The Sweet Smell of Plastic by Will Richardson | Mar 8, 2005 | Whitewater | 0 comments March 8, 2005 Memories flood in as I slide my new All-Star onto my shoulder: that first plastic boat – a yellow Mirage from ‘The Watershed’ on a cold Tellico morning. The smell of freshly-cooked crosslink is unmistakable, and takes me on a quick trip down memory lane: Having to drag that Mirage (with a rolled-up backpacking mat duct-taped in for hip pads) down the chairlift into Little River Canyon; the Dancer delivered to the Caney Fork put-in that came with a tin of Perception glue and pads ready-to-fit (!): the bubble-topped Response with it’s own water-bottle, and the rainbow of Crossfires I went through in my quest to run every creek in the Southeast . . . That ‘new kayak smell’ is just like that of a car – potentially toxic but clearly intoxicating given the strong, primal association with the ‘freshness’ of a brand new toy. Surely the 50+ kayaks as I’ve broken in over the last 30 years would damper the flood of endorphins I get from picking up another new boat? Guess again! One whiff and I was in love; I even had to resist the urge to bring her in out of the rain last night . . A new kayak is ALWAYS something to get excited about . . .and so were my rides – just had my best session of the new year. Clay Wright Submit a Comment Cancel replyYour email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment * Name * Email * Website Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ