Welcome to Extreme Grace Outdoor Ministry!

Go out and play!

noreply@blogger.com (Allen Lundy) — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 20:56:00 +0000

Hello Extreme Grace!
I've missed being part of this awesome ministry and hope to see you all again soon. Here's a quick peak at what the Lundy gang has been up to since we left. Find time to get outside and play!

noreply@blogger.com (colorflips) — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 20:28:00 +0000

Our final planning meeting for the Mt Rogers Backpacking trip is this Wednesday, August 11^th at 8:30 at Grace Baptist Church. Please come with your pack fully loaded including food and water. We will go through the equipment list to insure you have everything you need, including knowing who you will be sharing equipment with, and weigh the packs so you know how much you are carrying. Reminder… the trip will begin immediately after church on Sunday, August 15^th. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Doug Jackson at dougandshauna@verizon.net or 339-2876.

noreply@blogger.com (colorflips) — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 02:47:00 +0000

Extreme Grace Backpacking Planning Meeting #2

Wednesday, July 7^th at 8:30pm

Grace Baptist Church in Troy, OH

Join us for the second of three planning meetings. We will be going over the gear list and ensuring you’ve got a plan on what you are going to be using (borrowing or buying). If you did not make it to the first planning meeting, we will go over the trip itineraries.

Please contact Pete Savard (pete.savard@ghslogistics.com) if you are planning on attending the Shenandoah Trip on July 15 (evening) through July 19.

Please contact Doug Jackson (dougandshauna@verizon.net) if you have not yet signed up for the Mt. Rogers trip on August 15 through August 18.

Check out the Extreme Grace Website (www.graceoutdoor.net) to see trip reports from these trips that have been taken in the past. You won’t want to miss the adventure this year.

Backpacking Planning Meeting #1

noreply@blogger.com (colorflips) — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 00:41:00 +0000

The first of three planning meetings for both backpacking trips is scheduled for Wednesday June 16th at 8:30 pm at Grace Baptist Church. For those planning to attend one or both of the trips or simply considering a trip, please attend. If you have any questions please contact Doug Jackson at 937-339-2876.

Extreme Grace Facebook shortcut

noreply@blogger.com (The Lundys) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 20:00:00 +0000

Attention Facebook fans! Extreme Grace Outdoor now has a shorter link on Facebook. Change your bookmarks to www.facebook.com/graceoutdoor.
And don't forget to share with your friends!

Mt Rogers Backpacking Trip Report

noreply@blogger.com (Allen Lundy) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 01:58:00 +0000

Extreme Grace sent 8 backpackers on the Appalachian Trail to Mt Rogers in Southern Virginia. Shawn "Jumper" Hess, Jim "Cowboy" Miller, Brian "Hairspray" Harshman, Tim "Lost Boy #1"Mercer, Matt "Lost Boy #2" Carey, Dan "Chef" McElwee, Nick "Da Funk" Anderson and Allen "Moses" Lundy set off on what would become an unforgettable adventure. The nicknames above are trail names and will be referred to in the rest of the report. Trail names are given on the trail for some aspect of your trip and become a part of your adventure.

We arrived later than usual due to a feeding frenzy we decided to have right before getting on the trail. We knew the next few days would be rough as far as food goes so we decided to load up on a couple dozen McDonalds Big and Greasys before hitting the trail. This turned out to be a bad decision for 2 reasons. The first was it put us at the put in way later than we would have liked so we ended up hiking to our first nights camp in the dark. This didn't dampen our spirits at all though, we were well up for the challenge. The second reason was a little more severe. 8 guys loaded with Big and Greasys, chased with some trail mix and beef jerky made for a "musical" and potentially deadly campfire.

It is for this reason I carry my own tent and don't share. Jumper and Da Funk were not so lucky as they shared. Poor guys...
The next morning welcomed us with plentiful sunshine and promised to be a great day for hiking. It was a crisp 2 mile uphill climb to our first break spot on Pine Mountain. It was here that Cowboy discovered that someone had put a football in his pack. Although we had a good time passing it around, Cowboy is a man of great order and procedure and was quite put out and wanted to see justice served. Even though I never joke or play pranks and am always serious and upfront with the group I was blamed for this breech of backpacker etiquette and the group sentenced me to stand on my hands for 1 hour on top of Pine Mountain. I didn't want a mutiny on my hands so I went along with this unjust punishment knowing I was innocent. (We later found out the culprit was Doug Jackson, undoubtedly bitter at not being able to go on the trip) Punishment served we continued on the trail. Our lunch stop was at a place called the Scales where we regrouped once again to enjoy some yummy trail vittles.

Jumper had prepped for the trip by watching Survivorman all week and found some strange mushrooms growing and we think he had a hearty feast of this bounty of nature. We weren't sure if they were safe to eat or not but he seemed fine, except he started acting all crazy jumping from peak to peak.

He was fine afterward and we continued on our way. The rest of the day was very pleasant until we get to camp and find the the 2 Lost Boys had taken an alternate route. They seemed to have a little difficulty following the white blazed trail which made us wonder if they had gotten into Jumper's mushrooms. Several hours later though, they wandered into camp and all was well.
As it turned out, this is one of the few pictures we have of one of the Lost Boys cause they spent so much time being lost we were unable to document their hike. I think maybe they enjoyed the hike so much they wanted to take every trail in the area.

Day 3 - Tuesday. This was to be the highlight of our trip. We were to climb up the mountain range of the Grayson Highlands area which provides the most spectacular scenery in the area.

Part of this area is the Wilburn Ridge trail which takes us up the most challenging, yet rewarding part of the trip, a section of the trail that required some bouldering.

Da Funk was not to be fazed by the climb and showed us all the kind of determination he had.

We stayed behind for awhile to make sure everyone made the Wilburn Ridge intersection and learned that the Lost Boys were at it again. They decided to take some horse trail to who knows where. We decided our best course of action would be to go to higher ground to see if we could spot them somewhere. Upon reaching the top we were met by a wise guru. He shared with us how to stop the global warming crisis and the answers to the health care debacle. We told him what we would really like to know was where the Lost Boys were but he was unable to help us with that problem.

After awhile the Lost Boys found their way to the top and we were once again reunited. Pastor Shawn treated us to a devotional that was fantastic. Hearing God's word while seeing that view was simply amazing. The rocks truly cry out in praise of our God.

This same area is also known for the wild horses that live there. We saw many on this day and were able to get up close for some pictures. This proved to be a mistake. One horse in particular, "Tina Turner" enjoyed having her picture taken so much that she told the herd where we were camping that night.

"Tina" and the rest of the herd was waiting for us when we got to camp that night.

Of course I'm only guessing it was "Tina's" camera obsession, maybe it was Da Funks socks that attracted them.

The next morning was pretty uneventful as we hiked out. The Lost Boys didn't disappoint however and gave us another pretty good scare by turning a 2 hour hike into 6 hours. At the end everyone made it safe and sound and a good time was had by all.

Shenandoah Backpacking Trip - Trip Report

noreply@blogger.com (Allen Lundy) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 13:43:00 +0000

Six backpackers, Pete Savard, Shawn Hess, Jim Miller, Allen Lundy, Steve Jackson and Bob Isreal set out for a little adventure in the beautiful mountains of Shenandoah National Park. It was to be 22 miles of some of the most punishing terrain on the planet with enough vertical climb that if you put it all together we would have finished our hike on the moon. The horror stories Pete shared with us from his previous trip (Pete's Crevasse and Dehydration Mountain) did little to dampen our spirits or sense of adventure but rather motivated us for the challenge ahead. This trip was not without its casualties either as it would turn out. Steve Jackson who was previously hampered by a bone spur in his heal, reinjured it and was unable to continue after the first day. Little did we know at the time how that scenario would play out. More on that to come.
It was rumored there were pygmy leprechaun hikers in the area but we didn't notice any. Fortunately Pete's superb camera skills were able to capture one on film.

After hiking and enjoying a series of waterfalls and cliffs we were ready for a break. Many of the waterfalls formed natural water slides and Shawn was the first to show us how it was done.

And here he tries to swim up one of the waterfalls like a salmon.

After our break we felt rejuvinated and ready to go. We had underestimated at this time how demanding the trail was and paid for our play stop. We were now tired and the trail took an uphill swing. For the next several hours we hiked uphill. Just when we thought we couldn't go anymore we pull into our first nights camp. Pete and Jim thought they found the fountain of youth but as it turned out it was just a spring. We were still happy though as we were still thinking of Pete's "Dehydration Mountain" story.

The next morning we got up and began packing for the Old Rag Loop. You would have thought we were all in our 90's by the way we were moving. Our joints felt and sounded like the tin man from the Wizard of Oz after he got rained on. That didn't discourage us though and off we went. The Old Rag Loop was an 8 mile loop that summited on the highlight of our trip. The first 2 miles were all downhill and very relaxing. The next 4 1/2 though turned back up and gave us all a new definition for the word pain. It was well worth it as the views were simply majestic.

Though the trail was quite challenging in spots we were rewarded with amazing spots to take a break.

Nor was the trail safe. Not only were there many places where one wrong step could be disastrous, we had to watch for falling rocks. Here a small rock falls onto our path but fortunately I was able to catch it and throw it out of the way so no one was hurt.

After this near miss we continued on. Jim Miller and Bob Isreal had decided to make this some kind of Iron Man challenge and jogged the whole trip so they didn't make any of the pictures. I'm not sure what happened to them as they did the trip in record time. Pete, Shawn and I took a much slower trip so I can only provide our side of the trip.
After a long, arduous journey we finally hit the summit and wow!, what a payoff. 360 degree views for as far as the eye could see. It was simply stunning.

As awesome as the summit was we were pretty tired and the thought of the long hike down was more than we could bear. I wasn't thinking clearly and thought it would be much faster if I were to just base jump off the top and meet the guys back at camp. In my weakened state of mind I didn't realize I didn't have a parachute.

Fortunately a storm was blowing in at this time and the gusting winds blew me back onto the ledge where Shawn and Pete were able to talk some sense into me. So off we go racing the storm and rain back to camp. We made it with no other incidents and found our 2 iron men partners, Jim and Bob waiting for us.
After a quick lunch we start off for the hike out up Red Oak Canyon which I think should be renamed "The steepest hike in the world canyon". We're already more broken and tired than we've ever been in our lives with the exception of Jim and Bob who for some reason didn't seem to be phased by the rough country. That reminds me I'm going to have to test them for performance enhancing steroids...anyway back to the trip...
I don't remember a lot about the hike up Red Oak as I was delusional most of the time. All I can remember is thinking how much each step hurt only to look up to see miles more ahead. Iron Men Jim and Bob continued their jog and were soon far, far ahead. Shawn and I lost Pete as well when we stumbled upon a true gem of nature. The grandest natural water slide I've ever seen. Over 50' of smooth granite plunging into a pool of crystal clear water. As tired as we were Shawn and I could not pass up this bounty of nature.

After a little while of playing Shawn and I decided it was time to put the packs back on and continue up the mountain. Things really become a blur by this time. As fun as the water slide was it took energy that we didn't have. Once we put our packs back on we were crushed with despair. What seemed like an eternity later we pop out of a clearing and there are the other guys waiting for us. Shawn and I both collapse on the side of the road and refused to take another step. Shawn said "If a bear comes he can just decide which one of us to eat cause I'm not moving". It was a 4 mile hike back to the van and there was no way it was going to happen. I didn't even have the energy to set up my tent and had just come to peace with sleeping on the side of the road wearing my pack when all of a sudden....Steve! Glorious Steve Jackson comes pulling up in the van! I was sure I was hallucinating and was angry at my mind for playing such a cruel trick on me. I look over to see the guys high fiving each other, Shawn crawling on his hands and knees toward the van and realize this is real.

God provides in mysterious ways.

Join us for another family-friendly hike Saturday!

noreply@blogger.com (The Lundys) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 20:00:00 +0000

Come join us for a another hike at Brukner or Englewood. We'll be meeting at Grace at 10:30 AM on Saturday, July 18th and carpooling from there. Bring the kids and whole family! Questions? Email Erica Baer.

See you there! (The Lundy kids are ready to go again and want some friends to come along!)

Shenandoah Backpacking Trip

noreply@blogger.com (Allen Lundy) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Mark your calendars July 29th - August 1st for another backpacking trip, this one to the awesome Shenandoah Mountains. This trip is open to both men and women but is for experienced backpackers only. Men, if this is your first time you should consider the Men's trip to Mt Rogers in August. The 2nd backpackers meeting, July 26th will be the final meeting for this trip so come with a full pack to that meeting and we'll do our shake down at that time. This is a 27 mile trip with over 10,000 ft of elevation change with some climbing/bouldering required. Bring your A game for this one. Contact Allen Lundy 937-216-6935 if interested.

Join us for another family-friendly hike!

noreply@blogger.com (The Lundys) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 02:00:00 +0000

Come join us for a another hike at Brukner or Englewood. We'll be meeting at Grace at 10:30 AM and carpooling from there. Bring the kids and whole family! Questions? Email Erica Baer.

See you there! (The Lundy kids are certainly pumped and ready!)

Men's Backpacking Adventure - Mt Rogers

noreply@blogger.com (Allen Lundy) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 01:56:00 +0000

Join us in the mountains of Southern Virginia as we backpack on the Appalachian Trail. Three planning sessions will be held to prepare all levels of experience (or inexperience) for this trip. Planning sessions will be held on Sunday mornings during the first service (in the Multi-Purpose Room) so you can still attend Sunday School and join your family during the second service. Equipment lists and trip itineraries are provided at the planning sessions and will help you prepare for the trip and allow you to identify and borrow any equipment you may need. It's also a great opportunity to meet the rest of the group.

* Planning Meeting #1 Sunday, June 28th 8:30 - 9:30 AM
* Planning Meeting #2 Sunday, July 26th 8:30 - 9:30 AM
* Planning Meeting #3 Sunday, August 9th 8:30 - 9:30 AM
* Backpacking Adventure Sunday, August 16 thru Wednesday, August 19

Please contact Doug Jackson if you plan on participating and/or if you have any questions. Email or call 339-2876.

Wednesday Night Paddle

noreply@blogger.com (Allen Lundy) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 02:44:00 +0000

Join us this week and every Wednesday night for the remainder of summer for an enjoyable paddle down the Mad River in Dayton. Email me, or call 216-6935 if interested, we'll meet around 5 to set up carpool. The Mad River is a fantastic river to build your skill level in a safe environment that will enable you to take trips to bigger rivers. The run is suitable for all skill levels and takes only a couple of hours, unless we stop longer for play or instruction. You can run it leisurely in a rec boat or step up to a whitewater boat for a more challenging evening. Kayak rentals are available at the Whitewater Warehouse for $15.

Cycling

noreply@blogger.com (Allen Lundy) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 14:09:00 +0000

May is cycling month. Jim Miller will be leading a cycling group on several trips throughout the month, as well as the rest of the summer. Be sure to look at the schedule of upcoming events so you don't miss a date. Contact Jim with questions. As with most of our activities this is an Extreme sport. It is not a sunny day relaxing ride but a fast paced intense sport. Be sure to read the cycling classifications here to be sure you're in the group that's right for you.

All trips are subject to weather conditions. Be sure to contact Jim prior to the trip if weather conditions look iffy. Here is the schedule for May and June.

Rocky Fork/Paint Creek kayaking trip report

noreply@blogger.com (The Lundys) — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 23:00:00 +0000

Wow!
Extreme Grace had a great weekend of camping and kayaking. With temps in the upper 70's and plenty of sunshine, 11 hardy kayakers set up shuttle and headed for the putin at Barrett's Mill on the Rocky Fork River. Allen Lundy, Doug Jackson, Patrick Rhodes, Bruce Wullenweber, Greg Haman, Bob Israel, Tom Helbig, Robbie Corwin, Joe Cheatwood, Mike Neimeyer and Ryan Aberle set out for what would turn out to be a great adventure. Little did we know at the time that several of our trip members were planning on starting their very own "swim team". I think they must have stayed up late Friday night and coordinated their strategy because they didn't include me in the plans. Patrick was the first member of the "swim team" and that gave some of us other boaters a good chance to practice our rescue techniques. He was kind enough to give us a couple of rescue opportunities before getting to the bigger water so we could be nice and sharp once the "swim team" did their group swim act at the Chutes. The anticipation was building once Rocky Fork joined Paint Creek and we could hear the roar of the Chutes just around the bend. With game faces on we lined up for our first decent down. The details get a little fuzzy at this point since the swim team decided not to include me in their plans but I'll do my best to recap. I take point down the Chutes and am having a great time when I hear a whistle blast (signifying a swimmer) so I turn around and see that Joe has decided he wants to be on the "swim team". As I chase him and his boat I hear another whistle blast and see that Robbie has also joined the "swim team". They must have planned a duel performance the night before. Regardless to say we got them hauled to shore with nothing hurt but their pride. After dumping their boats they were ready for round 2. Mike being a little jealous of being left off the swim team decided it was time for him to join. He takes a nice diagonal route through the Chutes and rather than bust through the diagonal wave he invents a new kayaking move that I can only guess was some kind of stern squirting helmet boof. Even though he wasn't able to perfect his new move it was enough to earn him team captain of the swim team. When I pulled a sopping wet Mike out on his last trip down all he could say was, "Mike one, Chutes two". By this time Doug decided he was going to show the "swim team" how it was done. As it turns out Team Pyrahnna was there with us at the Chutes. These are professional kayakers that travel all over the world running the biggest water on the planet. They were doing cartwheels, flips, boofs and a number of other tricks in Turtle Rock. Turtle Rock is the one place in the Chutes the other kayakers stay away from. Not Doug though. He gets in there with Team Pyrahnna, does a couple of backenders, a stern squirt, loses his paddle, does a nice helmet boof over Turtle Rock and decides he would rather join the swim team than stay in his boat, pours over the giant munchy hole at the bottom where he was able to get a good fish count before being flushed out below the hole. All this excitement had us concerned for a moment but no worries. I was able to be on the scene in record time with my rescue camera to document his epic run. The "swim team" was in full throttle by this time and I lost count of who and how many swimmers we had. All I could think of was how much money I could make if I had my own tow boat service. Joe was not be outdone though. On one of his swim trips he decides to catch a micro eddy on the other side of the river where there was a six foot rock wall. There was only one thing for him to do at that point, climb the wall and do a seal launch off at the bottom. He made it look so easy I was a little jealous I didn't get to do it. Even a couple of the rec boaters joined us on the Chutes. Greg had an interesting run. He didn't have a spray skirt on to keep the water out of his boat so he swamped out and did some kind of submarine run. With his boat fully submerged and only his head out of the water acting as a telescope he had a flawless run. Bob had his own boat and it may have been the longest kayak I've ever seen. He had no problem getting through either but I think that's because his boat was so long that his front end was through the Chutes before the rest of his boat even entered.
After all the excitement we got to head back to the campground and pig out with the rest of the OAC in a big communal dinner and watch a great kayaking movie with Team Pyrahnna. We couldn't have asked for a more perfect weekend.

they're off! extreme grace hits the rocky fork.

noreply@blogger.com (The Lundys) — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 14:00:00 +0000

they're off! 11 kayakers took off for rocky fork for a calm, scenic float before hitting the craziness of the chutes. and another 11 campers stayed behind to enjoy this beautiful day at rocky fork state park. and yes, i'm posting this from a laptop with internet in a camper while eating a snack from the fridge. just call it extreme camping!
we'll certainly hear many great stories when the boaters return, and we'll share how the trip went. let's hope they have fun and all stay upright and dry, although the stories are so much better if they don't!

4/25 Day Hike at Brukner Nature Center

noreply@blogger.com (Allen Lundy) — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 16:18:00 +0000

Come join us for a day hike at Brukner Nature Center. We'll be meeting at Grace at 10:30 AM and carpooling from there. This is a great hike for kids and family. Questions may be directed to Erica Baer

See you there.

Rocky Fork/Paint Creek - Intro to Whitewater and Camping

noreply@blogger.com (Allen Lundy) — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 13:31:00 +0000

Spring is here and that can only mean the beginning of kayaking season! Kick off the season April 18-19 with a fantastic weekend trip right here in Ohio. Rocky Fork is one of the most scenic creeks in Ohio, traversing through the Seven Caves area. It features amazing rock formations, caves and waterfalls and is suitable for any skill level. You don't want to miss this gem of nature. Once Rocky Fork joins Paint Creek things get a little more interesting from a whitewater perspective. There's an opportunity to exit the river before the main event, a section of the river called "The Chutes". This is a fun class II-III rapid that will get the adrenaline pumping for you. For the most adventurous, you can get out at the bottom and run it multiple times. We will be camping Friday - Sunday at Paint Creek Campgrounds. Look for a sign up sheet at church and check back here for updates. Kayak rental will be available through Whitewater Warehouse.

Urban Krag - 3/10 Trip Report

noreply@blogger.com (Allen Lundy) — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 02:04:00 +0000

3 fearless adventurers (Doug Jackson, Robbie Corwin, Allen Lundy) set out on a rock climbing journey tonight and what a night is was. Mother nature provided such nice weather the doors were left open at the climbing center. The warm weather also treated us to a rare fashion show courtesy of Doug "Manpris" Jackson. See the pics for the bold statement of spring wear he was nice enough to model for us. He possibly could become the face of fashion for the climbing world. Are they shorts? Pants? I have no idea.
Once again Robbie the Human Spider Corwin put on a show. Though he left his blue and red costume at home, he still scaled every wall in his path with about as much effort as it takes me to take a nap. Overall a good time was had by all. Though this was our last scheduled climb fear not. Extreme Grace has an entire year full of outdoor adventures. Spring means kayaking season is here. Be sure to check out the upcoming Paint Creek Intro to Whitewater trip coming up next month. Erica Baer will be leading monthly hikes all summer long and Jim Miller will be starting a cycling group. Be sure to check back often, you don't want to miss the chance to get out and live!

Thru Paddling the Greenville Creek presentation

noreply@blogger.com (Allen Lundy) — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 01:30:00 +0000

Bruce Woolenweber, Doug and Shawna Jackson and myself headed to Brukner tonight to hear the story of Tom Helbig and Josh Klepinger, two neighbors in West Milton who kayaked the length of the Greenville Creek to their front yard! In addition to being a fun evening we learned about an amazing adventure opportunity right in our back yard. Tom did a great job presenting their adventure and illustrating what a gem this trip is. The scenery alone makes the trip worthwile though the real treasure is the abundance of Smallmouth Bass. The Greenville Creek and Stillwater River are two of the best fishing streams in the state and they're right here in our neighborhood. After hearing Tom's tale I'm ready to try it myself. Maybe this will be an upcoming Extreme Grace trip???

Pics from the Adventure Summit at Wright State

noreply@blogger.com (The Lundys) — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 23:00:00 +0000

Allen and Doug represented Extreme Grace in the kayaking competition at the Adventure Summit at Wright State. They had fun and, along with all the other kayakers, provided lots of entertainment for the crowd!

Urban Krag - Indoor Rock Climbing - March 10th

noreply@blogger.com (Allen Lundy) — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Join us at 6PM for another exciting and challenging evening of indoor rock wall climbing at the Urban Krag Climbing Center in Dayton, OH. Check out pics from the last climb. This event is open to and fun for the entire family and will challenge beginners as well as experts. Contact Doug Jackson 339-2876 or Allen Lundy 216-6935 if you're interested or have questions. Cost is $12 for the evening to climb. Shoe, harness and helmet rental is an additional $8. First timers (does not apply to children) will also have to take a 30 minute belay class. This is a one time class to become belay certified and costs $15. Hope to see you there.

Thru Paddling the Greenville Creek presentation

noreply@blogger.com (Allen Lundy) — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 16:36:00 +0000

Hear the story of Tom Helbig and Josh Klepinger, two neighbors in West Milton who kayaked the length of the Greeneville Creek to their front yard! The trip is a great example of creative paddling experiences available in the Miami Valley. Over 50 miles, 3 nights, four days, memories for a lifetime. March 9th, 7:00PM at Brukner Nature Center.

Adventure Summit - February 20-21

noreply@blogger.com (Allen Lundy) — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 18:31:00 +0000

The Adventure Summit is a joint production of Five Rivers Outdoors, the Outdoor Recreation Department of Five Rivers MetroParks and the Outdoor Resource Center of Wright State University. Come learn about the outdoors from a host of speakers including Ann Bancroft.

Also come see yours truly compete in the kayak challenge. I have an extra boat if anyone is interested. :)

ADVENTURE SUMMIT KAYAK CHALLENGE
Kayak Challenge will be held Saturday, February 21, 2009 at 4:30pm and is for all abilities. Activities will include Kayak Surfing, Tug of War, Pool Slalom Obstacle Course, an Underwater Sculling Competition, and Kayak Rolling.

Kayak Surfing
When the time starts, competitors will stand up in their kayaks and try to balance as long as they can. Whitewater kayaks are quite tippy to stand in, so the last man/woman standing wins. Bonus points may be awarded for the best surf style entertainment. Partner categories will stand on the bow of each others boats and then switch places after 1 minute…the group that balances the longest will win!
Tug of War
Competitors will take the challenge of pulling a rope while paddling in the water. The challenge here is that no one boat is grounded…they will battle the strength of their teams and see who can pull or float each other over the center line.

Pool Slalom Obstacle Course
Competitors will battle through a series of gates hanging in an “obstacle course” fashion. They will maneuver through 5-6 gates trying to go through them in the correct directions and without touching the poles that are suspended from the ceiling. Individuals will go through two times once hand paddling and once backwards; partners will work as a team and work in relay fashion while one member of the team will hand paddle while the other has to paddle backwards …first team finished will win.

Underwater Sculling Competition
Competitors will start at one end of the pool. They will flip over, and then scull to the other side of the pool (swimming underwater in their boats). Competitors can hand roll up or wet exit if they are unable to make it to the other side of the pool, but the first one to the other side wins. Partner Category-When one member of the team reaches the other side of the pool their team member will then wet exit and re-enter into their boats full of water as fast as they can. The first team to complete the series of activities wins.

Rolling Competition
Competitors will do as many rolls in two minutes as they can. The person that does the most will win! Competitors may get bonus points on performing a variety of styles of rolls.

Urban Krag 2/10 Trip Report

noreply@blogger.com (Allen Lundy) — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 02:05:00 +0000

This trip report should be titled Robbie the Human Spider Corwin. I think sometime between last month's trip and this month he was bitten by some new species of spider and given super powers. He put on a show tonight tackling just about every route and even creating a few new ones. From a beginner last month to human spider this month I can only wonder what kind of show he'll put on next month. Bummer for Robbie I forgot my camera so I have no pics of him scaling the wall like a spider. I wonder if he's home right now sewing a costume out of blue and red material???

Snowyaking Trip Report

noreply@blogger.com (Allen Lundy) — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The temperature was in the -degrees and it proved to be too much for the cameras but not for 6 hardy extremers. Allen, Doug, Margie, Josh, Lizzy and Matt showed up ready to brave the elements and conquer the levy on a kayak. After a few warm up runs we decided we had to try going down standing up. Doug was the first to do it successfully after some minor carnage. Allen made it soon after. Unfortunately by this time the shutters in Margie's camera were frozen shut so no pics were able to be taken of these extreme stand up feats. She did get a few shots prior to this but the weather just proved to be too much for her two cameras. One other notable feat was all six of us crammed onto one kayak just to see if we could fit. We did fit and made a flawless run. We'll have to try for 8 next time. Though cold, it was a great evening.