September 29, 2004

I’m Paddling an All Star Now…

…Thanks to Jackson Kayak and American Whitewater. You gave me a great summer project to work on.

My Parents like for me to be working on something over the summer so the AW/Jackson Kayak Membership Drive Contest came at a great time. Sometimes it got hard to keep trying to sign up new members but then I would just think about that brand new Jackson Kayak and get all fired up again. In the beginning I thought it was all about winning a kayak but as the 2 month contest came to an end I realized that I got to know a bunch of new people, learned about river access/quality issues and had a lot of fun.

I just started kayaking last year so there were lots of things I didn’t know about the sport. I knew about American Whitewater but wasn’t really sure what they did. If I was going to be able to sell people on the idea of becoming a member I'd have to learn more about it. So I read all that I could. If anybody wants to know about the kind of work they do and why every kayaker should be a member, they can just ask me. Before, I never really paid attention to those things but now I do. I’m really glad that AW does the work that it does so that I’ll have access to clean rivers when I’m an adult. I feel good that there are many more members now and that I had something to do with it. I even found a couple of fly fisherman to join since I figured they need good access to clean rivers too.

I got to know a lot of other paddlers during the contest. I belong to the Keelhaulers and Three Rivers Clubs. Many of them helped out by signing up and encouraging me. I couldn’t have done it without them. One of the coolest things I’ve learned since I started kayaking is that there are a lot of really nice people doing it. Paddlers always seem to be ready to help each other on and off the river.

Getting to meet EJ and receive my new All Star on Saturday night at Gauley Fest was the greatest thing ever. I was so excited (and nervous) that I even forgot to shake EJ’s hand. Next time I see you I will. The Gauley was a little too hard for me to paddle yet (set as a goal for next year) so we drove up to the Lower Yough on Sunday. That way I could try my new All Star on a familiar river. I just couldn’t go a whole week without getting it in some whitewater. WOW! I was spinning in holes better then I ever have. After I get a couple of more days in it I’m going to send in a review. I might even get to take it over the Ohiopyle Falls this weekend.

So thanks for giving me a chance to win a new kayak and for giving me a great summer project to work on. I can’t wait to see what AW and Jackson Kayak come up with for next summer. I’ll be ready.

Sincerely,

Eric Marksz

PS: EJ, next time I see you will you autograph my All Star?