A perfect paddling day - I didn’t go

[Black_Fly]

It was gorgeous here in NW Wisconsin yesterday. The Totogatic is high, little wind. I moved my NC P15 out and fitted her with my seat, gathered all my padding paraphernalia. Then it occurred to me that I’ve paddling exactly once with my post surgical shoulder, and that was for 1.5 hours on sleepy calm waters. The trip down the totogatic is 3 hours and raucous. The valley is steep and remote, and I’m alone. All the bad things that could happen started flooding my brain, all involving some form of re-injury or death. Decided to hike with the dingoes instead. Now I don’t know when the weather and river will be so inviting, but I hope to make it downstream once this month, although common sense tells me a long paddle on a lake is the wise precursor.

 

[JohnSand]

Prudence is a key element of boating.

 

[Chip]

Patience. It’s hard, but if you rush things, you risk re-injury, and that would be a setback which keeps you off the water even longer. Start slow and easy and gradually build from there. I know it’s hard because you may feel you can go more, but you gotta gradually recover to reach your new capability.

 

[Gamma1214]

Sounds like a wise decision yesterday and a solid game plan going forward. Slow & steady... life is a marathon, not a sprint.

 

[Ripple]

You know you. Like a fire, build it slow, and watch it grow! No new news hear. Reinjury makes it much more complicated, and much longer to recover. Good luck.

 

[TrailBlaser]

I respect and applaud your good sense and decision. That comes with wisdom and experience. Congrats.

 

[riverstrider]

I know a few people who's common-sense sectors in their brains are so poorly exercised and atrophied that it is a wonder they are still alive. It seems like you may not have that problem. So take any opportunity to get that boat out on something benign and safe, and/or paddle with others, when you can. The siren call of good weather after a long winter can be tough to tune out. I myself succumbed yesterday to the sunny 65 degree weather and paddled the easy quickwater and whitewater of a nearby river in CT.

 

[SouthernKevlar]

Good decisions are the precursors to good fortunes.

My rule of thumb is the old "Have at least as many boats as the highest class of rapids on the river", and I would add at least another class to the rapids for a healing post-surgery shoulder. Good decision.