Pan America Trip

The Trak atop the Taurus in Seattle

I sleep tonight in the back of my Station wagon, outside the ferry terminal to Vancouver island and it is near freezing, as the recent snow fall, still has remnants on the ground. With my folding Trak kayak atop the car, and I, a ferry boat ride away from a comfortable sleep in a house, am jammed amongst the boxes of my stuff I retrieved from my ex's place in California.
  The last couple of weeks have been spent journeying south along the length of the USA, to clear up and finalize some unfinished business with my best friend and ex fiancé, who now lives in Merced California. It was an emotional time, raising issues of me leaving her for my “crazy dreams of adventure”, I feel I can’t do while staying with her, and my desires to be with her and live our love.

My journey started with me shooting straight to Eugene Oregon, to catch up with Ian Westmoreland, his Toyota Tacoma and dog buddy, who I all last saw in Costa Rica, earlier in the year, after we drove from Belize to panama. It was a fun contrast to now catch up with them in Oregon and go camp up in the woods in winter, after last adventuring in the tropics. More of that story here

We put the Trak in an almost empty lake for a paddle, before heading into the trees to camp beneath a water fall, under an overhanging cliff. We had a fire, cooked pasta, drank beer and talked shit about Sasquatch. In the morning we awoke to find 6 inches on fresh snow had fallen, which answered the question of why we suddenly got so cold in the night.

I then moved on south to catch up with Nina and spend a week with her sorting out life. It ended with bitter sweet love knowing that we both need to follow very different paths at the moment to for full our ambitions. There is lots of love and respect between us and that is great.Doesn't mean the hearts aren't aching over this, we are great together.

Pic of Nina and I, a couple of years ago at Rainbow Bridge Utah.

In the mean time I did a lot of sponsorship soliciting, and logistics for the NZ expedition. Man this stuff takes a lot of time. Some friends from Phoenix where coming out to the coast to paddle for thanks giving, so I headed to southern LA, to surf kayak with them and camp out. Turned out to be one of the few weekends where there was no surf. I got some great distance paddling along the coast in the Trak. Cresting waves that rolled at me, side on, as I pushed along the coast in the lovely warm sun (a nice change after the winter paddling in BC). I started getting an idea again of what the NZ trip will be like. I can’t wait.Got out paddling with my mate Hut Wade of Journeys west in his Cedar Strip kayak. very nice boat!! his Non Profit Org, does guiding and also works with homeless kids and gets them into the outdoors. awesome. http://www.journeyswest.org/

I then headed north again, loading my gear, saying good bye to Nina, and sleeping in a rest stop in Oregon , the first sleep amongst my stuff in the back. The next day I stopped in at Charlie and Marianne's in Seattle. I meet this wonderful couple in Belize earlier this year, and Charlie and I had some great talks and found that we where similar people, and he having a few years on me became a bit of a mentor. Thus I was dying for the chance to sit and catch up with him as soon as I could. These two also helped me a lot by letting me post gear I needed to them, and being full supporters of my ambitions they donated some finances to the cause.

Thanks heaps for everything guys.
That led to me driving on the next night from Seattle, all the way up to horseshoe bay to catch the 9pm ferry, to find that on this day, Wednesday, there is no 9pm ferry. I will sleep here tonight and get the 6.30 am one.
I fly out in three days now, so much to do and so little time. All this prep is driving me nuts but I also really enjoy it. Sponsors are coming through and lots of money being spent of gear.

My sleeping bag jammed down the right side, even more jammed when I am sleeping in it!

Bring it on let’s make it work! www.kayakdownundernz.blogspot.com

The View out of our cave in the morning!!

Arizona Desert Paddling.

So I flew out to Phoenix AZ from Belize , the weather in AZ was of course wonderfully dry and got wonderfully cool at night(Belize was so hot when I left I couldn't stop sweating and nor could I get dry). After getting drilled at customs in Houston Texas by the customs officer about my history of a fiancee (Nina) who was from the USA (which created a whole lot of implied immigration issues for me), I eventually got my onward flight to Phoenix.

Phoenix had in the past 4 years been a bane for me (I had trouble with the culture, the sprawling city and lack of green). However over the years I made great contacts and friends in the kayaking sport which is funny seeing as this is a desert. So this trip around I was excited to be back to see friends and to enjoy the fun to be had in this strangely beautiful part of the world.

Heading out to the Arizona State University (ASU) Kayak Club pool nights had been a staple sanity keeper in the past years while staying here with Nina ( who has been studying to become a Naturopathic doctor and now is one) and I enjoyed the social aspect of it. Unfortunately this one night we turned up to find it had been canceled for a movie night across the pool ( WTF?) . Typical USA cancel a sporting event for a sit around and watch Finding Nemo Night! Bullshit! Nina who had just learnt to roll her kayak with the club was pissed she couldn't show me her new skills.

Pissed off and grumpy we all headed to the local Brew House " Four Peaks" for some food and beer. Oh, and I forgot to mention it was also my 29th birthday that night so we had some fun and a good chat. I also had the pleasure of meeting Cody Howard of Huckin Huge, that night. He is a Pro white water paddler and film maker, and hearing his stories of filming some of the biggest drops kayaked and the his pursuit of un-run rivers bigger and badder than before, had me riveted. We also talked a little of sea kayaking and the great adventures to be had there, though there was a coolness factor lacking in my stories compared to this extremist's near death tales of legend.

I look forward to seeing more of Cody's work and letting him influence me in my sea kayak and white waters endeavours perhaps.

Check out his website http://www.huckinhuge.com

On the weekend we headed up to the Salt River Class 3 run with the ASU Kayak Club and had a fun day. A bit of carnage, some swims, and a lot of fun. Here is a short Video of the 6 hour run.

Salt River Phoenix AZ from Jaime Sharp on Vimeo.

It was a great day and I am sad to leave AZ, though I believe I will return for white water action and some lake paddling in the future. The Desert, whitewater boaters DON'T underestimate it, it has some great runs in it.

Here are some useful links:

RIVER FACTS
http://www.riverfacts.com/states/az.html
List of river runs in the AZ area

AZ RIVER ADVENTURES
http://www.azriveradventures.com/index.php My mate Hut has a great company teaching white water and guiding runs in AZ and Colorado, and he is a fun contact to boat with any time. drop him a line if you are in the area.

ASU KAYAK CLUB
http://src.asu.edu/SportClubs/KayakClub
Looking for a club to join in Phoenix area to help you get out there and paddle or so you can learn? Check this site out!



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Jaime