St. Paddy’s Day is around the corner, but who needs the Luck o’ the Irish when you have Paddling Life? That’s the sentiment shared by the lucky winners of PL’s 2009’s sweepstakes, a Schwagfeat O’rama including drytops from NRS and Kokotat, river sandals from Teva, a two-day raft trip down Costa Rica’s Pacuare River from Rios Tropicales, and more! Read on to see who won (and bios and photos of the lucky winners). Enter this year’s contest HERE.
2009 Sweepstakes Winners:
Teva Sandals:
Dan Cherry (Prescott, AZ); Jessica DeFeyter (Sterling, VA); Chris Nickerson (Staatsburg, NY); Haley Mills (Apex, NC); Rodney Boegel (El Reno OK); Randy Stinson
NRS Flux DryTop
Ralf Schloss (ALTMAR, NY)
Kokatat Drytops
James Wilkes (Durango, CO); George Lackey (San Angelo, TX)
Two-day Pacuare River Trip (courtesy Rios Tropicales):
John Porcher
Want to see what kind of people won? Read on for a random sampling of bios:
Dan Cherry, Prescott AZ
Prize: Teva Sandals
My family (wife, and 2 daughters, ages 6 and 9) and I have been paddling for 1-2 years now. After a very enjoyable river trip on the San Juan River in Utah last year, we bought some great AIRE Super Lynx boats in 2008 that we use in both flatwater and riverine conditions here in the Southwest. We try to get out and paddle as a family as much as the weather and flows allow, and my wife and I are looking forward to spring runoff here in AZ to develop our skills. I have a long list of places that I want to go visit and paddle. We are also avid backpackers and enjoy introducing our girls to the wonders of America’s National Parks during lengthy summer vacation road trips.
Jessica De Feyter, Sterling, VA
Prize: Teva Sandals
As a new paddler, I had the good fortune of moving to a great beginner stretch of river – the lower Yampa that runs right through Steamboat Springs, CO. I took a week-long class with the Mountain Sports Kayak School and then got to play around in the holes downtown for the rest of the season. Since my husband is an avid whitewater boater, it was great to finally get to paddle together for a change. We now live on the East Coast but are counting down the days until we can get back to the beautiful rivers of the West.
Rodney Boegel, El Reno, OK
Prize: Teva Sandals
This is really cool. I just get in from paddling and this is in my email. I’m 55 years of age and originally from Alaska where I got hooked on canoes on the numerous lakes and rivers. When I got transfered to Oklahoma, I started looking for waterways and people to paddle with. These days, I mostly paddle kayaks but I still love the front seat of a good canoe. I’ve organized several River CleanUp projects on the North Canadian River as I believe if we save the rivers, we save the world. I’m a member of the Sierra Club, currently running for a seat on the Executive Committee. I also belong to the American Canoe Association. I came home from work on Wednesday and there they were, my new pair of Teva Omnium paddle sandals. Thanks for the honor of receiving them. It’s currently 15 degrees Fahrenheit here in Oklahoma and I feel like my Alaskan ancestors as I search for open water. As soon as the temperature rises to a comfortable level, I’ll be trying out my new sandals instead of the SCUBA boots I’m wearing now to ward of the chill. Also, most of our local water in frozen solid. And me with no skates.
Ralf Schloss (Altmar, NY)
Prize: NRS Drytop
What a pleasant surprise, very cool! I’ve only been kayaking for about two years. I started in 2007 after my last tour in Iraq. I like kayaking for the exercise as well as for fishing and camping. I’ve kayaked up in the Adirondacks, on the Moose River, the Crooked River in Georgia to Cumberland Island and locally on the Salmon River and various streams.
James Wilkes, Durango, CO
Prize: Kokatat Drytop
I went to guide school with on the Rio Grande in 1995. In 1996 I started on the Salt River in Arizona in March, went to Colorado to run the Upper Animas and Piedra from May – August, then the Upper Gauley in September. I did that cycle more or less until 2004 living out of my 1963 Volvo wagon. In the winter of 2005 I was tricked into buying a rafting company in the desert, yeah the Salt river in Airzona; my buddy said it was what we had always dreamed of. It turned out to be the coolest and funnest thing to happen to me work/career wise, and whenever he pisses me off I just remember that I actually owe him big time. My two favorite river trips I have done are Utah’s Muddy Creek, and a first descent (it’s legit, I would never throw that term around) on the Upper Rio Division in Costa Rica. Here’s a video I put together of shots we took when we weren’t focused on just staying in the boat and alive: click here. My whitewater hero is Buzz Holmstrom