Competitive canoeing

When I canoed seven miles on the Saco River during my vacation in Maine, I ended up with a red, raw spot where I rubbed the skin off the upper part of my thumb. It’s a trophy I proudly display to prove that I did my share of the paddling.

I almost didn’t go canoeing. I hadn’t been canoeing in decades, and I wasn’t sure that I remembered how to do it. Moreover, I went canoeing with friends who have been on canoe trips every summer for years. And, Tim, one of our friends, is a competitive athlete who has coached Olympic skiers, sailed across the ocean and ridden his bike hundreds of miles. And, his wife, Linda, once road her bike from coast to coast across the United States.

My husband, Jerry, and I were worried that we couldn’t keep up with them, and we didn’t want to make their experience less enjoyable because we are novices.

Despite our worries, we all had a fun day. Our friends weren’t interested in competitive canoeing, of course. We paddled down the river, slowly and steadily, enjoying being on the river with friends.

I’m not the most athletic, the most fit, the most competitive. No matter. I can still enjoy being active and being outdoors.
–Joy