Suffering the Benz

September 25, 2008

The coming depression ...

Hank Stuever, one of my favorite writers, imagines what it might be like if the Chicken Littles are right this time and we suffer a big fall. I really hope it doesn't happen, but the pessimist in me is feasting on current events ...

"Your favorite neighbors will hit the road in search of work or an upbeat sense of spiritual self-determinism. Pretty soon you'll pack up and leave too, but the gas will cost too much to get wherever you think you're going, and the car will break down. Husband will set off in search of a timing belt and there you'll be, with the kids and your Verizon service down to its final minutes. You will be camped in a strange parking lot, in front of an old Best Buy. "

Posted by Bob Benz at 4:39 PM | Comments (0)

September 23, 2008

The perfect weather continues

sunrise_09_23_08.jpg

Originally uploaded by Suffering the Benz

I paddled over to Prater Flats before sunrise today under clear skies and a waxing moon. We've been getting phenomenal fall weather. It's in the upper '50s before sunrise.

I tend to hug the shore because you see more that way, and I was moving at a pretty good clip when I ran aground hard. I was sitting atop a giant boulder that was just barely beneath the surface. I can't believe I didn't dump the kayak and it proved the hull is pretty strong. I felt it bend when I hit the rock, but there was no damage. I rocked and paddled backward till I managed to get loose.

I spun my kayak around to shoot this photo as I returned to the main channel. It probably was about 6 or 7 miles roundtrip given all the drifting around I did in coves back there.

Posted by Bob Benz at 5:07 PM | Comments (0)

September 22, 2008

Leaper's Bluff sunrise

sunrise_09_22_08.jpg

Originally uploaded by Suffering the Benz

I managed to paddle about eight miles this morning, which took me past Leaper's Bluff and within sight of the predawn lights in Lenoir City. I wasn't ready to go there yet, but I'm going to give it a shot soon.

As I crossed Loudon to return to the north shore, I saw this pre-sunrise glow above Leaper's Bluff.

Great morning for a paddle. About 60 degrees and clear, starry skies when I set out. Fall definitely is in the air ...

Posted by Bob Benz at 5:55 PM | Comments (0)

September 19, 2008

Next stop, the Big Easy ...

sunrise_09_19_08.jpg

Originally uploaded by Suffering the Benz

When i started paddling this summer, I sent an initial goal of getting to Concord Park, which is about a 12-mile roundtrip journey from our house. This morning I made it, and I took this photo of sunrise at Concord Yacht Club to prove it.

It took me about three hours to do the entire trip, and the last mile or two was pretty rough. But overall, I'm convinced I can go even farther if I pace myself right.

Lara seemed duly impressed that I'd made it to Concord Park, but when I told her my next goal was to get to New Orleans, she winced. So I think I'll rein in my ambition and shoot for Lenoir City, which is about 14 miles RT from here.

Posted by Bob Benz at 6:13 PM | Comments (0)

September 18, 2008

Up Cloyd Creek

cloyd_creek

Originally uploaded by Suffering the Benz

I intended to do one of my usual paddles today, but I was feeling pretty good when I hit the daymark at mile 608 and I kept going. I passed Leapers Bluff and went into a south shore cove that is fed by Cloyd Creek. I've taken the bowrider up there a few times but always stopped at the Unitia Road bridge. Clearance was low and I didn't want to risk banging up the boat going through.

But in the kayak I pressed ahead amid moonlight-lit fog, paddling past trees spun with spider webs. I went as far as I could before downed limbs forced me to turn and head back.

Overall, a great paddle that really helped clear the cobwebs out of my head. I figure I managed about 9 miles this morning.

Posted by Bob Benz at 5:50 PM | Comments (0)

Paddling the gibbous moonglade

sunrise_09_17_08.jpg

Originally uploaded by Suffering the Benz

My friend Tom was over on Tuesday night, and we were marveling at the moon. It's started to wane, and Tom noted it's a gibbous moon and that the light the moon casts across the earth is called the moonglade. Needless to say, that was on my mind before sunrise Wednesday when I was paddling through the light of that gibbous moon as it reflected off Lake Loudon.

I really wanted a photo of the moon. It was impressive. But I had to settle for this sunrise. Not a bad bargain, I guess. But I really wanted a shot of that gibbous moonglade.

I paddled Prater Flats again, focusing on center islands and stumbling across a few shallow coves I'd yet to explore. Probably put in about 6 miles or so.

Posted by Bob Benz at 5:25 PM | Comments (0)

September 17, 2008

That smell ...

Something's rotten in the state of Tennessee ...

Posted by Bob Benz at 9:06 AM | Comments (0)

September 15, 2008

Rock City and Vols mania

rock_city.jpg

Originally uploaded by Suffering the Benz

I came across this odd scene just upstream from Choto Marina during this morning's paddle. One of the little people on the bench was painted white, which I guess was an attempt to mitigate the racial weirdness of the little black dude holding the U.S. flag. The white boy gets to proudly wave the Vols colors. Gotta love the Rock City birdhouse ...

The water was calm this morning, quite a contrast to yesterday, though the wind start picking up as I paddled. I cut to the south shore and followed it up past the entry to Prater Flats. I explored a few coves upstream from the flats and then cut over to the north shore at the daymark at mile 614, so that means I put in at least 8 miles. I didn't see one boat out there the entire time, though I did scare up a bunch of herons.

Posted by Bob Benz at 7:24 PM | Comments (0)

September 14, 2008

Paddling in a washing machine

boat_rack2.jpg

Originally uploaded by Suffering the Benz

It wind was gusting today and there was a heavy chop in the cove while I set up the boat rack in this photo. After I was done, I decided to tempt fate and get out in the rough stuff to gain a few paddling experience points.

I had a lot of fun paddling into the wind and watching the water break over the bow of the kayak. When I got to the main channel, I decided to make a run over to Tom's to do a drive by. I dropped the rudder for the first time since I bought the kayak to help me stay on track in the waves. It worked beautifully. (I've been shunning the rudder for the most part to force myself to learn how to control the boat through paddling, but today I figured I needed to focus on staying in the damn thing and decided the rudder would let me focus on that rather than drifting off course.)

It was a nice adrenaline rush overall. Almost dumped a few times but managed to stay upright and I even stopped by Tom's dock to talk with him for a bit before heading back. I had a harder time paddling with the wind at my back than I did moving into the wind. It was harder to read the waves and roll with things, but once I got the hang of it I managed to "surf" a few times, hopping on a roll and staying with it for a bit.

Overall, pretty minor league stuff in the big picture, but it built my confidence and made me want to get out in the ocean that much more.

As for the dock, I put in a Suspenz rack to organize things. It's designed so the boats rest on straps instead of the cross bars.Very easy to load and unload them. I have the canoe in "backward" to keep water out of it, and I've ordered a cockpit cover for the kayak with the same scheme in mind.

I bolted the entire thing to the dock to make sure it doesn't get blown into the cove. Even in the gusty winds we had today it seemed pretty stable and solid.

Posted by Bob Benz at 7:54 PM | Comments (0)

September 13, 2008

Gilligan in action

Gilligan in action

Originally uploaded by Suffering the Benz

After ruining my aging Nikon when I dumped the kayak, I decided a waterproof camera was in order. This is one of the first shots I took with my new Olympus 1030SW. Pretty cool. I pulled i out and shot this as Gilligan was retrieving a stick in the cove.

Posted by Bob Benz at 8:17 PM | Comments (1)

Swimming with hounds ...

gilligan_swim2.jpg

Originally uploaded by Suffering the Benz

Posted by Bob Benz at 8:13 PM | Comments (0)

September 11, 2008

The sun also rises ...

sunrise_09_11_08.jpg

Originally uploaded by Suffering the Benz

Maybe it's because today is 9/11, but this sunrise seemed more profound than the others I've witnessed while paddling Lake Loudon. I paused to listen to the herons squawk and watch the light ripple across the water while I reflected on that horrible day seven years ago ...

I covered a lot of ground this morning, paddling upstream on Loudon and then heading up Gallagher Creek, past International Harbor Marina and into a minefield of rocks. I managed to get hung up there for a bit but managed to patiently work my way out of it and decided it was time to head back home.

A few planes ascended from McGhee Tyson as I paddled back, another reminder of 9/11 and that I have to a flight to D.C. this afternoon for the Online News Association conference.

I'm not looking forward to flying again. I've taken particular glee in watching those planes soar above me, heading for Atlanta and Cincinnati while I'm paddling along. I didn't realize how much I hated flying until I had a chance to do a lot less of it. I wish I could paddle to D.C. ...

Posted by Bob Benz at 10:10 AM | Comments (0)

September 9, 2008

Between the heaves of storm ...

paddle_09_09_08.jpg

Originally uploaded by Suffering the Benz

Riotous weather last night. I wasn't sure if I should risk a paddle this morning, but I didn't hear thunder so I set off under cloudy skies after sponging rainwater out of my kayak.

I paddled downstream along the south shore a few miles and was toying with trying to get to the daymark at mile 606, but I decided not to try my luck and cut across to the north shore to poke around in large cove for a while. I saw a few deer grazing and startled a several herons before heading home.

When I walked in the door, it started to pour. I'd managed to find a space "between the heaves of storm," as Emily Dickinson would say. Perfect.

Posted by Bob Benz at 6:15 PM | Comments (0)

Run Palin run ...

That does it. I'm definitely voting for Palin now ...

Posted by Bob Benz at 1:43 PM | Comments (0)

September 8, 2008

Sunrise over Prater Flats

sunrise09_08.jpg

Originally uploaded by Suffering the Benz

Here's this morning's sunrise over Prater Flats, just off Lake Loudon in Knoxville. You can see the bow of my new kayak in the frame. Make note of the Steeler black and gold.

This shot was taken with my old DImage Xg digital camera, which I had to resort to when my Nikon Coolpix S1 took an unexpected bath last week. Seems getting out of the new kayak isn't as easy as it would seem, and I ended up in the drink, along with the camera and my Blackberry. I had the presence of mind to enclose the Blackberry in a Ziplock back so it survived unscathed. The camera wasn't so lucky. But the memory card did survive and now lives on in the Dimage ...

I hit the water early today under shimmering starry skies. During the weekend, I added a few new pieces to my kayak paraphernalia, including a flashing strobe that hopefully will stop a bass boat from turning me into a predawn speedbump and a waterproof bag that can hold both my Blackberry and camera.

It was a great paddle. I managed to explore parts of Prater Flats that I haven't been to yet. I'm able to cover a lot more ground in the same amount of time when paddling the kayak. And I even managed to disembark without taking an unplanned bath ...

Posted by Bob Benz at 5:14 PM | Comments (0)

September 7, 2008

If Steve Jobs built kayaks ...

new day - new boat

Originally uploaded by j_rheinlander

I finally got my new kayak, a QCC Q500X, and it was love at first sight. After my first paddle, I knew I'd made the right decision.

You can't tell in this photo that Joanne shot while we were out for an early morning paddle, but the boat is Steeler black and gold. Very cool. (Joanne posted other photos from her visit, including more paddling pics, on her Flicker site.)

I tend to labor over big decisions like these, and I spent a lot of time researching kayaks trying to make the right decision. I needed one capable of surviving someone my size, and I wanted one that would be suitable for a newbie but also would challenge me as I add to my skillset. The more I researched the more I became convinced that the QCC was the right yak for me. I test paddled a Hurricane Tracer, but it didn't suit me at all. What it did do was give me a touchpoint for conversations with Steve at QCC about what I found lacking in the Tracer and what I wanted in a boat. After a lot of hand-wringing, I decided to buy the QCC without being able to test paddle it, so I was pretty nervous when it arrived.

A few minutes on the water completely put those concerns to rest. The boat handles beautifully and the switch from a 12-foot canoe to the 16+ foot kayak is like moving to power steering.

I started thinking about QCC and the cult that seems to have grown around the company. The closest thing I can compare it to is the Apple fanatics I've made fun of so often in the past (even though it's a cult I now firmly belong to as I type this on my MacBook Pro). As with Apple, there are haters. But the QCC faithful are quick to defend their yaks. I'm now a card carrying member of the cult ...

Posted by Bob Benz at 9:19 AM | Comments (0)