Payette Kid Paddlers

By Devon Barker

Late in the afternoon I was working in my classroom in New Meadows when I got an email from a 14 year old Conner Jackson informing me that he wanted my Hero and would like my Star for his younger sister, Brindi. He told me that Joe Jacobi was coming to the Payette River and he wanted to have the Hero for the clinic. He tacked on that he needed it tomorrow. I emailed back and requested that he have his dad call me so we could work out the details of getting the Hero to him ASAP.

His father called me and said he had no idea that his son had emailed me but that he would help his son get the Hero and Star. He told me the clinic on the Payette was with Jacob J. and that the Hero is fast and that is the boat they wanted. I got in my car and drove back to McCall to meet a friend who was heading to the Payettes to take the boats.

I knew his sister would love pink but I was worried about her brother. Well, there seems to be a trend, thanks to Longs, that pink kayaks are cool for girls and boys! Check out these great photos of the area paddlers working on their Slalom, downriver, and play boating skills. The Long family at Cascade Kayak and Raft has a great kids program and do a wonderful job of exposing tons of kids to paddling each year.

Here are some pictures and a message from their father.

Devon,
Your boats did heavy duty this weekend three days in a row. You have made an impact. Every kid in the river wants a piece of these boats. I never would have dreamed that a couple of pink boats could be revered supreme in the Kiddie kayak corps. Check this out.
Link

CJ Constriction Side Surf

CJ Surf Top Wave

Gutter on Main Payette