A little rush

 

The Texas Water Safari is a unique event spectator wise. It starts with the haze of adrenalin in the pre race prep and the start, then the chaos of Rio Vista followed by the drama at Cottonseed Rapid after which things start to settle down to the following by the committed to a long hard multiday event.

I’ll tell you a little secret, there’s a special spot for yours truly early in the race at Staples Dam, the first checkpoint.

I stand on the bridge looking upstream for the first unlimited boats to appear. Often more than one boat this early in the race, no one has yet pulled ahead. There is the first boat, six paddlers, blades flashing in perfect unison. Each boat a half ton or so rushing thru the water driven by muscle and will, the boat in perfect harmony with its purpose in the universe. When the conditions are right, with a little breeze to ruffle the water you can’t make out the faint wake of their passing. It then crosses my mind “I had a hand in that” and the feeling is much more than a little rush of pride, joy and gratitude.

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