Ah Sunday, gentle Sunday at Kiptopeke 2014

I am a class-junky, an eternal student. I love classes, and learning. This year Dubside, this guy:
Dubside rolling video

told me something I have confirmed as truth: Instructors hate to be tapped for the last class of a Symposium or Festival as almost none of the students show up. (!) No sh*t, really?! Ah, now I have been that student and I can say in some paddlers' cases it is the physical exhaustion from paddling several days in a row, as Dubside supposed to me. But for myself, since he gave me this nugget, I surge strong at the end, knowing I will have an instructor with less students on her/his hands. Nice.

So Sunday dawns and I am all over this boat control class I have scheduled: Boat Body Blade with Chris Raab. It does not matter that I am firing on yet another bad night's sleep, or that my allergies are killing me. No no, I am gonna kill this. I *need* this class, I am a sloppy paddler whose arms are flapping, elbows akimbo, I know I look like a noob.

I want elegance, like a yoga pose, gentle flowing beauty. I deeply desire boat dancing, even if it takes me another ten years. This is my *thing*.

I have forgotten this young man's name. He was in at least two of my classes with me. Maybe I need to start writing down names, like a journalist.

Liz, looking elegant here, was in all three of my classes. She lives in the WDC metro area, like me.

The "lesson" beach. 

I am *also* sitting on my back deck like Chris and Brian here. I was snapping photos while balancing like a gymnast on the balance beam. Because I wanted to take pictures I did not try to cross my legs like Chris urged a couple of other paddlers into. I am pretty sure Liz nailed it, wow!

Chris is just starting to sit "side saddle."

Oops, lost one, and then another. No shame in that. This is not an easy exercise. Great practice for balance!

This class was the perfect way to end the Symposium. I learned I was turning my low brace turn stroke in to a reverse sweep stroke. That needs fixing! What a fun class, and just what I was looking for in adding finesse to my strokes. I really like Chris, he is amusing, which makes learning easy.

I am definitely "in" for next year. What a great experience. Many thanks to Rick for orchestrating all this!