Jerry’s Baddle update and video

Hey all! So this past weekend I participated in Jerry’s Baddle, a biking and paddling race that honors the life of Jerry Beckwith and is also a fundraiser for ALS research. It was an awesome weekend, despite the cold front that moved in just for the weekend. I think we had over 150 competitors who could have either competed in the Team Class or the Greenman Class. I decided to enter in the Greenman class which means that you participate in both the paddle and the biking potion of the race. The paddle portion was first and it began at the confluence of Big Hungry and the Green. It was my first time racing and I was very nervous, but fortunately I knew the river and felt very comfortable in my Mega Rocker. This part of the race went well for me and I finished with a time of about 35min, the take out being at fish-top. The Mega Rocker was a great boat for the race and its speed and ease of control made for a pretty uneventful run (I did however lose an elbow pad at sunshine). Unfortunately this is where my fun stopped. I kinda came off the couch for the bike race and ended up riding 15 miles off course which landed me in South Carolina and in desperate need of a shuttle! Yup i was that guy. It was a little disappointing that I wasn’t able to finish on my bike but there is always next year.

If you haven’t heard of Jerry’s Baddle or haven’t ever considered it, I strongly recommend giving it a shot. Its for a great cause and its not about who wins, or if you run all the big three, or even if you choose to walk some of the steep climbs. The event honors individuals who love being outdoors whether on a bike or in a kayak. Based on my results this year, I may want to stick to the kayaking, learn how to read a map, or learn how to strap the biggest pillow I can find on that bike seat! Hope you like the video (Windows Media Player, 9.7 MB). Peace

Eric Stalowy