been controlled for any event that I have ever been to on the Ottawa. I was on the Worlds web site the other day and my concerns were validated. The only reason that I bring this up is that I am really concerned about the risk that this is for he sport. If the water level is good then it could be the best Worlds ever. If the water level is bad then it could be the biggest disaster in Worlds history. It would be a huge blow to the sport of international freestyle competition. My concerns lie only with the sport. Anybody that knows me knows that I will show up at any feature, good or bad, and compete with a great attitude. I have had a great time competing on some really bad features, but I am hopeful that this one will be really good.

Monday, March 26th, 2007

Watching that snow pack

The last few weeks has been fun in the sun here in Reno. The fair weather boaters are coming out of the wood work and it is fun to see everyone on the water. Despite the warmer weather the river really hasn’t come up very much but because of our poor snow pack it might not come up much higher this year. Jason Craig and I have been boating a bunch together, as usual. We have been shooting some video for the new Jackson Kayak promo video, and that has been fun. I don’t often video myself, so I am always surprised how good looking I appear on video. Hmmmm?

Last weekend Lisa and I went up to Eugene to finalize things for our wedding, and I am happy that we don’t have to do that again. I am looking forward to it though as it will be right on the river and all of our friends can spend the day kayaking if they wish. I know that I will be.

This week it is back to training hard. I just registered for the Worlds which is now only weeks away. So, that was kind of a reminder of what is soon to come.

Thursday, February 15th, 2007

Paddling the Brave Wave

I spent the last couple of weeks out east at the Jackson house in Tennessee.

I must have brought the cold weather with me because most days it never got above freezing, which is crazy for that part of the country. The cold didn’t bring us down though. We paddled every day either in the hole at Rock Island or at Brave Wave. I particularly enjoyed the practice time on the wave as I don’t get to spend a lot of time on waves that good. I also got to paddle the new All Star which is unbelievable. Honestly though, it did make me a little bitter that my size, the Super Star, is going to be the last boat finished. Maybe EJ is trying to punish me? He’s messing with me for sure!

When not on the river we played a lot of Ping Pong and lifted weights. Nick, EJ, and I would do a weight workout about every other day and the three of us worked really hard together. I think that I might have grown another peck!

We also set up the projection screen television and had a big super bowl party complete with our own game of foot ball with some of the factory folks. I can’t remember if I my team won or lost, but we must have won. Go Colts!

The last day at Rock Island I popped a rib in my back. I drove to Cookeville to what I would find to be the most red neck Chiropractor ever. This guy was "Hill Billy" to the T, complete with the "business mullet", as I like to call it. He was very good though and within two days I was paddling again.

As always the Jacksons were very hospitable. Despite the fact that they always have plenty of extra bodies eating up their food and sleeping in their beds, they never make us feel like the dirt bags that we are.

Now I am back in Reno. I am kayaking here but have plans to go over to the Feather in the next day or so.

Monday, January 22nd, 2007

Paddling through January

I spent the last week paddling and visiting Jackson Kayak dealers in the North West. Despite the cold it was a great trip. I am now back in Reno until around the end of the month, then it is out to Tennessee for a couple of weeks. My paddling buddy Jason Craig is out there right now, so things are a bit lonely for me on the river right now. None the less, I will be kayaking everyday here in Reno. I am also doing a photo shoot with Reno Magazine at the end of the month, and am looking forward to that.

Jay

 

 

Wednesday, January 10th, 2007

Life is good

Things in Reno have been good. I have been boating most everyday with either of my two paddling partners, Macy and Jason. Jason Craig made a really cool short video of me that is posted on the Jackson Kayak web site. He is obviously very talented at his young age and I can hardly wait to see what he puts together in the future. Other then that I am still bird hunting a couple mornings a week, and wrestling during the evenings. I keep the paddling for the "heat’ of the day.

I am taking off on Sunday to visit a bunch of Jackson Kayak dealers in the North West. I will spend a week hanging out with a bunch of different shops, going boating, and generally getting everyone up to speed on some of our new product. It should be a great time.

I’ll send out a new update when I get back.

 

Jay

Friday, December 29th, 2006

Holiday River Runs

I just got back from week up in Eugene for the holiday and some great kayaking. My first day there I went up the Mckenzie River and got a great high water session in at a rapid called Clover. The bottom left hole was fast and foamy allowing for as good of aerial tricks as any hole I have ever been in. Lots of Front and back loops, and Space Godzillas was the name of the game. Even a fat boy like me can sometimes fly! I got a couple more sessions in there during the week, and every time it was sweet. It brought back a lot of old memories and that was fun as well.

Next up was Christmas which was very fun. Lisa and here Mom were with me and we spent most of the day between all of my family members’ homes. We all had a great time, I am lucky to have such an awesome family, and I am just lucky to have a Fiancé who will happily deal with them.

Lake Creek ran the day after Christmas, and anyone who knows me know that Lake Creek is my favorite river ever. The level could have been a little lower, or a little higher, but it was still Lake Creek and was awesome.

Unfortunately I was under some time constraints so I had to run the river solo which made some of the best surf waves a bit scary due to all of the wood on the water. A little fear never hurt anyone though, so I surfed anyways. My ribs are sore today and that is when I know I had a good session.