Craig Kleckner's Travels

Craig speaks about his most recent experience out west. Read his story and view some amazing photos and videos after the jump

I think this trip was about simplicity. I learned just how simply one can live.

Okay I'll try and and include everything but still keep it short so here we go. Well when I got home from the GC I spent a week in Watertown, NY paddling the Inner City Wave with Elaine Campbell and she talked me into competing and that's where it started.

This is a video that Elaine made from the sessions. After that the competing started in Connecticut, in the freestyle I took third the first day and second the following day so not a bad start. Then a few weeks after that my great west adventure started, the first stop was Reno, NV. My good friend and long time riding buddy George Maroukis put me up for about a week during this I competed in the Reno Whitewater Fest I got eighth. The next competition was in Buena Vista, CO but before that I spent some time in Utah paddling then some in other parts of CO paddling. In BV I got thirteenth and that was where I got hooked up with LIquidlogic Kayaks. Then it was time for the US freestyle team trials where I did not perform up to my ability, I got twenty fourth. Then it was off to Vail, CO for the last contest, I had a very respectable fourteenth place finish.

In between all of the competing I still was able to ride my bike, go hiking, knitting, and some soul searching. With each adventure I take I try and learn some thing new and something more about myself, when I paddled the GC it was about our impact on the earth, I think this trip was about simplicity. I learned just how simply one can live. Then is was home for weddings and work, but I recently was asked by Elaine to watch her animals while she went to Switzerland to compete in the World Championships (she made the women's freestyle team). I had two weeks of pretty good kayaking everyday and here is a short video of the good stuff. Now I'm off to West Virginia to do some fun Gauley River kayaking until next time keep your paddle in the water. -CK

Craig Kleckner and Route 3 from Craig Kleckner on Vimeo.

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