My Birthday, Today, I turned 48… by ericjackson | Mar 3, 2012 | EJ Thoughts, Whitewater, Zen | 5 comments Clearly there was a bunch of turmoil surround the preparations for my birthday last night. Massive thunderstorms, rain, and tornados everywhere… all hell was breaking loose, it seemed, and just as it looked like evil was going to triumph over good, I woke this morning to crystal clear, calm skies, birds singing, horses playing in the fields, and my wife wishing me a happy birthday! 5,300 cfs and rising on the Caney Fork… disc golf calling my name, and plenty of playmates with Emily, Dane, Nick, KC, and Kristine ready to go! An epic birthday on its way. Kristine is wearing her new nightgown.. (Oh yea……) while she is preparing the strawberries and biscuits for my favorite breakfast, Strawberry Shortcake (making my mother’s recipe). Emily and Nick haven’t shown up yet (where are they? it is already 8:45!) and Dane hasn’t woken up yet.. (big surprise :)) But KC and I have been playing Angry Birds with stuffed Angry Birds characters- he is getting good at throwing and destroying those green pigs and knocking them off the coffee table. I am fired up for today- and for my year as a 48 year old. 48 is the new 21 if you know what I mean… My personal theory is that you are only as old as you let your body, mind, and actions dictate. My body is as good as it was at 21 as far as I can tell (a lot more chest hair, is the only major difference, and a little more muscle mass. :)) My mind, hard to say, really. My thoughts are a little more focused and I spend my time doing things besides chasing girls, and trying to make the USA team for the first time, and be a millionaire by 30… I am more in the moment now then before, I guess. Last night I put this video together- mostly footage from this week and yesterday, but some footage from Mexico, some from Last Week on the Raven Fork… My birthday video, kind of… signing off- time to eat soon! [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BL-uaFR1LRI&context=C3cb8a39ADOEgsToPDskIYm17jrryPfEa6vN6G92eQ[/youtube] 5 Comments Jim on March 3, 2012 at 5:15 pm Happy Birthday Champ–may your upcoming year be the Best Ever !! Reply Dave on March 4, 2012 at 12:46 pm Happy Birthday EJ!! I’m looking forward to taking delivery of my very first Jackson Kayak (Rogue 10) in the next couple of weeks. You build a fine product, that’s something that anyone can be proud of. Keep up the good work. Cheers!! Reply Wayne Beardsley on March 5, 2012 at 3:27 am I hope you had a wonderful birthday! I have one coming up on the 14th and I am looking at buying another boat. I have never had a more comfortable boat than my Hero! Reply Ryan A. Mack on May 9, 2012 at 8:07 pm Eric, I had the opportunity to paddle the ZEN 75 and loved it. However, I am hoping that Jackson will put out a larger ZEN next year around 80-90 gallons for big Idaho white water paddling. I was super stoked on the ZEN and the way it paddled but felt it was not enough volume for the North Fork or some other huge volume rivers out here. Also, we are custom to multi-day rivers out here and could use some extra room for gear. Any chance this may happen. Wanted to buy a ZEN but had to purchase a Shiva instead for volume reasons. My weight is @ 185lbs. I did however purchase a large Rock Star this spring 🙂 Reply Clay Wright on May 12, 2012 at 5:08 pm Hey Ryan: The Zen 75 should be plenty big for most of your needs including overnights, you just have to get used to the lower sidewall and deck. It’s a radically different shape than most creekers – surfaces quickly on edge but more slowly when flat. Stephen Wright just overnighted Dinky Creek in the 65… with a huge 7D camera in his lap as well as hiking in Starbucks coffee cans for the morning! He weights 145 or so and ran way more drops than most people without any problems. The North Fork will be a perfect river for the Zens – not saying your experience wasn’t valid but i would MUCH prefer a 75 gal boat when surfing those holes than a full-volume creeker for sure! Cartwheels and surfs more like a playboat so you have more conrol and a better ability to escape with your edges. The trick is the flatter deck and knee lift – it’s like paddling an older playboat like a Z or Amp or even a Jive down big water… you gain so much control with the ability to lift one knee or the other to direct your surfacing unlike creek boats that surface level the fastest. It’s a skill to be learned for sure. As Stephen said in an earlier post – the Zen is an expert creek boat or intermediate river runner… it provides a level of control in big water full-on creek boats lack but if you haven’t paddled playboats down big water as much it requires a bit of a learning curve for sure. I’m 170 lbs and swapped out my 65 for a 75 but would surely overnight in this boat – even on longer and harder creeks. Just paddled the Villain S on an overnight and I certainly understand people’s concerns on this. The Villain S has 80 gallons but a smaller hull and higher deck… very different paddling boat – easy but only feels bigger once I’m under water. The Zen 75 stays on top much better once you learn the more edge-oriented, knee lifting techniques of old. I do feel we could do a larger version – thanks for that feedback for sure!! I certainly DO appreciate your opinion and we value your time spent sharing it. I only offer these views because mine changed after several days of paddling it when I learned to use more knee lift and angle more carefully into things rather than just power into things bow-straight and flat. Clay Reply 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
Jim on March 3, 2012 at 5:15 pm Happy Birthday Champ–may your upcoming year be the Best Ever !! Reply
Dave on March 4, 2012 at 12:46 pm Happy Birthday EJ!! I’m looking forward to taking delivery of my very first Jackson Kayak (Rogue 10) in the next couple of weeks. You build a fine product, that’s something that anyone can be proud of. Keep up the good work. Cheers!! Reply
Wayne Beardsley on March 5, 2012 at 3:27 am I hope you had a wonderful birthday! I have one coming up on the 14th and I am looking at buying another boat. I have never had a more comfortable boat than my Hero! Reply
Ryan A. Mack on May 9, 2012 at 8:07 pm Eric, I had the opportunity to paddle the ZEN 75 and loved it. However, I am hoping that Jackson will put out a larger ZEN next year around 80-90 gallons for big Idaho white water paddling. I was super stoked on the ZEN and the way it paddled but felt it was not enough volume for the North Fork or some other huge volume rivers out here. Also, we are custom to multi-day rivers out here and could use some extra room for gear. Any chance this may happen. Wanted to buy a ZEN but had to purchase a Shiva instead for volume reasons. My weight is @ 185lbs. I did however purchase a large Rock Star this spring 🙂 Reply
Clay Wright on May 12, 2012 at 5:08 pm Hey Ryan: The Zen 75 should be plenty big for most of your needs including overnights, you just have to get used to the lower sidewall and deck. It’s a radically different shape than most creekers – surfaces quickly on edge but more slowly when flat. Stephen Wright just overnighted Dinky Creek in the 65… with a huge 7D camera in his lap as well as hiking in Starbucks coffee cans for the morning! He weights 145 or so and ran way more drops than most people without any problems. The North Fork will be a perfect river for the Zens – not saying your experience wasn’t valid but i would MUCH prefer a 75 gal boat when surfing those holes than a full-volume creeker for sure! Cartwheels and surfs more like a playboat so you have more conrol and a better ability to escape with your edges. The trick is the flatter deck and knee lift – it’s like paddling an older playboat like a Z or Amp or even a Jive down big water… you gain so much control with the ability to lift one knee or the other to direct your surfacing unlike creek boats that surface level the fastest. It’s a skill to be learned for sure. As Stephen said in an earlier post – the Zen is an expert creek boat or intermediate river runner… it provides a level of control in big water full-on creek boats lack but if you haven’t paddled playboats down big water as much it requires a bit of a learning curve for sure. I’m 170 lbs and swapped out my 65 for a 75 but would surely overnight in this boat – even on longer and harder creeks. Just paddled the Villain S on an overnight and I certainly understand people’s concerns on this. The Villain S has 80 gallons but a smaller hull and higher deck… very different paddling boat – easy but only feels bigger once I’m under water. The Zen 75 stays on top much better once you learn the more edge-oriented, knee lifting techniques of old. I do feel we could do a larger version – thanks for that feedback for sure!! I certainly DO appreciate your opinion and we value your time spent sharing it. I only offer these views because mine changed after several days of paddling it when I learned to use more knee lift and angle more carefully into things rather than just power into things bow-straight and flat. Clay Reply
