Friday, February 23, 2007

Looking official


Well, the name of the boat and Bubba Girl, my sponsor, is official: the stickers are on the boat. The Everglades Challenge is just eight sleeps away and I’ve a heap of last-minute things to get done, but at least the boat looks great!

Thanks to Dawn (AKA SandyBottom), I now have “KiwiBird” and a stylized Maori warrior as my “scare-the-heck-out-of-the-competition” logos. And throw in a couple of NZ flags along the gunnel, and what better promotion could one get for 100% Pure NZ.

Last night I finally got the Ram GPS mount on the boat – the screws accompanying the unit wouldn’t fit their nuts, so off I dashed at lunchtime yesterday to a local hardware store and bought the requisite ones – doubled the number to four, just to make sure. With the kayak in the lounge, much to my partner’s disquiet but bemusement, I can work on the boat in warmth.

I also got all my Gookinaid scooped out into Ziplocs, each baggie enough for four litres, and I’m reckoning on nearly two four-litre water bags a day. And now I know just where I’m going to position the Sticky Pod mount for my camera.

It’s all terribly exciting! In fact, I sometimes think the preparation can be more fun than the actual event you’re preparing for. I often found that with my boats on the marina hardstand during the winter and tinkering away on them.

But ultimately it’s all about the personal adventure, and being a Bubba Girl. If I can get just a couple of nieces to get excited and start dreaming that they too could be doing just something like this tomorrow; if another forty-something can say to her partner and children, let’s go camping this weekend; if grandma can call up her neighbour and make a date to go for a walk along the beach, then they too can be Bubba Girls.

5 comments:

Michael said...

Are there Bubba Men, or is that not allowed (or perhaps they are those large bellied things I've seen bouncing around the last few days eating restaurant food...)? ;-)

Kristen said...

I believe wwe're open to the few honorary Bubba Men, Michael, who support Bubba Girls. Sounds like you ;) Are you stopping by Durham on your way?

Captn O Dark 30 and Super Boo said...

Good Luck KiwiBird!!

- Your Kayak looks "Bubblicious" -

The Capt'n

Michael said...

Gee... I'm already in Hiawassee, Georgia, just over the line from you folks in NC! Let's meet in Florida someplace and celebrate your race. I'll post a note on Dawn's blog as well. Might be fun to hold a blogger's summit meeting!

Adam Bolonsky Dot Com said...

Hi Kristen,
thanks for putting me in your blogroll.

Your post about the Everglades adventure and mounting a GPS intrigues me.

Would you have any photos of how you mounted your GPS, and some specs on the model, fastening hardware, etc.?

A lot of paddlers above the mid-Atlantic states use GPS, especially in downeast Maine (the Maine Island Trail Association is a rich resources for overnight camping spots a day or so apart between Portland, Maine and Canada), where the fogs are widespread, thick, and persistent.

Thanks,
Adam (Sea Kayaking Dot Net)