Charlottesville to Richmond

This is something I have thought of doing for a while and it finally looks like it is going to happen. I am going to kayak from Charlottesville to Richmond with my brother-in-law. The trip is still in the early stages of planning, but it is basically going to start on the downstream side of the Woolen Mills dam in the Rivanna and end in the James River in Richmond. USGS charts are in the mail on their way to my house for the James leg and I purchased a nice little map of the Rivanna from the Rivanna Conservation Society for five dollars at Blue Ridge Mountain Sports. My job has let me off work for a week in September and my wife, with her undying support of my craziness, will bid me farewell from the banks as the sound of "Kaching" rings in her ears from the life insurance policy.

The only hitch in the whole process is my bro's kayak is not fit for a trip of this caliber. He has a nice, light weight, extremely fast canvass skinned boat that we are afraid will be ripped to shreds before reaching the Jim. We are in the market for a well cared for plastic kayak in the range of 10 feet in length. If you know of anything, please let me know! I really need him on this trip because he has all the gear we need and the experience to get me through it in one piece. For the love of me, find us another boat. I'm dumb enough to attempt this alone...

Departure date has yet to be set, as well as arrival time in Richmond. As planning progresses, I will keep the blog updated. I foresee future blog entries curtailing trial and error runs in the Rivanna until I figure out the best way to pack my luggage. My minds eye also forecasts at least one kayak sinking from being overloaded and several dunkings of yours truly until I get the whole balance-the-load thing down pat. I'm so excited my balls tingle.

Until next time,
Fair winds and following seas.