Since my last update a lot has happened. The Truckee came up to 1800cfs which made for some really fun kayaking for a few days. Macy and I met a couple of times after he got off work, and also one day at peak flow during his lunch break. On that particular day the river was awesome but was also hands down the coldest water I have ever been on. If it wasn’t moving I am sure that it would have been frozen.

We paddled for almost an hour when I started to notice my neck really getting stiff. I told Macy in the eddy that it was bummer that the two places on your body that you just can’t really protect from the cold are your face and the back of your neck and then paddled into the hole for another ride. Well, during that ride I did a loop and halfway around I felt everything from my skull to between my shoulder blades strain. Not good.

I took the next day off and did nothing, and then on the second day I just went for a long walk with Lisa and the dog to just loosen everything up. One the third day I was able to do a little bit of stretching, and since then I have been doing flat water workouts every day. Can you say “EJ’s Strokes and Concepts”? All my other workouts, as far as running and gym time are now back to normal. The last few days I really feel like I could get back to normal on the river, but I am really trying to be good and give it a little extra time just in case. The last thing that I want to do is re-injure myself before going to Africa.

On Friday, Lisa and I are heading up to Ontario, Canada to spend Christmas with her family. And yes, I am actually looking forward to that.

I am also looking forward to getting back here and working out double time so that I am all fit and ready for Africa. I will be.

So until next time, I hope you are enjoying the river as much as I am missing it.

The Reno-Tahoe Blog will occasionally feature entries from athletes sponsored by Reno-Tahoe, America’s Adventure Place. Jay Kincaid, professional kayaker, has been paddling over half of his lifetime, and is back to blog about his life as a professional kayaker living in Reno, NV. As 2003 Freestyle Kayaking World Champion, 2001 U.S. National Champion and three-time U.S. Point Series Champion, Jay is the most proud of the many first descents he’s done on rivers and waterfalls in his native Oregon and in California.

Big news since my last update. Lisa and I are engaged! We are both really excited as are our familys.

Other then that, the weather has changed to almost winter weather. The mountain has been hit by some snow, but we are going to need a bit more if we want to be on the slopes anytime soon. The good news is that the lower elevation creeks and rivers on the west slope of the Sierra came up a bit, and with more rain on the way they may be good later in the week. The south Yuba is just what I need! I am not getting my hopes up to soon, though.

The Truckee river has turned cold. It isn’t very far up river that there is ice on the water and that pretty much makes it time for the gloves. Macy and I are still paddling a bunch together after he gets of work, and after all of the abuse that I have given him he finally broke down and asked me how he can get an All Star. It almost brought a tear to my eye. It was like watching a little puppy open his eyes for the first time. Priceless!

Seriously though, we have been having lots of low water fun. I went out the other day and shot video of a move that Macy taught me called the Woo - Woo.

I also got video of and Orbit to Woo-Woo, and an Orbit to Tricky Woo. These are the kinds of moves that Macy and I use while playing HORSE, and the goal is to get them dialed in so that we can do them in lots of different holes.

So, until the next update, you can look for me on the river.

Every day I check the weather forecast, and every day it seems to be the same. Clear skies, 55 degree days, and cold nights. It is nice Fall weather, but as you know, not good weather for either snow or high water.

I have been having a lot of fun outside though, regardless of the nice weather. Kayaking in the evenings with Macy has been tons of fun. Everyday we are trying new moves and competing against each other in games of “pig” or “horse”.

Yesterday while playing a game of Pig I got a P for not being able to do a move. (Actually not being able to not do a move) The move Macy did was this; establish a side surf, take your paddle out of the water, and then flush without flipping over, bracing, or using your paddle at all. Not really a move at all, but I couldn’t do it. I was depressed for about 4 seconds!

I have been spending time in the gym, as I seem to do every year around this time. It has been fun to lift weights again. It really doesn’t take long to get strong again. Of all the things that you can do athletically, gaining strength seems to be the easiest. I am still running 3 or 4 days a week but that has taken a back seat to the workout that my legs get chasing game birds all over the Nevada mountains.

I finally busted out my cold weather gear the other day. You know, the skull cap, thick fleece, dry pants, and gloves. It is still a little early for the gloves, but the other warm gear has made my time on the water much more enjoyable.

I didn’t paddle today, and that doesn’t happen very often. You know, that water may be low and the weather may be cold, but my day just doesn’t feel right without spending some time in my boat. And oh what a boat the All Star is!

The Reno-Tahoe Blog will occasionally feature entries from athletes sponsored by Reno-Tahoe, America’s Adventure Place. Jay Kincaid, professional kayaker, has been paddling over half of his lifetime, and is back to blog about his life as a professional kayaker living in Reno, NV. As 2003 Freestyle Kayaking World Champion, 2001 U.S. National Champion and three-time U.S. Point Series Champion, Jay is the most proud of the many first descents he’s done on rivers and waterfalls in his native Oregon and in California.

Well, the weather around Reno has definitely changed. For the majority of the Fall we have had warm weather and lots of sunshine. Yesterday winter arrived and I am already missing the warmer temperatures. Along with the cold weather came low water. Not very good planning on somebody’s part, if you ask me. The good news is that we should still have a lot more water through out the winter then we did last year, and I have Macy Burnham to paddle with. Macy and I have been paddling a lot together in the last few months as he now lives in town. ( I grew up paddling with Macy in Eugene. ) Macy is always game for paddling after work, even when it is dark and cold.

So, we have been competing against each other by playing lots of games of “HORSE”, or what ever other degrading word that we can think for each other at the time. Over the last couple of years I really haven’t had anyone to paddle with during the winter that could push me. Macy is more then happy to do that, and I am more then happy to try to give him a beat down in return.

I have been spending most of my time paddling at the Truckee River Whitewater Park, and even though the water is low I still know that I am learning new things.

The Reno-Tahoe Blog will occasionally feature entries from athletes sponsored by Reno-Tahoe, America’s Adventure Place. Jay Kincaid, professional kayaker, has been paddling over half of his lifetime, and is back to blog about his life as a professional kayaker living in Reno, NV. As 2003 Freestyle Kayaking World Champion, 2001 U.S. National Champion and three-time U.S. Point Series Champion, Jay is the most proud of the many first descents he’s done on rivers and waterfalls in his native Oregon and in California.

It has been hard to match the great time that I had on the Gauley a week ago. I had a session on the Sout Fork of the American River the other day though that was at least as fun as any in the last couple of months. First threat was at around 1400 which makes for a really top notch hole. You ever see a fat boy fly? Huge air loops, air back loops, tricky woos, back loops linked into tricky woos, clean cartwheels, blunts, and just flat getting nasty. Man, I love this game, and it is a whole lot more fun in the boat called Super Star!

Lucky for all of us Reno folk, we seem to have a bunch more water this year then last. This means that as soon as the canals are shut down we should have close to 500cfs here in town. Not bad. Lately though, and until that happens, I have been spending lots of time up at Floriston playing at all my little play spots. Not so top notch, but a lot better then nothing.

I got back from a short trip to Colorado yesterday. I am working with the McLaughlin Design Group and we are working hard to get a white water park built in Eagle. So, the day was spent meeting with some town officials and examining some potential job sites. This is a project that I am very excited about and am optimistic that will turn out to be on of Colorado’s best.

Today I am getting all of camping and hunting gear packed up because tomorrow morning I am off on a two week long bird hunting trip.
These trips are something I really love, but it is always a bit weird for me because as much as I love it, it kills me to not be on the river. I can be having the time of my life doing something other then kayaking, but I am always thinking about kayaking.

So, in two weeks I will be back in my boat and hopefully seeing a bunch of you on the water.

Jay Kincaid

I have spent the last week doing what I often do — I went kayaking, everyday. That makes 16 days straight right now, and counting. Those are the kind of numbers that make me a happy person.

Last weekend I helped a friend named Jesse Murphy out with a clinic for Red Bull. We took a bunch of people out on the water that had never kayaked before and gave them the crash course. It was a good time for everyone and seeing everyone have so much fun was refreshing for me.

Now I am thinking about the Reno River Festival. Just within the last couple of days I started paddling at a level that I haven’t been familiar with in quite some time. And that is a good thing.

Friday I drove over to the South Fork of the American for the American River Festival. I showed up at the freestyle competition site to find that it was a wave instead of the hole that it was going to be for the competition. That was no problem though as it looked like a fun wave, so I went out for a session.

After about an hour of paddling I loaded up my gear and drove down to the River Store. They were having a big party for the event complete with a food, a movie premier and a pool clinic/demonstration, courtesy of myself.

After eating some great food and visiting with friends that I hadn’t seen in a while it was into the pool for me. I spent maybe 30 minutes going over different moves, explaining how I do them, giving tips, taking requests, and answering questions. It was a really great night and thanks to the River Store for that.

The next morning was the freestyle competition. I was up early as I always am on competition day. I went straight to the river and started practicing.

I felt good in the hole and spent maybe 45 minutes total on the water before calling it good. Later in the morning Steven Wright and myself helped get things organized with a competitors meeting and a judges meeting. We then started the judging off making sure that everything was running according to plan, and it was.

Next it was competition time for me. My first ride in the hole was pretty much what I expected. I stuck most all of the moves that I wanted and probably had one of the highest scoring rides of the day. My second ride was completely terrible. From the second that I entered the hole nothing seemed to work and it seemed like time sped past me until my ride was over. I ended up 6th place which is the worst finish that I have had at any event in almost five years. This is not a position that I am used to and to be honest I am still trying to figure out what that means.

I believe that I will be more prepared in every aspect for my next competition. It isn’t time for me to panic after one placing that isn’t up to my standard, but it is time to get back to training hard on the water. After the competition was over everyone headed to a party in Coloma. I stayed out for a while and had a great time with old friends but called it a fairly early night as I didn’t really have anything to celebrate.

Sunday morning it was back down to the river to meet up with the forty people that had showed up for the Lotus Designs clinic. There was a women’s clinic headed up by Lisa Beckstead and then there was a guy’s clinic headed up by my self with help from Taylor Robertson and Macy Burnham. The clinic turned out to be a great time for everyone and after words we all went back to the River Store for pizza, drinks, and a raffle, courtesy of Lotus designs.

All in all it was a great weekend. I am glad to be home but am ready to get started on the river again tomorrow.

Back from Mexico.

First thing this morning Lisa and I picked up my dog from the kennel.
Everything is good now in my world because I have my dog back. Later in the day I went kayaking in the Truckee River Whitewater Park. My neck felt great for the first time in months and it was alot of fun getting my balance and timing back. Now it is time to really get serious again as my first event of the season is this comming weekend.

I’ll be ready!

I am leaving for Mexico in a day so this will be my last post for two weeks, maybe. If I was to send you an update though it may go a little like this; I woke up today and went for a run on the beach, finished my morning workout, then spent the rest of my day sipping on a cocktail in the warm sun. Yes, I think it would probably be just like that.

By the time I get back to Reno I hope for warm weather and high water. See you soon.

Entry by Jay Kincaid:

My good friend Macy Burnham is staying with me for a few days. Today we went over to the North Yuba to play at a little secret play spot. It turned out to be a great flow and we both about killed ourselves trying to one up each other for a couple of hours. In the end we both had great sessions and had a hard time staying awake on the drive home. It was an awesome day, maybe being the most fun that I have had in a long time. These are the days that I get up in the morning for.