• Welcome to AlpineZone, the largest online community of skiers and snowboarders in the Northeast!

    You may have to REGISTER before you can post. Registering is FREE, gets rid of the majority of advertisements, and lets you participate in giveaways and other AlpineZone events!

Paddling for Pops

Cornhead

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 4, 2010
Messages
2,834
Points
48
As I've mentioned in Warp's thread on his upcoming hip replacement, my Dad has been battling complications from a recent broken hip and subsequent hip replacement. September 3rd will be his 92nd birthday. His mind is good, but most of the rest of his body is failing. Regardless of the outcome, I know the end is near. I have foregone working out after work in order to spend time with him. When I decided to take a week's vacation to be with him, it dawned on me that I could paddle to Lourdes Hospital. My usual paddling excursion takes me from my home on the Susquehanna to the Rockbottom Dam, and back. The trip to Lourdes would involve a portage of the dam, and an additional two miles paddling beyond. I enlisted the aid of my Brother to meet me at the dam and help with the portage. I made the trip twice, once down and back on the same day, the other I slept on a recliner in my Dad's room, and returned the following day.

My Dad was released from the hospital last week. He's now in rehab at Good Shepard nursing home. Good Shepard is about a quarter mile from the river. Today after work I canoed to directly South of the nursing home, locked my boat to a tree, a hoofed it the rest of the way to the nursing home. Tomorrow morning I plan to paddle to the dam, and stop and visit Dad on the trip home.

Could I have just gone to the gym in the time I've spent canoeing to visit Dad? Sure, but I found it quite spiritual to go through the effort with the end result arriving at my Dad's side. I told him that my journey on the river was a metaphor for life itself. Both journeys are long and hard with many twists and turns. There is much to be experienced, and seen, along the way. When the journey is done, there's a sense of accomplishment, and relief, and the slate is clean, ready for the next adventure. It's been quite a trip Dad, well done.

attachment.php

Rockbottom Dam, the old Crowley plant in the background

attachment.php

Tree growing sideways to survive, like Jeff Goldblum says in Jurassic Park, life finds a way

attachment.php

Dragonfly perched on my cooler, I was sure he'd fly away before I got my phone out of my pocket.

attachment.php

Sunset on the Susquehanna

attachment.php

The Waxing Gibbous Moon, getting dark a lot earlier these days, ski season is coming.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20150817_103708742.jpg
    IMG_20150817_103708742.jpg
    61.9 KB · Views: 162
  • IMG_20150817_110933080.jpg
    IMG_20150817_110933080.jpg
    102.8 KB · Views: 161
  • IMG_20150731_201140570.jpg
    IMG_20150731_201140570.jpg
    30.8 KB · Views: 160
  • IMG_20150828_195142017.jpg
    IMG_20150828_195142017.jpg
    35.4 KB · Views: 160
  • IMG_20150828_163749575.jpg
    IMG_20150828_163749575.jpg
    175.1 KB · Views: 160

deadheadskier

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Mar 6, 2005
Messages
27,906
Points
113
Location
Southeast NH
Life's quite a ride....inspiring to read how you're choosing to spend your time during the twilight of your pops ride.
 

Cornhead

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 4, 2010
Messages
2,834
Points
48
Life's quite a ride....inspiring to read how you're choosing to spend your time during the twilight of your pops ride.

Thanks, so glad we really got close before it was too late. I can take solace in that when he does pass. His sense of humor is quite impressive. He shot off a few zingers throughout the ordeal, who knew? Not me. I wasn't into yelling at him in order to converse. I think he now sees the foolishness of not getting help for his hearing loss sooner. He wore Sennheiser RF headphones for watching TV. I bought my Mom a bullhorn, half as a gag, and half so she could actually talk to him. I guess she used it if there were a long idea she needed him to understand. But yelling at him went on through daily life. Perhaps he just wanted to tune his Wife out?
 

Cornhead

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 4, 2010
Messages
2,834
Points
48
Find of the morning, picking up some trash near the dam I found this, how people can enjoy nature and pollute it at the same time is beyond me, anyway, full, unopened, Rolling Rock tall boy.
Saw this bike too, do you think it can be restored? At least the bike is returning to Nature.
 

Attachments

  • 1440857402883.jpg
    1440857402883.jpg
    43.2 KB · Views: 75
  • 1440857480684.jpg
    1440857480684.jpg
    97.4 KB · Views: 75
  • 1440857503975.jpg
    1440857503975.jpg
    93.6 KB · Views: 75

Cornhead

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 4, 2010
Messages
2,834
Points
48
Paddled to within a quarter mile or so of the nursing home all three days this weekend. I walked from there. I thought someone stole my boat yesterday, I walked right by it and was in a spot that looked just like where I'd left it. Then I thought to myself, did someone really steal a 35 yr old boat locked to a tree? To my relief, I was just in the wrong spot. Spotted several eagles on the river. Snapped a few pics, but my attempts to zoom in were fruitless. Saw a couple near the house. Ran to grab some binoculars, but they were gone when I returned.
 

Attachments

  • 1441721124234.jpg
    1441721124234.jpg
    27 KB · Views: 63
  • 1441721146074.jpg
    1441721146074.jpg
    51.5 KB · Views: 63

Rambo

Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2008
Messages
891
Points
18
Location
Binghamton, NY
Nice Pics. River seems awfully low now. Hey Corn, was checking out the Warren Miller Tics... Binghamton lists the same vouchers as last year with additional 1 tic for Smugglers Notch and 1 for Steamboat, Ha Ha... AND Albany showings give a FREE Gore Tic! That stinks that Albany gives a Gore Tic and Binghamton doesn't. (also most showings get a Killington 2 for 1 but not Binghamton).
 
Last edited:

Cornhead

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 4, 2010
Messages
2,834
Points
48
Very low, actually flows upstream in places, if that makes any sense.

I was able to redeem a WM voucher through another portal last Spring. I used it to get a Killington voucher. If you see the movie in Binghamton, you should be able to use a portal that has Gore. Someone here lingered after the show and picked up cards off the floor. That's a great idea, alot of people probably couldn't care less about the vouchers.
 

ScottySkis

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 16, 2011
Messages
12,294
Points
48
Location
Middletown NY
Very low levels up here too but am beginning to get some rain but we still need more.

We need rain. Water falls famously by hunter Katerskills non falls last weekend when I and Jim rode by the place in way to hiking off Windham high peaks and on read dead end road that goes for miles on in valley of Mountains road in Greene County. Cornhead as you know I glad your having this time with your dad good luck with everything life is so precious due what you love with who you love so happy to see your family understand s this love.
 
Last edited:

Cornhead

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 4, 2010
Messages
2,834
Points
48
Thanks Scotty, yeah I bet the falls in Ithaca are dried up too, I haven't been in awhile, time to get my knee looked at, ski season is approaching, thank God for paddling, that only involves my bad shoulder. Getting old, it ain't for pussies.
 

bigbog

Active member
Joined
Feb 17, 2004
Messages
4,882
Points
38
Location
Bangor and the state's woodlands
Thanks Scotty, yeah I bet the falls in Ithaca are dried up too, I haven't been in awhile, time to get my knee looked at, ski season is approaching, thank God for paddling, that only involves my bad shoulder. Getting old, it ain't for pussies.

As the years in our paddling increase...using(twisting) our spine and abdomen/back muscles helps our shoulders immensely....
But that takes the place of going to the paid place of exercise..:grin: ..where social contact often occurs...

Granddady (steve).....(not a true granddad)
 

Cornhead

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 4, 2010
Messages
2,834
Points
48
As the years in our paddling increase...using(twisting) our spine and abdomen/back muscles helps our shoulders immensely....
But that takes the place of going to the paid place of exercise..:grin: ..where social contact often occurs...

Granddady (steve).....(not a true granddad)

Doing both today, paddling to the paid place of exercise, going to swim about a mile while there. As far as social interaction, I expect to interact with other saggy, naked old men in the locker and steam room, and hopefully a perky coed lifeguarding at the pool. It'll be a dude though, hopefully I'll be surprised, having some scenery makes the swim go by much faster. Yes, I am a dirty old man, guilty as charged.
 

marcski

Active member
Joined
Jan 10, 2005
Messages
4,576
Points
36
Location
Westchester County, NY and a Mountain near you!
Doing both today, paddling to the paid place of exercise, going to swim about a mile while there. As far as social interaction, I expect to interact with other saggy, naked old men in the locker and steam room, and hopefully a perky coed lifeguarding at the pool. It'll be a dude though, hopefully I'll be surprised, having some scenery makes the swim go by much faster. Yes, I am a dirty old man, guilty as charged.
You're not that old. Dirty......perhaps. ;).
 

Cornhead

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 4, 2010
Messages
2,834
Points
48
Well, I never made it to the Y. I locked up my boat and started walking towards the low spot in the floodwall. As I walked along, I noticed a squatter camped about 100ft from where I left my boat. I toured the Confluence Park, aka Policemen's & Firemen's Park. I knew if I carried on to the Y, I'd be worried about my boat the whole time. Where a homeless person would take a canoe with no paddle I don't know. Scotty had a good suggestion, offer him some herb to keep an /eye on it. I know where he lives.

Speaking of paddles, my trusty Carlisle fiberglass Kayak paddle gave up the ghost after 4 yrs and hundreds of miles of paddling. The support behind my right blade has cracked in half. I don't know if was a result of all the times I've pushed off the bottom with it, or when broken down using it as a cane on occasion. That is when I noticed it bending quite a bit. It could just be the immense force I put into my strokes. Or, maybe just trying to propel my fat ass through the water. The other blade has a line on it in the same spot, but is still solid. I'm going to let it dry and try gluing it. Any suggestions? It is still operable, for now.

It has been an awesome paddle. I would buy another as a replacement. Maybe I'll try not to use the new one for anything but paddling, couldn't hurt.
 

Attachments

  • 1443304967784.jpg
    1443304967784.jpg
    30.6 KB · Views: 30
  • 1443305122444.jpg
    1443305122444.jpg
    39.2 KB · Views: 30

Cornhead

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 4, 2010
Messages
2,834
Points
48
Plan B, I'll be paddling my canoe tomorrow with, of all things, a canoe paddle. Another Carlisle product, a wooden beaver tail paddle I bought when I picked up canoeing again following a tweak of my bad, now good, knee. It too is a nice paddle, feels good in your hands. I think it weighs quite a bit more than the glass Kayak paddle. Probably a more appropriate tool for pushing off the bottom. J stroke here I come. I think the Kayak paddle is much better for the very shallow conditions we have now. With the Kayak paddle you can skim close to the surface. I won't be able to do that with the canoe paddle, but like I said, I'll be able to push off the bottom in the very shallow spots.
 

Attachments

  • 1443317244630.jpg
    1443317244630.jpg
    5.8 KB · Views: 25
Last edited:

Cornhead

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 4, 2010
Messages
2,834
Points
48
Waaa, I miss my paddle already, a mile from finishing an 8 mile paddle with the canoe paddle. Anyone who owns a solo canoe and isn't paddling it wit a Kayak paddle is missing the boat! A lot slower, and a lot more work, less control too. A Kayak paddle is just a far superior tool for the job.
 

bigbog

Active member
Joined
Feb 17, 2004
Messages
4,882
Points
38
Location
Bangor and the state's woodlands
Check up on RedTail paddles(laminated) and Grey Owl paddles(1-piece) Cornhead...and Shaw and Tenney makes the best lengthy, flatter grips that make J-ing just a thought = no effort needed.....HA!..bet you'll never buy that!:lol: (Neither do any of my kayak friends...wtf?:dontknow:).
There's a single-guy paddlemaker up in Quebec, that makes ww canoe(OC-1) and touring paddles with strong but light, thin blades...but needs to incorporate Shaw & Tenney's grips, have forgotten his name...LOL. Think the control-thing is just from us developing our repertoire with the particular paddle.
 
Last edited:
Top