It Floats

Yesterday was the big day and all went fine. We went to a nice lake just outside 0f Portland. The weather was not the best, but the mist gave the lake a nice, mysterious look and the cooler temperature made the water seem not too cold.
The kayak floated fine and paddled nicely (not that I have anything to compare it to). The only complaint it the lack of seat padding. An hour or more of sitting on thin, wood ribs gets a bit uncomfortable. But padding will be easy to add.
It was very satisfying to see this project all the way through, from lumber yard to water.

kayaks

The exciting news is that the kayaks are done:

Not to pat myself on the back too much, but they're pretty cool looking. Once the poly is spread on the nylon (which took about five hours of hand sewing to put on), the skin takes on this beautiful, translucent look. Where it stretches around the cutwater, it looks so thin and delicate, like a membrane stretched over bone. Finally the framing is visible again. After all the work that was put into the woodworking, it was sad to cover it.
My paddle is made and I've purchased a spray skirt and life vest. Tomorrow is the big launch and it feels like that will be the end of this project.
This has all been a really great introduction to boat building. I've learned some great skills and my woodworking abilities have certainly improved. I'm looking forward to the next steps to be made when I return to Maine and the days once again get shorter and colder.

BLOGerly Hills 9021update

PS. This is a crying, 45 year old highschool student. Can you believe Ian Ziering didn't win awards? 

I know...I know.

MonBLOGen Island

This week, I had the pleasure of going out to Monhegan Island with a group from the University of Minnesota and Mr. Kerr. It was a wonderful trip. I learned a lot about Rockwell Kent and we were able to tour his home that he built and his studio. The hope is that this will lead to a project involving a short jaunt to Greenland where Mr. Kent spent some time living.
We also learned that Kent was a vegetarian. This is the first glimmer of hope I've heard in reference to my diet and the arctic.
In kayak news, I spent the day yesterday making my paddle and bending the hoop. Tomorrow, we'll bend the hope flange and sew it on in hopes of being able to skin the boats next weekend. We're in a big push to try and launch them before I leave for the summer. We'll see if that happens.

"Just because I'm popular doesn't mean I have to like everybody"

Every now and then I find something online that allows me to re-live parts of my life. Usually it's music or skateboarding related; the deck graphic I remember from when I learned how to ollie and not just bounce off a crack in the sidewalk or that one song I remember listening to over and over again as I drove out to Toggenburg after school to snowboard. But this recent discovery might be the crown jewel:
cbs.com has the first three seasons of Beverly Hills 90210 free for the watching. I started high school with them (well, David Silver atleast). And sure, they beat me to the punch of graduating college, but they remained on TV to coach me all the way through until I caught up with them. I remember watching this show at home in highschool. I remember watching this show when I took my break from college and lived in the mountains of CO. I remember watching the final episode at Ryther's house in Killington, VT. And I certainly remember watching the reunion the night before I moved from Denver back to the east to go to grad school. I think I might have even pushed the drive back a few days to watch it with a long time lover of all things "Kelly", Matt Kitt.
This show will stand the test of time as thee single best teen soap opera. I salute you "Bev 9'r".
(Please note above that Steve Sanders is wearing a blazer with shorts. Dude's about 45 here, yet still in high school.)

Back

We are back from our long journey. The last few days were spent in Brooklyn with bbq's, big buck hunting, and a lot of skateboarding. Our friend Shawn brought us to a little private (kind of) bowl in Williamsburg which, according to me, was one of the best things we got to skate. Big thanks to him for taking us.
On the drive back to MA, we stopped to see our friend Doug who, despite being in the middle of uprooting his life and moving, took some time out to share in a beer with us. It was great to see him after all these years. Still as positive and happy as ever.
It's always good to get back home after being away for awhile. But a part of me (a big part) is a bit sad to realize that the trip is over. Last night, Rich and I joked about getting back in the van and continuing on. We were able to see so much great stuff and skate so many good places in such a short amount of time. I can only imagine what could be seen and done in months/years of this lifestyle. It has finally become clear to me that Kenny Reed has it right.
A large and loud "thank you", Rich. Every year you make this trip something to look forward to. I swear next year I'll drive more. Look at how well I do with the cooler now. Think of the possibilities if I apply that to driving a van.
A equally large and loud "thank you" to Jenny and James for hosting us for a few days and taking time out of your busy lives to show us around and spend some time with us hobos.

I'll miss the daily updates, but I can only assume that Rickville is still THE happening town online.