August 16, 2004

It has been 10 days since I folded a sharp river knife on my hand and got 10 stitches. It is still swollen and really hurts to push on it, and being my right hand it was quite the challenge to meet people all day at the trade show. Everybody wants to shake hands and it took me three times on Thursday to learn my lesson and shake with my left hand. I am sure that a few of the hundreds of people I shook hands with thought I was weird to offer my left hand when they offered the right hand, but it was interesting. There was a few people who just couldn't get themselves to shake with their left hand.

Anyway- I passed the Swiss Army Brands booth and asked them if I could use a good pair of scizzors off of one of their knives to take my stitches out and they agreed. I got one of them to use my camera and take photos, cool.

Meanwhile- Check out the Lotus Booth, and the girls shot. The one on the far left is 1995 World Freestyle Kayak Champion, Jamie Simon. She is now in charge of Red Bull's events on the west coast. In the middle is Christie Dobson, my next door neighbor, Clay Wright's girlfriend, and Lotus on the road guru. On the right is my wife, Kristine, of course.

I am at the Salt Lake airport and will be back online when I get to New York. We are getting ready to board a red eye, then drive from JFK airport to Jessie Stone's house, drop off the kids, get the dogs from the kennel, load the Mini on the trailer, back out of Jessie's driveway- BIG DEAL!, then head up to Watertown NY, to begin training for US Team Trials. My hand is working OK, but my left arm is still screwed up bad. (I can, and will paddle daily, but their will be pain!)

:) EJ